Build a Great Startup in 2025 with the FI Portugal Startup Accelerator

The Founder Institute, the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the Portugal Fall 2026 program!

If you could use a structured process and a lifetime of support from Portugal's top investors and entrepreneurs to build a startup, then apply to the Portugal Fall 2026 Founder Institute today.

Since 2009, our highly-structured accelerator programs have helped entrepreneurs at the earliest stages grow quickly, know what to do next, and make connections with the largest community of startup advisors.

It all starts with our renowned ‘FI Core’ accelerator, which pushes founders at the idea and pre-seed stages to reach the milestones needed for investment and sustained growth. Alumni of FI Core then receive free access to our advanced ‘Founder Lab’ accelerators for years to come, and can get matched with prospective investors in the FI Venture Network, a collection of global funds actively investing in the earliest rounds of funding.

To celebrate the launch, the Founder Institute will host several free online startup events in Portugal, where you can learn from top entrepreneurs:

Vibecoding 101 for Startups: Build Your First App w/ Mark Montalban: 5:30pm, Jun 01, 2026 (Europe/Lisbon): https://FI.co/e/398044
Founder Institute Online Information Session: https://FI.co/infosession

See all upcoming events

The Portugal program is led by some of the region's top startup leaders, including Carlos Resende (Founder, Techstars Startup Digest), Elisa Tarzia (Director, Founder Institute Portugal), Fernando Jardim (President, 351 Portuguese Startup Association).

In addition, some of Portugal's top investors, entrepreneurs, and CEOs will be participating in the program, providing them with expert feedback and evaluation. The list of startup mentors for the Portugal Founder Institute includes:

