Lisboa City Council (CML), through Lisboa Innovation, is supporting the 351 Portuguese Startups Association in launching the second edition of the fund aimed at community development within the innovation ecosystem. The goal of this fund is to support small-scale events related to technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity in the capital of Portugal.
Lisboa Community Fund is open to all communities that promote innovation in Lisboa, with the aim of increasing the frequency of initiatives in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, as well as fostering greater diversity in events related to innovation and sustainability.
The first edition of the fund supported over 20 events in Lisboa. Initiatives such as IDE Insights & Best Practices in Business (a community focused on gender inclusion and diversity in business), Climate Circle Lisboa, Startup Guide Summit, Euromersive Portugal, Working Moms Café, ReFi, and FuckUp Nights were some of the communities supported by the fund.
In addition to financial support for logistical needs, event organizers can request assistance in securing venues, as well as support with communications and speaker recommendations.
Anshul Punhani, organizer of FuckUp Nights in Portugal, says, “The support from the Lisboa Community Fund was essential in enabling us to launch and bring FuckUp Nights back to Portugal. With this support, we were able to access venues for our events at no cost, receive support and connections to potential speakers, cover the costs of the happy hour & snacks, and manage the overall event communication. The support from Lisboa Innovation and 351 Startups was crucial in helping us relaunch FuckUp Nights in Portugal and keep the community engaged throughout the year.”
“After the success of the first edition, it is incredibly rewarding for 351 Startups to host a second edition in partnership with Lisboa Innovation, thereby fulfilling our mission to support startup founders and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. This financial support enables more initiatives to take place, transforming the city into a hub of innovation and dynamism, aimed at attracting and retaining more entrepreneurs, both locally and internationally,” says Pedro Rocha, one of the leaders of the 351 Portuguese Startups Association.
According to Isabel Advirta, Director of the Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Enterprise Department at Lisboa City Council, “Lisboa Innovation is dedicated to fostering entrepreneurial ambition in Lisboa. Through this fund, we empower the startup community to organize events that inspire, educate, and promote collaboration, thus nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of our city and maintaining a strong pipeline of new startups.”
Communities interested in receiving support for their events are encouraged to consult the guidelines and submit their proposals via the initiative’s official website, detailing the project and its expected impact on the ecosystem.
