A newsletter covering all things startup in Portugal

Olá and Welcome back to your Startup Digest Portugal!!

Lisbon ranks as Portugal’s top startup ecosystem, holding the 19th spot in Western Europe and 86th globally, according to the latest StartupBlink report. The report also highlights seven other Portuguese cities on the global list: Porto (167th), Braga (495th), Coimbra (545th), Leiria (606th), Aveiro (806th), Funchal (1093rd), and Évora (1104th).

Portugal’s startup ecosystem stands out in key sectors, particularly Marketing & Sales, E-commerce & Retail, and Software & Data, showcasing the country’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Although Lisbon’s position may suggest success, a closer analysis of the report reveals that Portugal’s top-ranked city has lost ground across several key parameters. Today there’s a growing global competition among cities to create the best business environments to attract talent, investment, and startups. As innovation and entrepreneurship have become key drivers of economic growth, cities have recognized the need to position themselves as startup-friendly hubs.

The business environment plays a key role in building a thriving startup ecosystem. It shapes whether startups can survive, grow, and make a meaningful impact.

To strengthen Lisbon and the broader Portuguese startup ecosystem, targeted efforts are needed across key elements of a healthy business environment. Here are some actionable strategies to help Lisbon maintain a competitive edge:

• 👉 Startup-Friendly Legal Framework: Ensure clear and founder-friendly laws around intellectual property, equity, and exits;

• 👉 Attract International Investors: Host investor events and promote Portugal as a safe investment destination.

• 👉 Strengthen VC Ecosystem: Encourage the creation of more local venture capital funds and government-backed funding programs for early-stage and scaling companies.

• 👉 Skilled Workforce: Partner with universities and tech academies to provide cutting-edge training programs.

• 👉 Coworking & Innovation Hubs: Expand spaces where startups can collaborate and network.

• 👉 Global Events: Leverage Web Summit and create additional high-profile events to engage the global startup community like the SIM Conf.

• 👉 Mentorship Programs: Expand initiatives that connect founders with seasoned entrepreneurs and investors.

• 👉 Peer Networks: Support startup communities and meetups to foster collaboration

• 👉 Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborate on innovation-driven initiatives between government and private companies.

• 👉 Continuous Ecosystem Evaluation: Monitor Lisbon’s startup landscape using global benchmarks to address emerging weaknesses proactively.

By strategically reinforcing these elements -and many more that could be listed…-, Lisbon and the other Portuguese Hubs can remain competitive and even become a stronger global contender in the startup ecosystem landscape.

Fostering a competitive startup ecosystem is not just about local recognition—it’s a strategic imperative for Portugal’s economic growth and global positioning. Startups drive innovation, generate employment, and attract international investment, creating ripple effects across industries. By reinforcing critical elements such as funding, talent development, legal frameworks, and infrastructure, Lisbon and other Portuguese hubs can strengthen their appeal on the global stage. Maintaining this momentum is essential for Portugal to continue emerging as a dynamic and resilient player in the evolving global economy.

• 🔵 SIM = Startups & Investment Matching! Powered by @Startup Portugal, this conference connects startups, entrepreneurs, and investors for two days of networking, insights, and opportunities to grow your business. Tickets are now available. Secure your spot !

• 🔵 Landing.jobs need your input for their annual Tech Talent Trends Report This year, the survey targets tech professionals in Portugal and Spain, aiming to collect data for the 2025 report. The survey is available online

• 🔵 APOLLO – The Startup Acceleration Program by JUNITEC: Applications open until 12th February

• 🔵 Geek Girls Portugal Conference 2025: Apply to give a talk or a workshop! Submissions until Feb 22

Week highlights go to:

• 📍 deadline to apply for the European Startup Prize for Mobility is just around the corner, Feb 07

• 📍 Dates for Techstars Startup Weekend in Coimbra (Mar 14) and Albufeira (Apr 04)

Congrats:

• 👏 Lisbon is considered “Europe’s Leading City Destination” by the World Travel Awards

• 👏 FCamara, a Brazilian technology and innovation group, has invested 4M in Beta-i

• 👏 BIGgroup - BIGhub & BIGsales has secured 10M in funding

✍ Quote of the Day

Everyone has a plan 'till they get punched in the face

Mike Tyson

📚 🎧 🎥

• 📚 351 Portuguese Startup Association - Impact Review 2024

• 📚 SaulLM-7B - A pioneering Large Language Model for Law

• 📚 Regulamento de Ciber-Resiliência: a cibersegurança dos produtos digitais

• 📚 Human Rights in the Metaverse

• 📚 SMS vs. WhatsApp Marketing: Which One is Best for Your Business? by Tiago Silva

• 📚 Drake Star Global Gaming Report Q4 2024: Gaming M&A returns to growth in 2024

• 🎧 Masters of Scale: The power of mentors

• 🎥 How to build the leading product conference w/ Andre Marquet (Productized)

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

• 🎥 How to Build a Product that Scales into a Company - Harvard Innovation Labs

Plan your week 📅 Fev 04>>

Fev 04

Techstars Startup Weekend: Startup from [0] to [1] - How to get your startup off the ground? · Join us for an insightful event on how to get your startup idea off the ground and turn it into a successful project!In this workshop, we will share case… Read more.