Abdellah Aouf: Chief Executive Officer, GO PLATFORM
Adam C Kirst: Founder and CEO, Brev
Admar Neto: Founder and Cofounder, Northern and Paraty Brazil by UTMB
Alberto Ferreira: Co Founder, Cervejaria Baden Baden
Alex Santos: Founder and General Partner, Chamaeleon
Alexandre Veiga: Strategic Innovation Partner, Elephant Ventures LLC
Alexandre Dinkelmann: CO-FOUNDER, ONYO
Alexandre Bezerra: CEO & Founder, Amachains
Alexandre Uehara: Palestrante e Conselheiro de Inovação Corporativa, Innov8
Alexandre Augusto Mosquim: Gerente de Inovação, Hospital Albert Einstein
Aline Catiusce: COO, HISOWER
Alisson Mendonça: CEO & Founder, FAARO
Altair Emboava de Araujo: Gestor, Hitt - Hub de Inovação Tecnológico de Taubaté
Amanda Martins: Founder, ciclou
Amit Grinvald: Communication Strategist & Pitch Coach, Amit Grinvald Consulting
Ana Pires: Head of International Partnerships, Softex
Ana Julia Ferreira: Project Management Officer (PMO), Radix Investimentos
Ana Paula Zamper: Director, Leading Digital Reinvention program, Saint Paul School
Ana Paula Vitelli: President and Chairwoman of the Board, British Chamber of Commerce in Brazil
Ana Teresa Maia: CEO, expressTEC
Ana Teresa Maia: CEO & Co-Founder, expressTEC
Andre Almeida: Founder, Business Portugal
Andre Lin: Expert em Projetos de Inovação Aberta, FENASBAC
ANDRE TCHERNOBILSKY: Board member, Founder, CEO, Innovation and Impact Projects
André Costenaro: Director of Business Development and Innovation, OCP
André Forte: Head of Business Development for the Arts, UPTEC
André Flórido: Partner, Altaz Capital
Andrea Monti: Managing Director Impact and Sustainability, Founder Institute
Andrea Cerqueira: Sales, Marketing and Customer Success Director, Motivart
Andreea Marinescu: CEO, Tech Add-Venture
Andries Oudshoorn: angel investor, advisor and board member, Amachains
Angela Lupi: Co-Founder, Nebula Prima
Anshul Punhani: Fractional CMO, Subjektiv
António Santos: Founder, Windcredible
Augusto Terra, Food Venture Hub
Benny Goldenberg: Founder and CEO, La Guapa Empanadas Artesanais
Bernardo Tavares: CTO, Granter
Bernardo Seixas: CEO and Co-founder, Granter
Bruna Marchi: CEO & Founder, Descomplicando o Inglês Jurídico
Bruna Losada: Vice-Diretora-Geral | Deputy Dean & COO, Saint Paul Escola de Negócios
Bruno Dequech Ceschin: Co-founder & CFO, JUPTER & Director, Founder Institute Brazil
Bruno Avillez: Partner, Adsum Business Consultoria
Bruno Gutman: International Lawyer (Brazil & Portugal) , Lawyer
Caetano Maffra: Co Founder, Cuia Tech
Carla De Calvo Dantas: CLV Founder and Lawyer, CLV Advogados
Carlos Nogueira: Head of Sales, Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN)
Carlos Souza: Administrador , CSELOR
Carlos Resende: Founder, Techstars Startup Digest
Carmine Masiello: Entrepreneur, Mentor, CTO, KCYMA Studios Ltd
Carolin Wais: Partner, Plug and Play Ventures
Carolina Aguiar: Global Scientific Director - Digital Engagement, Specialty Care, GSK
Carolina Amorim: Ex-Founder , Emotai
CAROLINE FARIA: Sustainability Specialist, Schneider Electric
Cesar Thomé: CFO, Levitar
Cesar Tureta: Founder, iLTDA (Creativity Unltd)
César Morais, iLTDA (Creativity Unltd)
Cintia Mano: Angel Investor
Claudio Gianturco Gulisano: Managing Partner, Lean Business Research (www.leanbr.org)
Claudio Las Casas Alelaf: CEO, Argenprom Brasil
Claudio Santiago: Partner, EscapeTime Brasil
Claudio Colucci: Managing Director, FocusMarket R C M
Clovis Castelo Junior: Head of Research /Member of the Board /Lecturer, FATEC USA / ClienteSA
