A newsletter covering all things startup in Portugal

Olá and Welcome back to your Startup Digest Portugal!!

As we step into 2025, Portugal’s startup ecosystem is ready for significant milestones, fueled by innovation, investment, and collaboration. Here’s a glimpse of what readers of Startup Digest Portugal can anticipate this year.

Portugal’s startup ecosystem has experienced remarkable expansion culminating in over 4,700 startups across diverse industries. This momentum positions 2025 as a year of continued upward trajectory. While Lisbon remains the vibrant epicenter of innovation, emerging hubs such as Coimbra, Porto, and Braga are increasingly stepping into the spotlight. These cities are becoming magnets for entrepreneurs and seasoned professionals, drawn by opportunities in high-growth sectors like fintech, biotech, and beyond.

Key drivers of this growth include advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), sustainability-focused innovations, and cutting-edge space technology. Companies such as Neuraspace, leveraging AI to revolutionize space traffic management, and Glooma, the creators of a sensor-equipped glove for early breast cancer detection, exemplify the ingenuity and pioneering spirit defining Portugal’s tech landscape. These startups highlight the country’s ability to transform bold ideas into impactful solutions, setting a global standard for innovation.

Investors are paying close attention to Portugal, drawn by its strategic location, talented workforce, and pro-business environment. The country’s access to EU funding has been a game-changer, enabling startups to scale faster. Deloitte’s 25 million investment in its Lisbon Tech Campus and Siemens’ plans to increase its tech workforce in Portugal to 4,000 employees underscore the country’s growing importance as a technology hub.

In 2025, expect more venture capital and private equity firms to establish a stronger presence in the Portuguese market. As these funds flow into startups, there will likely be an increase in success stories, with more startups breaking into international markets or achieving significant exits. Initiatives like Startup Portugal and the Unicorn Factory Lisbon are expected to play crucial roles in fostering the ecosystem. Startup Portugal’s mission to nurture and promote entrepreneurship aligns with the Unicorn Factory’s goal of creating a pipeline for high-potential startups. These organizations provide essential resources, mentoring, and visibility to propel Portuguese startups onto the global stage.

The role of a community cannot be overstated in Portugal’s startup success. Organizations like 351 Portuguese Startup Association and events like Web Summit and SIM Conference continue to provide platforms for networking, learning, and showcasing talent.

Startup Digest Portugal readers can expect an exciting calendar of events in 2025, offering opportunities to connect with investors, mentors, and fellow entrepreneurs.

For Techstars Startup Digest readers, 2025 promises to be an exciting year. With its growing ecosystem, influx of investments, and emphasis on sustainability, Portugal is poised to solidify its position as a key player in the global startup scene.

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or enthusiast, there’s no better time to be part of Portugal’s innovation journey.

While optimism is high, challenges remain. Competition from other European hubs, the need for continuous talent development, and economic uncertainties could pose hurdles. However, Portugal’s track record of resilience and adaptability suggests the ecosystem will rise to meet these challenges.

My goal for 2025 is to keep you updated with the greatest events taking place in Portugal and all relevant information regarding the Startup ecosystem. I wish you all the success to achieve your personal and Startup business goals.

Enjoy & all the best in 2025!

• 🔵 local.foundation released a program that grows your founder mindset. The hands-on workshops balance personal development, tools, and practices that help you become a more resilient founder. Sign up for a weekend here or choose a week-long retreat style course here Venues at Faro, Lisboa, and Algarve

• 🔵 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. Early bird tickets are now available, but only until Jan 19. Secure your spot at the best price!

Week highlights go to:

• 📍 APOLLO - Junitec’s acceleration programme in partnership with Unicorn Factory Lisboa is open for applications

• 📍 Webinar on Opportunities in Uzbekistan for Portuguese Startups powered by Build Up Labs this Thursday

• 📍 The Break - this Thursday @Fintech House

• 📍 Lisbon Tech Fado Dinner - January 23rd - Connect with Tech People & Discover Fado: a unique Dinner Experience to connect from Brain to Soul ✨ Immerse yourself into the heart of Portugal with an exclusive evening of Fado, the traditional Portuguese music that stirs souls. Fiona French Fadista, a non-Portuguese Fado singer who has been in Tech for the last 10 years, will share the magic of this art form with you through her journey and performance; while connecting you to a Tech audience not to be missed.

