Olá and Welcome back to your Startup Digest Portugal!!

When it comes to Carnaval, Brazil is king but we also have a fun Carnaval - is not completely unique - with music and plenty of food. It is a time when you really can get to know the locals, take in the culture, and have a blast.

Carnaval is a burst of creativity, energy, and bold expression. Behind the dazzling parades lies an entrepreneurial spirit fueled by innovation, collaboration, and risk-taking.

Like startups, Carnaval thrives on creativity under pressure. Samba schools craft new experiences annually, working with tight budgets, unpredictable challenges, and fierce competition—yet they always deliver. Entrepreneurs must do the same, adapting and innovating despite constraints.

Carnaval is also a collective effort. Designers, musicians, and dancers unite toward a shared vision, just as startup teams, mentors, and networks drive success. Strong communities fuel both great performances and groundbreaking businesses.

Finally, boldness defines Carnaval. Daring costumes and performances captivate crowds, just as disruptive ideas set startups apart. Whether in business or celebration, success belongs to those who embrace creativity, collaboration, and risk.

At its core, Carnaval celebrates passion, resilience, and creativity—the same values that define entrepreneurship. Whether in a startup or on the parade route, success comes from embracing challenges, working together, and daring to be bold. Entrepreneurs can learn a lot from Carnaval: the courage to innovate, the power of community, and the willingness to take risks. Because in both business and celebration, the ones who stand out are the ones who dare to shine.

Your Startup Digest will have a short break and return next March 11.

• 📣 sign up & spread the word via this link: https://read.letterhead.email/techstars-portugal

• 📍 After two successful editions in Porto and Lisbon, Techstars Startup Weekend is set to make an exciting return, expanding to three cities: Coimbra (Mar 14), Albufeira (Apr 04), and Évora (May 09)

• 📍 LisboaUX is looking for speakers for the LisboaUX Monthly Talks. More info here

• 📍 MONEYTALKS with the noble mission of improving financial and economic literacy in Portugal, this event will take place in Evora next March 29 & 30. We have a promo code for our readers. Apply here with 10% discount (STARTUPDIGEST)

• 🪕🎶 another Lisbon Tech Fado Dinner is coming up this Thursday, the 27th - an exclusive live Fado concert from Fiona French Fadista and meaningful curated connections. It’s the perfect way to experience what makes Lisbon today, at its finest. 10e off for our Readers Book here

Week highlights go to:

• 🔷 Founder Institute & Uptec Meet the Startup Ecosystem Porto Edition, this Thursday. Join for an exclusive in-person event where you’ll have the opportunity to connect with key representatives from leading entrepreneurial organizations and startups

• 🔷 Cybertech Acceleration Program by Incubou - Inspiring Valley, the 1st acceleration program for Cybersecurity Startups is accepting applications

• 🔷 very first web3 Break, by web3hub Unicorn Factory Lisboa this Wednesday

• 🔷 E.Stories@Tecnico powered by Fidelidade returns this Thursday

Congrats:

• 👏 Founders Institute - the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups- selected the city of Porto for its 1st 2025 event

• 👏 LoopOS raised 3M

• 👏 Canopy Community, the innovative startup ecosystem builder, kicked off its first 2025 Founder Program.

✍ Quote of the Day

If you want truly to understand something, try to change it

Kurt Lewin (social psychologist)

📚 🎧 🎥

• 📚 Portugal como motor da inovação global w/ Gil Azevedo

📚Through data, spatial computing is set to shift how we interact with and simulate our world

• 📚 AI Voice Agents: 2025 Update (also here)

• 📚 The Arc Product-Market Fit Framework by Sequoia

• 📚 When Imperfect Systems are Good, Actually: Bluesky’s Lossy Timelines

• 📚 Why data centre startups might not be VC-backable

• 📚 How a single symbol can carry your story

• 📚 Vanguard’s investment and economic outlook

• 🎧 Reinventing the Calendar w/ PITCH.DAY & Willem Spruijt

• 🎥 iPhone 16 Pro Teardown - How Every Single Piece Inside Works

• 🎥 The single biggest reason why start-ups succeed by Bill Gross

• 🎥 Debate DeepSeek & AI no CNN (min. 33)

Plan your week 📅 Fev 25>>

Fev 25

Green Break | February 2025

Get ready to network for change, at Green Break in February 2025! Read more.

PhD Programme in Non-Academic Enviroments

Discover a New Path to Innovation and Growth with FCT Read more.