Cristiana Cruz, ScaleUp Porto
Cristina Santos: Comunicação e Gestão do Conhecimento de TI, Braskem
Daniel Dinelli
Daniela Coimbra Swiatek: Especialista em Inovação, Nowy Swiat Pesquisa e Assessoria
Daniela Motta: Co-Founder, Clinica Motta & Almeida
Daniela Simão: Audit Committee Member, BANCO NACIONAL DE ANGOLA
Daniele Cabral: CEO & Founder, DAAD Transformando Pessoas
Dawn Chen: Business Angel, COREangels Lisbon
Denise Pereira: CEO, Denise Curi, Phd
Diego Perez: Legal, Compliance & Co-Founder, StartMeUp Crowdfunding
Diego Simon: Founder & CEO, B2B Master
Diogo Bhovan: Founder & Lead Investor, DBh Ventures
Don Samoil: Managing Partner, Trusted Scale
Eder Campos: Mentor e Investidor Anjo | CX | Modelo de negócios | Cultura, FDC - Fundação Dom Cabral
Edson Ferro: Diretor de Operações Empresariais, SIMPOSS Assessoria Empresarial.
Eduardo Iwai: CPO - Investor, Alice Education
Eduardo Martucci: Product Owner, Exactaworks · Full-time
Eduardo Mendes: Senior Sales Executive - Financial Services , SAS
Eliana Miadaira: CEO & Founder, Portal do Sorriso
Elisa Tarzia: Co-Founder & Vice President of the Board of Directors, 351 Portuguese Startup Association
Ely Dirani: Associate Professor, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo
Emily Coelho: Head da Jornada do Empreendedor , SMU Investimentos
Erica Fridman Stul: Managing Partner, Sororité
Fabiano Porto: Executive Director, Global Regeneration Institute
Fabiano Rangel: Head : Organizational and Institutional Development , Leão Alimentos e Bebidas
Fabio D´Novaes: Co-Founder e CEO, Born Global Partner
Fabio Frazão: Founder and Director, Mexeri.ca
FABIO TOMAZ: COO, ENERGY REVIEW
Fábio Póvoa: Managing Director, Smart Money Ventures
Fábio De Faria: Advogado, N Partners
Fabiola Benvenuti: Human Resources Advisor, Dentsu
Fahima Farahi: Co-Founder & CEO, WiseWorld.ai
Felipe Brasileiro: co-founder & CEO, Parafuzo
Felipe Dos Santos: Co-Founder, Play2sell
Felipe Wasserman: PARTNER , BABUXCA
Felipe Giannetti: Managing Partner, StartSe
Felipe Maruyama: Diretor de Operações, programas e projetos, Centro de Inovação, Empreendedorismo e Tecnologia (CIETEC)
Ferdinand Mühlhäuser: Digital Strategist, Business Angel & Coach, Founder Institute Germany
Ferdinand Mühlhäuser: Digital Strategist, convestec GmbH
Fernando Zago: CEO, Grupo Zago: Banco Afro ; IVUUP ; Levee ; ÉSSE ; Zago Consultoria, Engenharia e Meio Ambiente
Fernando Jardim: President, 351 Portuguese Startup Association
Filipa Pinto de Carvalho: Co-Founder , AGPC / RedBridge Lisbon / Here Partners
Francesco Weiss: Co-Founder & CEO, eRa - Retail Analytics
Franco Torres: Associate, Brunel Partners
Frank Rolim: Frank Rolim, Founder conecte.ai
Franklin Kamnang Ngansop: Co-Founder, Vitamin CS Coaching
Franklin Ribeiro: Head Startup Ecosystem, Investe Sao Paulo
Gabriela Accorsi: CPO e Co- Founder , La Decora
Gabriela Marques Teixeira: Head of Digital Solutions, Stefanini
Gianfranco Vento: CEO , Cassa di Risparmio di San Marino
Gil Belford: Director, Corporate and Business Development, City Storage Systems
Giovanna Claro: Founder & General manager, eHeadset
Gonçalo Consiglieri: COO & Co-Founder, Visor.ai
Guilherme Cabral: Founder/CEO, Vacalabs
Guilherme Terrengui: Founder, Sumsub
Gustavo Maierá: BizDev, mesttra
Gustavo Bakai: CEO, Voit
Henrique Macedo: Socio/Partner, GAAP Consultoria & Corpservices Group
Henrique Cruz: Head of Growth & AI, ROWS
Henry Suzuky: CEO & Founder, Axonal Consultoria Tecnológica
