In-Person Event

Meet the Portugal Startup Ecosystem (In-Person Networking Event)

Discover new resources to help launch and grow your early-stage startup

Date
Jan 29, 2026
Time
01:30 pm - 02:30 pm
Address
IDEA Spaces Saldanha, Av. Defensores de Chaves 4, Lisbon, Portugal
Event Banner Image
🚀 Ready to Launch Your Startup Journey? Join us for an exclusive evening where innovation meets inspiration! Discover how to build and scale a successful startup with insights from Bernardo Tavares (Granter) and Ricardo Carvalho (Bloq.it) w/ the moderation of Sofia Soares, Ecosystem Builder Expert. Then, get inspired by the future of Portuguese entrepreneurship at the Founder Institute Portugal 2025 Demo Day, showcasing pitches from the latest cohort. We'll wrap up with a vibrant networking session — the perfect chance to connect with founders, mentors, and investors. 📍 Don't miss this opportunity to plug into the heart of Portugal's startup ecosystem!

What You'll Learn:

  • Local Organizations to help launch and grow your startup
  • Little-known resources that benefit your industry
  • How to find Mentors
  • Additional funding sources for early-stage founders

Talk with the Founders from:

Bloq.it (Smart locker network builder)

Bloq.it is one of Europe’s most awarded scaleups in out-of-home delivery, having been named Scaleup of the Year (2022) at the Startup Grind Global Conference, the first Portuguese company to win this global recognition.
The company has also been recognized among Europe’s fastest-growing tech scaleups, earning #2 in Deloitte’s EMEA Technology Fast 500, highlighting its exceptional growth trajectory across the region.


Granter (AI funding & grant assistant)

Granter is the winner of the Web Summit 2025 PITCH competition, standing out among thousands of startups with an AI-powered platform that helps organizations identify grants, check eligibility, and strengthen applications.
The startup is also backed by Unicorn Factory Lisboa, one of Portugal’s leading startup acceleration initiatives, and was selected to join Techstars Transformative World Torino (2025 cohort), reinforcing its momentum across Europe’s top innovation ecosystems. 

    About the Ecosystem Organizations: 

    • 351 Portuguese Startup Association - the largest and most active community for founders and ecosystem player in Portugal

    Additional Resources:
    Find more Startup Events, learn about Finding a Co-Founder, or visit our Insights Blog for more startup tips.

    About Founder Institute
    The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our structured accelerator programs have helped over 7,000 entrepreneurs raise over $1.75BN in funding. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 100 countries, our mission is to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build impactful technology companies worldwide.

    Speakers

    Ricardo

    Ricardo Carvalho

    CTO @ Bloq.it

    Bernando

    Bernando Tavares

    CTO @ Granter

    Sofia

    Sofia Soares

    Platinum Partners

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    The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our structured accelerator programs have helped over 8,900 entrepreneurs raise over 2BN in funding. Based in Silicon Valley and with chapters across 100 countries, our mission is to empower communities of talented and motivated people to build impactful technology companies worldwide.


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