Aspiring Female Founders Evening

Aspiring Female Founders Evening is an informal networking event with a professional workshop for starting Female Entrepreneurs. Read more.

Networking PitchDay.PT #5 | The Lisbon Founders Club

This event is perfect for connecting with like-minded founders and investors. Read more.

Feb 26

Problemattic Lightning Talks

- Feb 26

Helping democratize who can build software Read more.

require('lx’): Optimise, Innovate, Collaborate

require(‘lx’) is a meetup group for JavaScript developers and enthusiasts in Lisbon. Read more.

Hangout #37 | Benefits for my Startup

The monthly Hangout for the Portuguese entrepreneurial ecosystem, where we gather all level players to talk about the community’s challenges Read more.

web3 Break February · Join us for the very first Web3 Break, marking the kickoff of our Web3 community! This monthly event is designed to bring together founders, builders, and… Read more.

Verification of Payee Breakfast Event - Lisbon

VOP Breakfast event with a panel discussion from industry experts, Q&A session, and VOP product demo. Read more.

• 🎯 Coworking & Accountability Day at IDEA Spaces | Are you ready to boost your productivity while connecting with fellow entrepreneurs and creators in Lisbon? Joi Read more.

Feb 27

THE BREAK

Do you believe in life after work? At SITIO, we certainly do! Let’s relax, unwind, and have a blast at “the break” Read more.

Meet the Startup Ecosystem Porto Edition (In-Person Networking Event) Join us for an exclusive in-person event where you’ll have the opportunity to connect with key representatives from leading entrepreneurial organizations and startups, including João Afonso (UPTEC), Sara Gonçalves (Founder of Actif), and Alexandre Santos (Investor - Partner & Founder at Chamaeleon). They will share invaluable insights into local resources and provide practical tips for successfully launching and growing your startup in Portugal. Read more.

Creative Session | Building brands that stand out - The power of branding at LabPac – Creative Incubator for an inspiring talk with Daniel Teixeira, Co-Founder & CEO of Vogal. Read more.

Lisboa Innovation Tours - Immersive Technologies

The event will feature an open discussion on the impact and opportunities immersive technologies bring to Lisboa’s innovation ecosystem. Read more.

Startup AI Live Lisbon - Feb 27 Ready to scale your startup’s AI capabilities? Immerse yourself in the world of Artificial Intelligence at Google’s premier event in Lisbon. We’re bringing together top experts from DeepMind, Product, Ventures, and Cloud to unveil the latest advancements, explore the impact of AI on industries, and discuss the investment landscape shaping the future. Discover the power of multimodal AI, the rise of intelligent agents, and gain insights into the rapidly evolving AI market. Join us at the forefront of AI innovation. Read more.

State Budget 2025: Why this is the Right Time to set up your Tech Hub in Portugal: Why this is the Right Time to set up your Tech Hub in Portugal on crowdcast, scheduled to go live on Feb 27, 2025, 03:00 PM GMT. Read more.

Tech Fado Dinner Connect with Tech People & Discover Fado : a unique Dinner Experience to connect from Brain to Soul ✨ Immerse yourself into **a unique experience at the interconnexion of F Read more.

Sui Community Meet Up - Join Us for the First Sui Community Meetup in Lisbon of 2025! Let’s kick off the new year by building on the success of last year’s inaugural Sui meetup. This… Read more.

Bridging: NOS, Sonae, Grupo Visabeira e ExpandIndustria UPTEC brings together startups, SMEs, and industry leaders: NOS, Sonae, ExpandIndustria, and Visabeira I&D to explore collaborations. Read more.

Women in Tech Porto - OutGeekWomen

All the badass women in tech, are you in? #outgeekwomen Read more.

Pitch Deconstruction and Review Pitching as a part of Angel Investing is a way that we help people get an intuitive sense of how a company is going and which ones we want to lean into. However, one of the Read more.

E.Stories@Tecnico powered by Fidelidade

Vem ouvir histórias inspiradoras e aprender com os melhores no E.Stories@Tecnico powered by Fidelidade! Read more.

Story Telling Evening 351

Join us for a cozy evening of sharing stories and connecting with others through the power of words! Read more.

Feb 28

Female Founders Breakfast (+Coworking) #Lisbon

Female Founders Breakfast is an informal networking event for Female Founders in Lisbon to exchange opportunities and lessons of life. Read more.

***

Dinner with Designers (Limited Seats) · Mar 05

Meet 5 designers you haven’t met yet over dinner at one of our favourite restaurants. How does it work? Sign up and let us know your dietary preferences. Our… Read more.

