Beta-i, LISPOLIS, Fábrica de Startups, Startup Lisboa and Incubadora do Taguspark are some of the best known names in the domestic entrepreneurial ecosystem. All of them, in one way or the other, are linked to Técnico, and they make a point of maintaining relations with the university that are “essential for creating truly innovative new projects”, explains Pedro Rocha Vieira, president of Beta-i.
All these institutions have different and, perhaps because of that, even complementary spheres of action. Startup Lisboa and Incubadora do Taguspark clearly perceive themselves as startup incubators. Fábrica de Startups adds the mission of an accelerator, which, in a way, is the focus of Beta-i, with its numerous acceleration programs and entrepreneurship-themed events. Through its Incubation and Development Centre (CID), LISPOLIS in turn functions as an incubator for startups in more advanced stages of development.
“The kind of entrepreneur who chooses LISPOLIS is not exactly the same we find at other incubators in Lisbon”, explains engineer Cândido dos Santos, managing director of LISPOLIS. “We think that’s normal, we complement other hosting areas. (…) Something is starting to happen now: some companies that started with other incubators in Lisbon come here without severing the connections they had.”
These connections have, according to Pedro Rocha Vieira, a crucial role in the success of a business. “For an entrepreneur, few things are more important than knowing the right people or having a network of quality contacts. Building relevant relationships with key influencers is a concern starting from the moment a startup comes into being”, he says. Therefore, much of what Beta-i does, either through the events it brings to Portugal or through its acceleration programs, such as Lisbon Challenge or Beta-start, is to help developers create a relevant contact network.
At Startup Lisboa, as at all incubators, this is also a key concern, explains Bruno Gomes, communication & community assistant for the incubator: “What we do is to support companies through partnerships, mentoring programs, workshops… It’s always about connecting businesses to people who can help them develop their business”.
The importance of a good team
Created by Antonio Lucena de Faria in 2012, Fábrica de Startups applies Lean Startup methodologies: the fundamental mistake that “many people” make when they want to start a business, explains Shannon Graybill, is “not validating the hypotheses that support the idea”. “People become emotionally attached to ideas and often do so without ever having spoken to a customer”, she criticizes. According to the program coordinator, there are two crucial things needed to succeed: knowing the customer and creating a good team. “In the end, creating a company comes down to people – the team and the client. Build a strong and dynamic team and know your customer.”
To make sure that startups working in the technology area have the best chances of success, while meeting their most technical needs, is why Incubadora do Taguspark underlines its connections with Técnico. “Even today, entrepreneurs who are not from Técnico and who do not have any Técnico connections come to us because of our links and proximity to the Taguspark campus, and because we may have Técnico graduated engineers here”, explains Miguel Matos, the incubator’s manager.
The incubator only hosts technology-based startups, and has a laboratory area dedicated to biotechnology. Why? “The idea is to have technology here, and use Portuguese technology to solve market problems.” The idea seems to be working: Talkdesk, which is an important name worldwide, was born within this incubator’s walls, and HeartGenetics, created by a Técnico professor and recently considered one of the best companies at the World Health Summit, was also incubated here.
Entrepreneurship and the university
What does the Portuguese entrepreneurial ecosystem lack? Bruno Gomes believes that it is very important to realize that “not all projects will succeed”. “It is not a bed of roses and there are things that end up not going so well, it’s normal. What’s normal is failing, not hitting the spot at the first attempt.” Miguel Matos in turn believes that it is a matter of volume: “Present us with more ideas, more projects. The more projects that are presented, and many of them will fail, the stronger our entrepreneurial ecosystem will be”.
Pedro Rocha Vieira sums it up: “We must have more success stories, we need more collaboration, serious investment in the growing stages and further internationalization for our startups and investors. We must also look at entrepreneurship not as a transient thing, but as a strategic investment, in which the connection with universities is crucial”.
And are the universities doing their part? According to Cândido dos Santos, yes: “Universities are quite sensitive to this area, and there are many classes that provide students with the appropriate and necessary tools.” Shannon Graybill agrees and says that “students are the key to sustainable growth of the entrepreneurial scene in Portugal.” “Técnico, in particular, is a very interesting partner for accelerators in the technology area, given the talent coming out of the university.”
Since they think the same way, associations like Beta-i actively work to strengthen relations with the school. “We hope that the new Beta-i location [at Av. Casal Ribeiro] can gradually become a natural extension of Técnico, where students can integrate into a truly vibrant community and be part of the next generation of global entrepreneurs”, says Pedro Rocha Vieira.
