Portugal Participant and organiser profiles

Portugal’s Startup Ecosystem: Event Participants Profiles

The typical participants in Portugal’s startup events and investment networks can be categorized into several key groups:

• Entrepreneurs: Early-stage and growth-stage founders from various sectors, primarily technology, fintech, cleantech, and digital transformation. Many participants are Portuguese or international entrepreneurs looking to grow their startups or scale them globally. These founders often have backgrounds in software development, engineering, or business management.
• Investors: Venture capitalists, angel investors, and institutional investors, both local and international, play a significant role. Prominent names include representatives from Portugal Ventures, Shilling Capital Partners, and Faber Ventures. Many investors focus on early-stage and seed investments, often with a strong interest in tech-driven startups.
• Corporate Representatives: Executives and innovation managers from large Portuguese companies, especially in sectors like finance, telecom, and energy. They attend these events to scout for startups with potential for strategic partnerships or corporate venture capital investments.
• Government Officials and Policy Makers: Representatives from entities like Startup Portugal and AICEP Portugal Global, which are heavily involved in promoting the Portuguese startup ecosystem through government-backed initiatives and incentives.
• Academics and Researchers: Universities and research institutions often send academics to tech-focused conferences. Many of these professionals work in deep tech, artificial intelligence, and bioengineering, representing the scientific and educational backbone of the startup ecosystem.

Organizer Profiles

Key organizers of these events are influential figures in the startup and venture capital ecosystem, and they include:

• Venture Capital Firms: Leading VC firms like Portugal Ventures, Faber Ventures, and Bynd Venture Capital not only invest in startups but also play a major role in organizing pitch competitions, workshops, and networking events to support their portfolio companies and scout new opportunities.
• Startup Portugal: A government-backed initiative that supports entrepreneurship across the country. It is a major organizer of events like Portugal Startup Week and regularly collaborates with investors, universities, and corporates to strengthen the local ecosystem.
• Corporates and Large Tech Firms: Major corporations such as Microsoft, OutSystems, and Galp Energia are often involved in organizing large conferences such as Building the Future. These events typically focus on tech-driven innovation and digital transformation.
• International Organizations: Web Summit, one of the largest tech conferences globally, is organized by an international team that works closely with the Portuguese government and local partners to host the event annually in Lisbon.
• Accelerators and Incubators: Organizations like Beta-i and Techstars Lisbon are key players in organizing startup weekends, hackathons, and accelerator demo days, often in partnership with corporates and venture capital firms.