InnoWomen Hackathon 2.0🚀 · Mar 07

• 🌊 Hackathon by the beach? Yes, please! 🌴 Win prizes by solving real-world challenges with no-code and AI. No coding skills needed. Next March, the… Read more.

AXE 2025 – International Women’s Day . Mar 08

Celebrate IWD 2025 with an empowering Speaker Event in Lisbon – network and hear inspiring keynotes; fireside & panel chats! Read more.

Power Hour #8: Building Brands with Smart Design - Mar 12 Join us for the next Power Hour at UPTEC, where you’ll discover how to apply key graphic design principles to enhance your brand. Read more.

Covilhã Innov Summit 2025

Vem ao Covilhã Innov Summit 2025 para descobrir as últimas tendências e inovações no mundo dos negócios! Read more.

Meet the Startup Ecosystem Lisbon Edition (In-Person Networking Event)

Join us for an in-person event featuring key representatives from leading entrepreneurial organizations and successful startups, including Ana Teresa Maia and Joana Pinto, VC investors Carolina Amorim and Tomás Penaguião, and ecosystem expert João Nunes Rosado. They will share invaluable insights and practical tips on leveraging local resources to successfully launch and grow your startup. Don’t miss this opportunity to empower your entrepreneurial journey—attend and discover the support you need to succeed! Read more.

Startup Funding in Portugal, featuring Plug and Play & Antler - Apr 29

Looking for funding for your startup? Join our interactive, online fundraising workshop to gain practical, step-by-step advice on how to raise capital successfully. Read more.

Promotion from Techstars

Transforming Your Board Meeting

Are your board meetings a source of friction rather than fuel for growth? Join Techstars and Zeck for a dynamic two-part webinar series on March 5 & 13 where we break down how to transform your board meetings to drive more meaningful outcomes. Speakers include award-winning actor and Zeck Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Edward Norton, and Techstars Founder and CEO, David Cohen.

Register to attend today!

⏳ Local & International Applications

Deadlines coming up soon:

• 🔔 Canopy Community, the innovative startup ecosystem builder, kicked off its first 2025 Founder Program, on February 17, as a groundbreaking remote accelerator. This five-day intensive program is empowering early-stage entrepreneurs from diverse countries including Pakistan, Zambia, Spain, and Madagascar with the tools and connections needed to thrive in today’s competitive startup landscape. For those interested in joining this thriving global startup community, registration is open for upcoming cohorts. Visit https://www.canopy.community/2025-founder-programs to learn more and apply.

• 🔔 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁

Apply by 28 February and enhance your fundraising capabilities: https://lnkd.in/d7Ym2uuf

• 🔔 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹

Apply by 28 February and provide your VC experience to help mobility startups scale: https://lnkd.in/drzsBq5g

• 🔔 Oportunidade para Startups: Scaling Startups Programme da EIT Urban Mobility A EIT Urban Mobility está a apoiar startups inovadoras nas áreas de mobilidade, cidades inteligentes e sustentabilidade com o Scaling Startups Programme. Este programa oferece suporte personalizado ao crescimento das startups e facilita o acesso a investidores europeus de early-stage. As startups interessadas podem ainda participar numa sessão informativa online, a 13 de fevereiro, para conhecer os objetivos estratégicos do programa, os requisitos e o processo de candidatura. 🔗 Saiba mais e candidate-se até 28 Fev

🔔  GLOBAL HEALTH ACCELERATOR by STARTUP BRAGA is designed to help early to mid-stage startups address global health, biotech, and nanotech challenges. It offers three months of tailored entrepreneurship training, followed by a six-month pilot/POC development phase. Startups gain access to labs, industry partnerships, expert mentorship, and regulatory expertise to refine their products and scale. The program culminates in a Demo Day to showcase innovations to investors and stakeholders. Apply here until Feb 28

• 🔔 Healthtech founders, this is your chance! Innovation in healthcare is not just an opportunity—it’s a necessity. Portugal has the talent, the institutions, and the ambition to be a global reference in healthtech. Startups like Sword Health, PeekMed®, IPLEXMED, Glooma, and BestHealth4U started their journeys here and are now making an impact worldwide. That’s why Startup Braga designed the Global Health Accelerator to help the next wave of healthtech innovators do the same! 💡 Why to you apply? ✅ A tailored 4-month acceleration program focused on go-to-market strategies ✅ Access to key industry players, investors, and healthcare specialists ✅ A network of credible institutions that can be the turning point for your success ✅ The chance to be part of a thriving ecosystem in a region with huge potential for health innovation

Portugal is building a strong, globally competitive healthtech sector—and this is your opportunity to be part of it. Applications are open until Feb 28th!

