From 20 to 28 May, Porto will promote the Start & Scale Week with initiatives targeted at several audiences, that will reinforce the city as a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation, at a national and international scale.
This week materializes the first steps in the implementation of the ScaleUp Porto Manifesto, through events and activities that will involve not only companies with high growth potential, but also the several stakeholders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem: big companies, the industry, national and international investors, educational institutions and the citizens. The city is thus a hub, exploring the connection and intervention of all the stakeholders.
The agenda will include activities for several stages of business development including meetings between startups and the industry aimed at exploring bilateral opportunities, promotion of talent and job search, support for the creation of new businesses, events for national and international investors, promotion of the creation of international city networks to support growth, development of solutions to improve the city’s life, street entertainment and celebration.
The biggest event of the week – ScaleUp For Europe – will take place from 25 to 27 May and places Porto in the path of international investors. The event brings business angels and VCs to the city and is a starting point for the creation of an European scaleup network. Training for startups and investors, conferences about growth and the role of the investors in the process, crowdfunding and other subjects, will be some of the activities at Scaleup For Europe.
The week will end with the second edition of Hackacity, a programming marathon that once again will make the city a living lab. The participants will develop applications to improve the life in Porto, using big data collected in the city. This year the event has a twist: it will take place simultaneously in other cities across the world – Santander, Utecht, Amersfoort, Olinda and Recife – that challenged by Porto, will be joining the movement.
Alongside these events, a central street – Rua das Flores – will be a stage for celebration, with entertainment and activities that will involve the community. Several games will take place, focused on the “7 Steps to Success”, and people will be invited to address some of the issues experienced by companies that are growing.
With ScaleUp Porto, the city formalizes a commitment to become a catalyst for the creation of a sustainable ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation, as part of a comprehensive and coordinated strategy that can be reflected throughout Europe. And we are all part of it.