Humberto Matsuda: Managing Partner, Matsuda Invest
Humberto Pereira: Co-Founder and CEO, Rows
In Hsieh: Empreendedor especialista em Ecommerce
Isabel Carapeta: Founder & CEO, Simplifyer
Isaque Gabriel Da Silva: Co-founder e CLO , ENERGY REVIEW
Ivan Germanov: Regional Success Manager, Founder Institute
Ivan E. Germanov: Certified Coach, Founder Institute
Janet Todorova: Head of Expansion, Founder Institute
Jeferson Procopio: CEO & Founder, Quick Digital
Joan Isern, Recru
Joana Pinto: CEO & Co-Founder, Clynx Health
Joao Pereira: CTO, Build Up Labs
João Cerqueira: Co-Founder and CEO, 4H Knowledge Management
João Nunes Rosado: Head of Portfolio, Unicorn Factory Lisboa
João Afonso: Startup Founder and Head of Business Development - CCI, UPTEC
João Gabriel Chebante: Consultor, Sucellos
Jon Fath: CEO, Rauva
Jonathan Alba
Jorge Azevedo: Angel Investor and Author, Como nasce uma startup
Jose Maria Rodríguez Perez: CEO & Founder, CINN
Junior Borneli: CEO e Fundador da StartSe, StartSe
Lais Fonseca Alves: Founder & CEO , Precavida
Laura Gurgel: Founder, Clube de Negócios
Laurent Serafini: CEO
Leandro Hernández: Founder, Cuida.Life
Leo Gmeiner: Program Director, Founder Institute Brasil
Licinio Januario: Co-Founder, WOLO TV
Lilian Natal: Head of Communication, DISTRITO
Lilian Natal: Co-founder
Lital Aravot: Program Director, Aetion
Louise Radoor Larsen: Fractional CMO & GTM Advisor, Momentum Marketing
Lucas De Lima Neto: Executive Diretcor MME & ESG / Partner, Empírica
Lucas Galvanini: Co-Founder & Sales Director, KnowCode
Lucas Oliveira: Portfolio Manager, COREangels Atlantic
Luis Valente: CEO and Co-Founder, iLoF
Luis Valent
Luis Felipe Adaime: CEO & Founder, Moss.Earth
Luiz Fernando Silva: Especialista em Gestão Estratégica, Ltrainning Planejando Ideias e Negócios
Lurdes Gramaxo: Partner, Bynd Venture Capital
Manuel Rodrigues: Legal, OW Ventures
Marcelo Costa: Management Advisor, Valoração Consultoria
Marcelo Vivacqua: Founder and CEO, Associação Brasil Internacional de Inventores, Cientistas e Empreendedores Inovadores - ABIPIR
Marcelo Lebre: President, Remote
Marcio Motter: Finance Executive “as a service” | Advisor | Mentor, N/A
Marco De Biasi: Startups Investor & Advisor /Program Director/Conselheiro Fiscal, LGA/Italcam/Mobicity
Marcos Olmos: Head of VC, VOX Capital
Marcos Cacalis: Head of Innovation and Optimization, Kashimir Consultoria e Gestão Empresarial
Marcos Avila: CEO & Founder, THERA CONSULTING
Marcus Maida: socio, PMM
Maria Ribeiro Soares: CEO
Mariana Guarini: Membro do Conselho de Administração , MAM - Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo
Mario Alves: Co-Founder & CEO, TAIKAI & LayerX
Mario Rodrigues: CEO , IBNVendas
Maurizio Calcopietro: Managing Partner, Core Angels Atlantic
Mayra Motta: Sócia, Mayra Motta Advocacia Corporativa
Mayra Castro: Ambassador, Seedstars
Miguel Amador: Chief Innovation Officer, Complear
Miguel Alves Ribeiro: Founder and CEO, sheerME
Misa Nikolic: Co-Founder, Athlon
Monica Lobenschuss: CEO, Vendas Exponenciais
Nando Gaspar: CEO, Conexão Empreendedora
Nara Iachan: CMO, Cuponeria
Neusa Andrade: CEO & Founder, Indiip- Intelligent Drug Information and knowledge Integration Platform LLC
Nima Kaz: Co Founder, JUPTER & Director, Founder Institute Brazil
Nuno Fernandes: Co-Founder and CEO, Dig-IN
Nuno Madeira do Ó: Managing Director, Sciencehouse Consultancy
Nuno Fernandes: CEO & Co-Founder, DIG-IN
Odete Afonso Duarte: Corporate Communication Branding , ESG Executive, Consultant