• 🔔 Pitch your BIGidea at Lead Today. Shape Tomorrow. 2025, 8-9 May in Vienna! Are you a female-led or gender-diverse startup in the pre-seed or seed funding stage? Then apply to the

LTST25 Startup Pitch Track and get a chance to showcase your innovation in front of an international audience of entrepreneurs, VCs, and business leaders from the European tech and innovation ecosystem. Apply here by Feb 28th

• 🔔 Lisboa Innovation takes startups to the global stage and aims to support and foster the city’s innovation ecosystem by ensuring the free participation of Lisboa’s startups in international programs, propelling the city’s startups onto the global stage. Participation on the following program includes free entries for the team, exhibitor presence, and networking opportunities at one or more of the events. Apply here

• 🔔 Media Open Call 3 AMCC Test Bed, integrada na rede nacional de test beds, é um consórcio formado pelo PCI- Creative Science Park Aveiro Region (PCI), NOS Comunicações e NOS Technology (NOS Group) em parceria com a Universidade de Aveiro (UA), Aveiro Media Competence Center (AMCC) e Google, que consiste num conjunto de infra-estruturas, equipamentos, serviços e conhecimento especializado disponível para as PME e start-ups do setor dos media, para o desenvolvimento e teste de novos produtos e serviços, possibilitando a aceleração do processo Go To Market. Candidaturas aqui

• 🔔 Business Abroad assegura e apoia a presença de startups portuguesas em conferências internacionais de tecnologia, criando assim um impacto mais significativo nas representações fora do nosso país e permitindo-lhes coordenar as suas comunicações com os ecossistemas internacionais e com os meios de comunicação locais. Candidaturas

• 🔔 CESAR Europe is looking for innovative startups to join the Test Bed Program, in partnership with MC Sonae, the largest retail group in Portugal. Startups with solutions for retail and wellness now have an opportunity to develop and test their technologies, with the potential to roll-out through the Test Bed. By joining this pilot, companies gain access to expert support and experience for developing a Proof of Concept (PoC) and advancing their TRL. To participate, the company must have a Portuguese Tax ID (NIF) and SME Certificate.

Know someone who could benefit from this opportunity? Spread the word!

• 🔔 NGI Trust Chain Calling all developers, innovators, researchers, SMEs and entrepreneurs! €1.989.000,00 to employ digital identities, trustworthy data, and already designed novel mechanisms for the ecosystems’ economy, in order to achieve high energy efficiency and optimisation of particular DLTs. We are looking for the most appropriate, relevant and pertinent tradeoffs between the use of technologies, the security of consensus protocols on one side, and the sustainability requirements on the other. A user-centric design, focused on energy efficiency, trustworthiness, and scalability, will guide the development of solutions.

• 🔔 Applications are now open for the 2nd edition of Bloom Your Biz, a program of the Aga Khan Foundation Portugal in partnership with Unicorn Factory Lisboa! This accelerator program supports startups in the creative industries and technology sectors by providing mentorship, specialized training, resources, and a collaborative community

• 🔔 local.foundation just released a program that grows your founder mindset. The hands-on workshops have a good balance between personal development, tools and practices that help you to become a more resilient founder. Sign up for a weekend here or choose a week long retreat style course here Both will happen in February

and not so soon: 

• 📌   EIT Urban Mobility Your guide to 2025 mobility funding opportunities is here! We’ve just released our Call Programme for 2025 – a key document outlining our strategic priorities and the roadmap for upcoming funding calls over the next year. ✅ Key dates for upcoming calls

• ✅ Essential information for applicants. Access the Call Programme here

• 📌  EIC Service Catalogue to Accelerate Deep-Tech Innovation Exciting opportunity for deeptech innovators! If you’re a deep-tech startup or SME, this is your chance to access up to €60,000 in funding to scale your innovation with specialised services from the EIC Service Catalogue.Take the chance to accelerate your growth and overcome scaling challenges. Apply today and make an impact

• 📌   Snowflake and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) join forces once again to ignite innovation and empower AI startups around the world with the Snowflake Startup Challenge! It is a contest for early-stage startups that are building innovative applications and products powered by Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud

Apply today for a chance at $1 million in shared investment, mentorship, and global marketing opportunities with NYSE and Snowflake. Apply before March 1st to be considered!