This intimate event combines a gourmet 3-course Portuguese menu (with drinks), captivating live Fado performances, and meaningful connections. It’s the perfect way to experience what makes Lisbon at its finest. Next Jan 23 at Bairro Alto, Lisbon. Tickets available here

✍ Quote of the Day

The secret of getting ahead is

getting started

Mark Twain

📚 🎧 🎥

• 📚 Virgílio Bento - Sword Health - One of the key figures to watch in 2025

• 📚 Immersiv Studios: Tech trends Redefining brand success Report 2025

• 📚 70 questions with Savio Meireles, a story coach and startup advisor

• 📚 The Power of the First Designer in a Startup by Rui Barroca

• 📚 The Next AI Debate Is About Geopolitics

• 📚 AI, Profitability and Sustainability in Fintech 2024

• 📚 Landing.jobs - Emerging HR trends for 2025

• 📚 Into the Industrial Metaverse: Turns Out, “Digital Twins” Are Just The Beginning

• 🎧 How I built this w/ Marc Lore

• 🎥 Bitalk: Regulamentação de criptoactivos e o fim da globalização c/Martinho Lucas Pires

Plan your week 📅 Jan 14>>

Jan 14

INOPOL: Let’s Talk “O Futuro da Longevidade: Como a Tecnologia Está a Ajudar-nos a Viver Mais e Melhor” Online Read more.

Jan 15

Engineers Hub Presentation

Join us at Engineers Hub Presentation to learn from industry experts and network with fellow engineers in a casual and informative setting! Read more.

Web3 Wednesday Visionaries of the Web3 Movement: Driving Innovation Forward

The meetup where you connect and discover the local Web3 community! Featuring speaker panels, workshops, and the latest news about Web3. Read more.

Ensuring Quality in Casino Games | Why Do Software Projects Fail? | Porto

After the passionate response to one of our past offline events in other cities, we’re here to bring you all together in Porto! Read more.

Quality Talks Meetup Hey there! 👋 We invite you to join us at very first Quality Talks in-person meetup of 2025 💪 We’ll bring you an event with two great talks and lots of networking! **Agen Read more.

Jan 16

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.

IT Park Uzbekistan is a technology and innovation hub established to support and promote the development of the IT sector. Register for online webinar by IT Park on Uzbekistan as a gateway to Central Asia. Time: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Read more.

Solana Portugal 2025 Kick-off 🇵🇹 · A networking event to Kickoff 2025 with the Solana Portugal community! This is a casual networking event with drinks about the Solana Ecosystem and cool… Read more.

Female Founders Breakfast (+ Coworking) #Cascais Female Founders Breakfast is an informal networking event for Female Founders in Cascais to exchange opportunities and lessons of life. Read more.

Lisboa Innovation Tours - Greentech

This edition focuses on greentech solutions and technologies that are reimagining carbon neutrality. Read more.

#18 Cloud Native Lisbon | 🎉 We’re kicking off 2025 with an exciting return to our Cloud Native Lisbon Meetup series after a well-deser Read more.

Jan 17

“Wake Up Club” by Espressolab Portugal x Tripnly feat. DJ Brandi Perl · 📣 Wake Up Club lands in Lisbon! After hosting electrifying mornings in Los Angeles, Istanbul, and other major cities, the Wake Up Club is making its debut in… Read more.

Welcome Winter ❄️

Unicorn Factory Lisboa has the pleasure of inviting you to attend an exclusive networking event to Welcome the Winter Batch 25’. Read more.

NEST – Center for Innovation in Tourism, Boost 2025 will take place on January 17th, under the theme The Experience. The day is divided into two spaces, dedicated to technology experimentation and learning through inspiring keynotes, cross-cutting panels, moments of art and culture, workshops, and networking Read more.