Otávio César Cafundo De Moraes: CEO , Brasil Diverso
Paloma Lecheta: Regional Director - LatAm, Founder Institute
Pâmela Ponce: CEO, IAPRENDI & ELA S/A
Patricia Lacerda: CEO & Founder, FOL Solutions
Paula Machado: CEO & Founder, Meister Safe System, Look2You
Paulo Faria: CEO & Founder, OTSE Finance
Paulo Carneiro: Manager, Craton-Roche
Pedro Henriques: Founder and CEO, BRIDGE IN
Pedro Almeida: Venture Capital Investor, Armilar
Pedro Rocha: Founder and CEO, Sagescan
Pedro Grilo: Investment Manager, Portugal Ventures
Pedro Coutinho: CEO, Founder and Investor, WATERDOG
Peixoto Accyoli: Chief Executive Officer, RE/MAX Brasil
Rafael Sampaio: CEO Brasil, NovaRed
Rafael Campos: VC Portfolio Manager, VOX Capital
Rafael Angelo Nanis: Coordenador Growth Marketing, Atmosfera Ventures
Raquel Molina: CEO, Futuriste Tecnologias Inovadoras
Reinaldo Azevedo: CEO, Energy Review
Renan Basso: CTO | Digital Strategist | Startup Builder, MB LABS
Renata Bonaldi: CEO & Founder, Sleep Up
Renata Tomazeli: CEO & Founder, Youfeel
Renata Marques: CIO Latin America, Natura &Co
Renato Simon: Managing Partner, LAAS Latin American Angels Society
Ricardo Normand: Venture Partner, Tomahawk.vc
Ricardo Oliani: Director, Counselor e Co Founder, ABRAPS / Mosai&CO / Ogliani
Ricardo Abiz: CEO & Founder, Sppock | polo di innovazione
Ricardo Pinto Martins: Founder, TRIWI
Ricardo Carvalho: CTO, Bloq.it
Rita Costa: CEO, International Career Consultant & Business Partner
Roberto Soria: AI Transformation | Cloud Solution Architecture | Customer Success Lead | Digital & Business Transformation | Security | Technology, Microsoft
Rodrigo Bindes: CEO e Co Founder, Nutrifresh
Rodrigo Huback De Azevedo: Founder/CEO, ISBrasil e IBND
Rodrigo Oliveira: CRO, StayApp
Rodrigo Oliveira: CEO e Diretor de Estratégias, Plástico Virtual, Blob e Álamo Inteligência Comercial
Rodrigo Olmedo: Director, uGlobally
Rodrigo Bombonati S. Moraes: Deputy Director, Samambaia Technological Park - PTS-UFG
Rodrigo Barbosa: Partner, Communications Director, Araucária Ventures & Consulting
Rogerio Augusto Cortes: CEO, Catalisar
Ronald Goovaerts: Ronald, Magnetic Whisper
Ruben Lozano: Growth Marketing Manager, Lyssna
Rui Gouveia: CEO, Build Up Labs
Sanderson Pajeú: Founder & CEO, naPorta
Sandra Arango: FMCG International C-Level Executive, Ex-P&G/KHC/Reckitt
Sara Gonçalves: Founder & CEO, Actif
Sean Tierney: Founder, Problemattic
Sedef Sahin: Founders’ Mentor | Unlocking Leadership & Growth, Talent Based Co.
Semi Kim: Sr. Fintech Business Development Manager, Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Sergio Escobar: CEO & Partner, BCF Ventures, Managing Director, Lalotte Ventures
Sergio Emanuel Cusmai: CEO and Founder, AIpha-G
Sofia Soares: Innovation Ecosystem Builder
Stevan Markovic, AQVC
Tais Scaroni: Especialista em Inovação Aberta, Cogna
TATIANA YOSHIDA: Innovation and Technology Coordinator, Grupo Energia
Thiago Pereira: Founder, Advisor BPO
Thiago Garcia: CEO & General Partner, 10X Partners
Thiago Vieira: CEO, Cybertech
Tiago Martins Oliveira: Co-Founder, Lev Gestão Empresarial
Tiago Silva: CTO, Closum
Tijana Momirov: Startup Consultant - Product Management, StartupSetup
Tim Ward: Founder , Bid Buddy Pro
Tomás Penaguião: Partner, Bynd Venture Capital
Vando Ribeiro: CEO, Grupo 2MI
Vanessa Abrahão: Head of Customer Success , Groove Marketing de Incentivo
Victor Lugli: Managing Partner, Lugli Group
Wilian Silva Vieira: CEO , Pitaco Criativo