• 📌   5.ª edição da Call INNOV-ID, promovida pela Portugal Ventures em parceria com a ANI – Agência Nacional de Inovação e com a colaboração da Startup Portugal. Os projetos e respetivas soluções devem contribuir, de forma direta ou indireta, para um destes eixos: descarbonização da economia; sustentabilidade de processos, produtos e materials;

eficiência e sustentabilidade energética; circularidade da economia. Candidaturas até Mar 02

• 📌   Grupo Brisa, in partnership with Plug and Play Europe, is launching the open innovation program Ahead Start, with an open call for startups on the mobility space. We are looking for startups in various categories focused on enhancing road safety for workers and clients. For workers, categories include Worker Safety in Work Zones, Efficiency and Process Improvement, and Worker Well-being and Training. For clients, categories focus on ensuring a Smooth and Safe Travel Experience, Information and Communication to Clients, and Enforcement and Driver Education. Why should you join us? 🔹 Pilot and Business Development opportunities 🔹 Access to ecosystem events 🔹 Access to an International Network of Opportunities 🔹 Potential Partnership Opportunities Applications Open – until Mar 31

• 📌   NOS Open Innovation Program Estão abertas as candidaturas para a Tourism Open Call Com o intuito de apoiar empreendedores no desenvolvimento de soluções inovadoras, o NOS Open Innovation Program pretende dar o suporte necessário às startups para escalarem o seu negócio. Este programa, integrado na Test Bed 5G & Digital Transformation, garante que as startups selecionadas têm suporte técnico e de negócios bem como acesso a uma rede de especialistas para desenvolverem soluções inovadoras. Candidaturas abertas até ao dia 21 de abril

• 📌   Building a Community and need help to grow? The Product Folks have your back with everything you need, with mentorship, funding, and everything else. Apply here

• 📌   Netmentora Lisboa by Réseau Entreprendre for women entrepreneurs. Take a look @Wom’Energy

• 📌   Baby VC Venture Capital has little to no transparency. It is difficult to know the skills required to do the job and it’s even harder to build a network, especially if you have a non-business background. Baby VC exists to bridge this gap. We want to help people from all backgrounds get the insights and connections that are typically hard to access when you are not an insider. unite young and ambitious talent from diverse backgrounds, offering them opportunities to connect and learn from leading investors and entrepreneurs in the two ecosystems. Apply here

• 📌   Sogrape, in partnership with Beta Capital, is investing in high-potential start-ups that present innovative solutions within the value chain of the wine and beverage sector. Innovators, entrepreneurs, and start-ups are invited to present their projects. Apply to Sogrape Ventures

• 📌   BioHackathon Europe is an annual event that brings together life scientists from around the world. It is organised by ELIXIR Europe, and offers an intense week of hacking, with over 160 participants working on diverse and exciting projects. The goal is to create code that addresses challenges in bioinformatics research. This year at Campus Belloch near Barcelona, with remote access available if you cannot attend in person. Apply here

• 🚩  INOVA Quality HUB, incubadora promovida pelo Instituto Português da Qualidade, I.P. (IPQ), tem por objectivo incentivar a criação de negócios inovadores e o desenvolvimento de startups, através da disseminação de uma cultura empresarial para a Gestão da Qualidade. enfoque nas áreas prioritárias da Saúde, Energia e Ambiente, promovidos por empreendedores individuais, estudantes (mestrandos ou doutorandos), startups e spinoffs de empresas. Apply here

• 🚩  Startup Wise Guys Web3 Accelerator Program: Elevate your Web3 startup to the next level, transform your business, and discover your potential. Apply here

• 🚩  Future Innovators Program is looking for university students who want to develop a problem-solving mindset to join this journey through a 3-stage Innovation Program that takes you from real-world challenges to developing your business idea. The 1st phase - the Online Academy - is available here

• 🚩  The Collider Venture Builder – Call for Technologies: Are you a researcher or part of a research team with promising results? Do you want to bring these results to the market so they can have a positive impact on society? The call for technologies is your chance to be considered for The Collider Venture Builder programme. Apply here

• 🚩  IH Sensor Tech Partnering with the Instituto Hidrográfico from the Portuguese Navy, this open innovation edition drives maritime innovation across five areas: augmented reality software, hydrographic data consolidation, GNSS-denied navigation, real-time data processing and decision-making. Apply here

• 🚩 consolid8 Deep & inclusive social innovation ecosystems

Please submit your event as early as possible so that we can communicate timely

Techstars Startup Digest Portugal newsletter is curated by:

Carlos Resende

• 📭 [email protected]

@ LinkedIn