IPN - Instituto Pedro Nunes - IPN promotes the Startup Capital Summit, bringing together more than 1100 participants to boost innovation in Portugal

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Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) hosted the third edition of the Startup Capital Summit, held on May 10th in Coimbra. The event, considered the largest in the country in the field of venture capital, innovation, entrepreneurship and technology transfer, attracted more than 1,100 participants, setting a new attendance record.





The initiative, organized by the University of Coimbra (UC) in partnership with Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) and the Coimbra City Municipality, stood out as a forum of excellence for startups, entrepreneurs, investors, companies, researchers and students, both at national level and internationally. Under the motto "Boosting innovation in Portugal", the event provided a dynamic networking environment, enriched by debates and conferences on crucial topics, such as venture capital, technology, artificial intelligence, space, biotechnology and sustainability.


The opening session was attended by the president of the IPN Board, João Gabriel Silva, the rector of the University of Coimbra, Amílcar Falcão, the president of Coimbra’s Municipality, José Manuel Silva, and the Secretary of State for Economy, João Rui Ferreira. For João Gabriel Silva, the exponential growth of the Startup Capital Summit over the years is a reflection of its positive impact and rapid adoption by the ecosystem.


In addition to debates and conferences, the event also provided valuable networking and pitching opportunities for startups, contributing to the creation of partnerships and strategic investments.


André Baptista, from Ethiack, shared his life journey, while Rui Sales, from Stratio, participated in the panel "Silicon Valley: What is the path to success". Carlos Cerqueira, from Neuraspace, and Carla Duarte, from Instituto Pedro Nunes, stood out in the panel "Space: the next frontier". José Basílio Simões, from Cleanwatts, discussed "Sustainability Today - Challenges and Opportunities'', while João Pedro Rodrigues, from The Loop Co., a former incubated company, presented "Sustainability as a business opportunity". Jorge Monteiro, from Ethiack, addressed "Cybersecurity & Startups: Challenges and Strategies'', while Tiago Rebelo, from Connected, from the ESA BIC Portugal program, spoke about "IoT Connectivity via Satellite: Challenges and Applications". João Pedro Barreto, from Perceive3D, shared lessons learned about "Licensing Agreements”, and Marcos Mariz, from INEYE PHARMA & TIMEUP, discussed "Spin-off Creation: What to avoid. Standing still!". António Lindo da Cunha, Director of the IPN's Automatics and Systems Lab, brought insights into "Health research and innovation networks: from the laboratory to the market".





Furthermore, several companies participated in the Pitch Competition, including Fibersight, Zenisort, build.ing, Framedrop, ByTheLaw, SafeCaring, Visible Sports, noytrall, TimeUp, Protegé, BrightGov and iBoss, with TimeUp being the big winner.


The Startup Capital Summit reinforces Instituto Pedro Nunes' ongoing commitment to boosting innovation and entrepreneurship in Portugal. As the event continues to grow in scale and impact, its vital role in strengthening the country's startup ecosystem is expected to continue and intensify in the years to come.