The 2nd Técnico Alumni Solidarity Gala raised over 40,000 euros to support students facing financial difficulties with scholarships through the Técnico Alumni Solidarity Fund, managed by Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, in partnership with the Técnico Alumni Association. The gala also served as a platform to honour three alumni: João Bento, Marta Oliveira, and Joana Pinto.
The event, which took place in the Great Hall of Alameda Campus, was part of the celebrations marking Técnico’s 115th anniversary.
In addition to its solidarity component, the Gala featured the ceremony for the 2nd edition of the Técnico Alumni Awards, which recognise the talent, excellence, and impact of the institution’s alumni on society.
In this edition, three alumni were honoured. João Bento, who has just assumed the non-executive chairmanships of Altri and Lisnave, received the “Career Award” for the excellence of his professional career and the importance of the leadership positions he holds. “Don’t just build your career; build your life with rigour, curiosity, and high standards”, he advised the younger students.
The “Young Entrepreneur Award” was shared by Marta Oliveira and Joana Pinto. Marta Oliveira is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of ATMOS Space Cargo, and is on the European Union’s list of semifinalists for the “European Prize for Women Innovators,” whose winners will be announced at the European Innovation Council Summit this June. She considers “the values of ambition, rigour, and innovation” that she inherited from Técnico “the daily foundation upon which we build ATMOS Space Cargo”. Joana Pinto is Chief General Officer (CGO) at Lampsy Health and co-founder and CEO of Clynx. On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2026, she was recognised in the 2026 list of the 100 most influential women in the European startup and venture capital ecosystem, compiled by EU-Startups.com, the leading online publication dedicated to startups in Europe. “I am very happy to see that Técnico is promoting entrepreneurship within the community, with an increased number of participants and a growing proportion of these participants and students being women”, she stated at the ceremony.
So far, more than 40,000 euros have been raised, bringing the total amount raised in 2026 to 75,000 euros. This reinforces the initiative’s mission to improve direct support for students by awarding annual scholarships of up to 4,000 euros, thereby contributing to greater stability throughout their academic journey. It explores the concept of giving back: the commitment to give back continues until the scholarship recipient has contributed 1.25 times the amount received or after 15 years. Alumni donate, students receive, students grow, and scholarship recipients give back.
In March, the Alumni Solidarity Fund awarded scholarships to ten Técnico students.
