The last day of the 2019 Web Summit continued to be dominated by the curiosity and talent of participants, the talent of the entrepreneurs and the companies’ innovative vision.

The startups that apply to exhibit at Web Summit are assigned to a category depending on the company size and revenue. The three groups are ALPHA (the company is in the pre-investment stage, or has under $1 million in funding), BETA (the company has launched successfully and is often a Web Summit alum) and GROWTH (the company is experiencing considerable growth and expanding globally. Often you have raised over $3 million). We found several companies created by Técnico alumni in the 1st and 2nd categories.

Pedro Costa Santos, Técnico alumnus (Mechanical Engineering) and co-founder of Learninghubz, welcomed us at Learninghubz stand (BETA category) and explained us that the startup was created three years ago and helps organizations deliver a new workplace learning experience. “The future of learning is about flexibility and autonomy. People want that. At Learninghubz, we provide a digital app so that people can learn gradually, when they want and when they need”, stresses the Técnico alumnus.

“We are talking about microlearning, which is not a substitute for technical and compulsory training. However, it can be part of formal training and it is accessible and cost-effective for companies”, underlines Pedro Costa Santos. Sonae, Banco de Portugal, Lisbon City Hall, The Navigator Company and Farfetch are some clients. “At Web Summit we are visited by our current customers, who come here for extra support, and also by many potential partners”, shares the co-founder of Learninghubz.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Pedro Costa Santos worked at TAP and OGMA. After 5 years he felt that he lacked relational skills. He did an MBA in Marketing and Sales and he started holding management positions. “Three years ago I thought that it was time to leave the corporate world because, in my case, the autonomy and creativity were restricted”, he confesses. “The problem solving skills and the ability to think that I acquired at Técnico were extremely important”, he stresses.

Amélia Santos, Técnico alumna and representative of Innuos, a company that develops high-fidelity digital music servers and players also attended the Web Summit. “Our music centers allow a complete music library management using a smartphone or a computer. We produce the hardware and software and we guarantee great sound quality” she says. The company has been growing exponentially and, as a result of that, Amélia Santos was one of the finalists of “João Vasconcelos Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2019”. “We are currently working in 34 markets, namely USA and England”, adds the Técnico alumna.

Amélia Santos thinks that the Web Summit “is a great way to get in touch with partners, to network and to learn more about everything that is relevant to our business”. The Técnico alumna recalls the importance of the knowledge acquired at Técnico every time the company recruits Técnico graduates. “It’s very good to work with them. We notice that they are very well prepared”.

“I really enjoyed being here, it helped me to find which areas I have interested in and which areas I want to work in”, says Rita Pereira, student of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Técnico. “The third day exceeded my expectations because it was the day that I visited the pavilions for the first time, which I find much more interesting than the main stage”, she shares.

The atmosphere at Técnico exhibition stand was very active and lively until the last minute. The team was ready to clear doubts and to provide important information. It was a meeting point for former and current students of different generations, who shared their ideas, their memories and their ambitions for the future.