IPN - Instituto Pedro Nunes - Internationalization of startups in discussion at IPN

Clique aqui para a versão em português.


Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) hosted, on June 4th of 2024, the event “Accelerating Internationalization - Tools and Support for the Internationalization of Startups”, as part of the Pro-Global, a programme destined to the internationalization of startups, funded by the Portuguese Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).

The opening of the event counted with the presence of João Gabriel Silva, President of the Board of IPN, and Rui Miranda, Coordinator of the Business Accelerator. Then, Joana Afonso, Project Manager, presented Pro-Global and its mission of supporting technology based startups in the internationalization process.


Pedro Silveira of the Commercial Department of the Portuguese Investment and Foreign Trade Agency (AICEP), not only presented the AICEP as well as the different types of investment and internationalization support for national companies.


Cristina Miguens, General Director of WIND, approached internationalization from a reflection perspective, mentioning the necessity to verify intern competencies, strategies by the startup before moving forward with the internationalization process in the desired market.


Then, Patrícia Roque, Community and Communications Director of Startup Portugal, presented Startup Portugal, the Business Abroad, Road2WebSummit, Startup Visa, Tech Visa and One Stop Shop initiatives, as well as mentioning the new startup laws.


During the afternoon, Pedro Silveira of AICEP, introduced specific actions of AICEP aimed at the internationalization of startups, namely, actions in the markets, visits by investors and players to Portugal, and acceleration programs. The Export Online Program and the Startups Connecting Links initiative were also presented.

Miguel Neves Matias, Commercial Director of the Region of Coimbra, CGD, not only addressed the importance and the conditions of financing in exportation, how to secure receivables and payments, the financing after the provision of services, but also mentioned the importer credits, risk coverage and other services for exporters.


The focal point of the event was the RoundTable, moderated by Paulo Santos, Executive Director the IPN’s Business Incubator and Accelerator, that counted with the participation of representatives from three companies of IPN’s ecosystem: João Gonçalves, CEO of Openlimits, Rui Sales, CEO of Stratio, and Silvério Mendes, Marketing Director and Business Developer of Take the Wind. During the session, the three entrepreneurs shared their testimonies about the internationalization process, from the first steps, the strategies used, the key competencies to the biggest challenges and difficulties during the process.


During the event, the participants got to learn more about funding and incentives to internationalization, find out new programmes and tools to support startups in establishing their business in the international market, as well as attending a roundtable, during which specialists and company founders spoke about their internationalization journey.