Startup ecosystems can be fragmented, competitive, and hidden to newcomers, which is detrimental for local startups and community growth.

The updated Startup Ecosystem Canvas seeks to provide local entrepreneurs with a clear list of resources for every stage of their startup journey, while also outlining a basic sequential framework for startup communities to map their ecosystem.

With applications for the Lisbon Founder Institute coming to a close, we are excited to release the updated Lisbon/ Cascais Startup Ecosystem Canvas, which is currently in v2 below!

It was developed by the Lisbon Founder Institute and local leader Carlos DaSilva.

More input is needed, so please leave your comments on this collaborative Google document, and it will be considered for the next update.

Startup Stages

 There is no one right way to build a technology company, but for the sake of simplicity we have outlined a basic, common, sequential framework.

1. Idea Stage

This is where new entrepreneurs get inspired, learn best practices, develop skills, validate ideas, and begin to build their team and product.

A. Inspire

• Startup Media: Centralized local information, listings, and news.
1. Portugal Startups
2. Startup Lisboa Blog
3. Tudo Mudou

• Inspirational Events: Open, inclusive, beginner startup events
1. Concurso Ideias Cascais
2. Beta-I
3. Delta App
4. Ignite Portugal
5. Startup Pirates @Lisboa
6. UP Lisbon
7. Web Summit | Where The Tech World Meets

B. Educate

• Best Practices: Beginner knowledge-sharing events. (i.e. beginner events that serve to educate more than inspire).
1. Beta Talk
2. Lisbon Startup Founder 101

• Training & Feedback: Skill & Idea development. (Ex. bootcamps and comprehensive training programs)
1. 3 Day Startup
2. Beta Start
3. Founder Institute
4. Startups Factory
5. Uptec

C. Validate

• Team Formation: Resources for teaming up. (i.e. events or other resources that facilitate early-stage recruitment and cofounder matching)
1. BREAK
2. Startup Live 

• Build First Product: Hackathons & resources to build. (i.e. hackathons and other builder-focused events and resources)
1. Alt Lab
2. Game Shifters

2. Launch Stage

In this stage, entrepreneurs establish and formalize the company, develop the product, get feedback from customers, and prepare for the next step.

A. Start

• Establish: Law firms & banks for startups
1. SRS Legal

• Workspace: Co-working and flexible workspaces
1. CoworkLisboa
2. My Co-Work Space

B. Develop

• Formalize: Accounting, development and HR for early-stage startups.
1. Angry Ventures
• Prepare for Seed: Incubators and advanced mentorship.
1. DNA Cascais
2. Fabrica de Startups
3. Incubadora Taguspark
4. Startup Lisboa

C. Launch

• Seed Accelerators: Seed funding mentor programs
1. The Lisbon Challenge

• Pitch & Demo: Show local startups for investment (i.e. demo days for companies seeking seed investment)
1. Acredita Portugal
2. Building Global Innovators
3. Iberian TechTours

3. Growth Stage

Here, a startup proves their utility, receives recognition, and scales up. This usually requires funding, angels, VCs, and ways to connect them to startups.

A. Recognition

• Investor Networking:  Connect professional investors with founders. (i.e. events or groups that facilitate connections with professional investors)
1. Lisbon Investment Summit

• Major Media: Mainstream local business press. (i.e. major local or regional publications that frequently champion local businesses, major local or regional publications with a business section)
1. Expresso Economy
2. P3 

B. Funding

• Angels / Micro-VCs: Seed-stage investors  
1. Busy Angels
2. FNABA
3. Shilling Capital Partners
4. Rising Ventures 

• Venture Capitalists: Series A and beyond
1. GESVentures
2. Faber Ventures
3. Portugal Ventures

C. Growth

• Infrastructure: Office space, HR, local business insurance. (i.e. office space/ HR/ insurance providers for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
1. IdeaHub 

• Expansion: Growth accelerators/consultants. (i.e. programs and business consultants for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
1. SBI Consulting

4. Success Stories

Successful homegrown companies that have raised significant institutional funding, employ a large workforce, or have achieved liquidity.

1. Chic-by-Choice
2. Codacy
3. GetSocial
4. Gleam
5. Orankl
6. Seedrs
7. Unbabel
8. Uniplaces
9. Zercatto
10. Best Tables

Supporters

 To facilitate the steps, every ecosystem needs strong supporters.

1. Evangelists

Successful local founders who lead the ecosystem & frequently mentor newbies.  (i.e. Local leaders who have taken a leadership position, speak at a lot of startup events, mentor all the programs, etc.) 

1. Alexandre Barbosa
2. André Marquet
3. Antonio Lucena de Faria
4. Carlos M. DaSilva
5. Hugo Macedo
6. João Vasconcelos
7. Paulo Andrez
8. Pedro Janela
9. Pedro Rocha
10. Pedro Santos
11. Ricardo Marvão
12. Ricardo Sécio
13. Sofia Pessanha
14. Tiago Pinto

2. Government

Public organizations that facilitate local economic development

1. Camara Municipal de Cascais
2. Invest Lisboa
3. The Lisbon Council
4. Strategic Program for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

3. Talent

Major local business or tech universities and employers that attract and retain local talent. 

• Local Universities (universities with prominent technical or business programs)

1. Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics
2. ISCTE Business School
3. IST Lisboa
4. Nova School of Business & Economics

• Local Employers (Major technical employers with large local offices) 

1. Critical Software
2. Microsoft Portugal
3. NovaBase
4. Portugal Telecom

Learn more about the Startup Ecosystem Canvas here, and leave us your thoughts on this page or on Twitter using the hashtag #ecosystemcanvas.

Are you looking to build a startup in Lisbon or Cascais?  Then apply to the Lisbon Founder Institute today.