Starknet Portugal Meetup #3 (2025 reboot)

Hello everyone! Starknet Portugal is back on and we’re planning some fun stuff for 2025. As alway, to stay in the loop​, [join the Telegram group](https://t.me/starknetpo Read more.

Nocode Lisboa

Helping democratize who can build software Read more.

Tech Titans and Market Minnows: A Tale of FOMO, FUD, and Finding Your Way discussion on navigating today’s complex investment landscape, where we’re witnessing unprecedented market concentration alongside significant globa Read more.

Fev 05

Mastering Generative AI: LLM Management for Scalable Innovation Tired of getting stuck in the Proof-of-Concept phase? This event is about turning your AI experiments into real-world, business-ready solutions! Join us to learn how to de Read more.

Degens Hangout Hello Degens! 👋 Imagine a scenario where you just arrived in Lisbon from the nomad capitals of the world (Thailand, Indonesia, Germany, USA, Australia, etc..) and want to Read more.

• 🍵 AI & Chill @ Selina🍵 Hey friends! Let’s kick back, connect, and chat about all things AI over a warm drink or your favorite alcoholic one—the bar is ready for your request. Join us indoors at S Read more.

Fev 06

SHARK CAFÉ Feb 06

Encontro informal de networking dos empreendedores, colaboradores e coworkers do Centro de Incubação de Évora Read more.

#5 Leiria Tech Talks 🤝 OWASP Leiria 🤝 Gophers Portugal Leiria Tech Talks is back for its first edition of 2025!** 🎉 We’re kicking off the new year with an exciting partnership with OWASP Leiria and **Gophers Portugal Read more.

Gnosis Lisbon Meetup - New year, new beginnings!

We’re kicking off 2025 with a new series of Gnosis Meetups. Join us for an evening of great conversations, insights, and connections. Read more.

Feb 07

Apply for Lisboa - Welcome to Lisboa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem Feb 07

Why Lisboa is “Europe’s best work-and-play capital”? Read more.

Feb 10

Empreender no feminino: a realidade em Portugal

10 de fev A AESE organiza uma tarde de aprendizagem, inspiração e networking com profissionais que estão a liderar a mudança no mundo dos negócios. Esta conferência celebra o espírito empreendedor feminino, destacando histórias de sucesso, desafios superados e as melhores práticas para prosperar em mercados cada vez mais competitivos. Read more.

***

EU Grants Landscape for Early-Stage Founders: How to Secure Equity-Free Funding in 2025? Feb 11

ULTRA.VC is excited to collaborate with Sofia Drobychevska, founder of DeepSync_EU, to empower impact-driven founders with the tools they need to secure… Read more.

Let’s Talk “Proteção de Tecnologias e Transformação Digital: Oportunidades na Cooperação Academia-Indústria”

Read more.

Sparking Innovation - Feb 12

Come to meet the best way to innovate over Energy Transition with Repsol Foundation and Unicorn Factory Lisboa. Read more.

A desmaterialização do dinheiro e os pagamentos digitais Feb 13 Pense connosco e melhore a sua experiência de pagamentos com soluções que podem ser co-financiadas pelo Test Bed da SIBS… Read more.

Private Capital Predictions Webinar 2025 Many private capital firms took a more cautious approach to dealmaking in 2024 – will 2025 be the same? Join us as we sit down with Keith Camhi, Managing Director at Techstars, on the trends he’s expecting for 2025. Read more.

+ Ideias ’25 | Reformar Portugal Feb 15

+Ideias’ 25 assinala o 4º aniversário do Instituto +Liberdade numa conferência que procura estimular uma reflexão reformista para Portugal Read more.

Launch in Lisboa: Gaming Track · Feb 17

Welcome to Launch in Lisboa: Gaming Track! Join us for an immersive 3-day program designed for anyone in the gaming community curious about Lisbon’s thriving… Read more.

FuckUp Nights Porto 18h Feb Fuckup Nights (FuN) is a global movement and community that shares stories of professional failure. F Read more.

Networking PitchDay.PT #5 | The Lisbon Founders Club Feb 25

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

Problemattic Lightning Talks

- Feb 26

Helping democratize who can build software 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.

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.

⏳ Local & International Applications

Deadlines coming up soon:

• 🔜 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

• 🔜  APOLLO - Junitec is a startup acceleration programme designed by students for students in partnership with Unicorn Factory Lisboa. With our support, students with innovative and disruptive minds have the opportunity to influence and impact society. This year, the programme will be focused on AI startups and HealthTech startups. We offer mentoring, support, training at the cost of NO EQUITY. Applications are open until Feb 12

• 🔜 PORTUGAL FINLAB is a communication channel between innovators – new players in the market or incumbent institutions having innovative tech-based financial projects or products – and the Portuguese regulatory authorities. Through it, the Authorities provide guidelines to the Participants on how to navigate and operate in the regulatory system. Apply until Feb 14

• 🔜 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.

and not so soon: 

• 📌 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

• 📌  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

• 📌   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

• 📌   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