Jan 18

Inovação Fora de Portas| Mosteiro de Leça do Balio, Fundação Livraria Lello

Sessão da atividade que terá como tema o Mosteiro de Leça do Balio, Fundação Livraria Lello. Read more.

Founders Running Club :: Lisbon

Global community and weekly events for founders, investors, tech-/creative ppl and startup enthusiasts with10000+ members, across 21 cities Read more.

Jan 19

Female Founders Breakfast by SheSapiens #Braga

Female Founders Breakfast is an informal networking event for female Founders in Braga to exchange opportunities and lessons on life. Read more.

Jan 21

Aspiring Female Founders Evening

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

How B2C Apps Can Sell to Corporates: Exclusive Live with Anna Sultanova · Expanding a consumer-focused app into the corporate market is a highly effective strategy for sustainable growth, unlocking new opportunities, and maximizing… Read more.

***

• 🚀 Porto Webflow Drinks & Talks Jan 22 Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to meet and network with other Webflow folks. 👩‍💻 Who Should Attend: * Beginners looking to start their Webflow journey Read more.

AI Break January 23

Join Us for the First AI Break of 2025! Read more.

Porto.DATA #100 - The special edition (In-Person event) Jan 25 é o nosso evento #100! Para celebrar este momento tão especial, organizamos um dia cheio de apresentações técnicas. ** Read more.

Bitget Meetup Porto - Jan 25

Join Us for the Bitget Meetup in Porto! Read more.

Apply for Lisboa - Welcome to Lisboa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem Why Lisboa is “Europe’s best work-and-play capital”? 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. 🔜   Looking to take your manufacturing R&D project to the next level? Our SMART EUREKA CLUSTER is offering an opportunity to collaborate internationally on advanced manufacturing projects. Whether you are working in aerospace, automotive, or other manufacturing fields, you can access national funding, join a global network, and develop ideas with real commercial potential. Deadline: 16 Jan

• 🔜 SPINUM – Concurso de Ideias de Negócio da Universidade do Minho. Esta é a tua oportunidade de transformar ideias em projetos concretos, com o apoio de especialistas e a possibilidade de ganhar visibilidade no ecossistema de empreendedorismo. PARA QUEM?

Destina-se a docentes, alunos ou alumni da Universidade do Minho, de qualquer nacionalidade, concorrendo individualmente ou em equipa até um máximo de cinco elementos.

Podem, ainda, candidatar-se promotores de ideias/projetos que, não tendo ligação formal à Universidade do Minho, integrem equipas compostas por, pelo menos, um aluno ou ex-aluno da UMinho. CANDIDATURAS? até 20 de Jan

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

• 📌   Faber Calling all MSc, Ph.D., and Postdoc students in STEM areas or fields of study!

Are you ready to turn your innovative ideas into the next big thing? 🌟 Join Faber’s Entrepreneurship Program and learn from the real-life experiences of successful entrepreneurs who have turned their research into thriving businesses.

This is a unique opportunity to: - Learn from successful entrepreneurs who’ve been where you are - Discover how to turn academic ambitions into thriving businesses - Receive personalized mentorship - Get the opportunity to intern at a startup. Don’t miss out! The deadline to apply is January 31st

• 📌  Google for Startups Growth Academy: AI for Health! is an exclusive program providing healthcare and wellbeing startups with essential growth skills, internationalization strategies and Google tools & products to help them scale. During the program, we will also connect startups with experts from various Alphabet functions, such as Google Health AI, DeepMind, Fitbit, Verily and others. Who are we looking for: Startups that are using AI to improve healthcare and wellbeing in any way, shape, or form; Seed to Series A startups based in EMEA; *Demonstrated traction, such as a track record of users and revenue.

The program is equity-free and we’ll be accepting applications through Jan 31

• 📌  STARTUP COMPETITION AT SOUTH SUMMIT MADRID Want to be selected among the 100 most disruptive projects and get the chance to pitch in front of a jury of top investors and corporations in South Summit? Any startup from any country, industry or development stage can apply. Do it now! Until Jan 31

• 📌   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

• 📌   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

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