Manifesto
Over a decade ago, our mission was to establish Lisboa as a city known for its creativity, competitiveness, and innovation. And we did just that.
Ten years on, we are revisiting this ambition. Our aim is now to transform Lisboa into more than just a starting place; we want it to be a fertile ground for the development of successful and globally recognized businesses. We want to position Lisboa as a Unicorn Capital.
To accomplish this, we are implementing various initiatives to foster growth, attracting technological expertise and nurturing local talent. Lisboa will be the place where opportunities arise, enabling new ideas to flourish and dreams to come true.
We want to be the Home of Believers.
Why Lisboa
You must know
Lisboa has established itself as a prominent player in the global startup ecosystem, ranking among the top 40 global emerging ecosystems according to Startup Genome’s Report. It already hosts over 1,200 startups.
One of the key factors contributing to Lisboa’s appeal is its openness and emphasis on international markets. This has attracted significant interest from international investors, who contributed over 80% of the 400M€ raised by Lisboa-based startups in 2022. Notably, sectors such as FoodTech, FinTech and HealthTech make up the top industries that attracted more investment rounds.
Lisboa’s status as the home of Web Summit, the world’s leading tech conference, further bolsters its reputation. This prestigious event brings together thousands of founders and investors from around the globe providing unparalleled networking opportunities.
Lisboa as an emerging global ecosystem.
How to start and scale in Lisboa
Services
Lisboa’s entrepreneurial community is vibrant and diverse, encompassing individuals from all backgrounds. Collaboration and mutual support are at the core of this city where like-minded people and organisations come together to share their passion and vision. Whether you’re a tech startup, a creative agency, or anything in between, you’ll find plenty of like-minded people and organizations who share your passion and vision.
Launching a new company
Raising funds
Community
A message from the ecosystem
Testimonials
The road to become the city of unicorns
2010
The financial crisis in Portugal awakened the entrepreneurial spirit as a means to drive the economy forward.
Lisboa’s City Council restructured some of its competencies and created the Municipal Direction of Economy and Innovation.This entity aimed to transform Lisboa into a competitive and globally recognized city, capable of competing with other European capitals as a thriving startup hub – a Startup City.
A participatory budget project had been voted on by the citizens and it kicked-off Startup Lisboa.
2012
The Municipal Direction of Economy and Innovation organized the first edition of Entrepreneurship Week – a set of initiatives organized by different players from the ecosystem.
2016
The first edition of Web Summit in Lisboa. This was a recognition of all the commitment and effort done, attracting the attention of international tech companies, startups, investors, and other stakeholders.
The startup city ecosystem had reached a consolidated state, boasting numerous incubators, acceleration programs, co-working spaces, and both public and private early-stage funding.
2022
The establishment of the Unicorn Factory Lisboa in 2022 marked this new and exhilarating phase, transitioning from the identity of Startup City to Unicorn Capital. The ambition grew, envisioning a city where future unicorns establish their offices and become a global centre of excellence for innovation. It is now time to make the very significant qualitative leap from being a highly developed early-stage ecosystem, to becoming a developed.
2023
Made of Lisboa is now Lisboa Unicorn Capital.
