CoimbraTech Challenge: The Gateway for Global Startups to Europe Starts Here
General
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The City of Coimbra, in collaboration with the Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) and Impact Portugal, today announced the first cohort of participants in the CoimbraTech Challenge, an international startup initiative that will take place from June 15 to 19, 2025. Over five days, Coimbra will strengthen its position as a competitive center of excellence for sustainable innovation, deep tech, and international entrepreneurship.
"We are building a new type of ecosystem – one that reinforces Coimbra's natural and historical identity as an intellectual capital and as a future-oriented innovation hub," stated Mayor José Manuel Silva. "This Challenge symbolizes our city's commitment to building global bridges, attracting and welcoming the world's most promising startups to the heart of Portugal, with the shared participation of all our main stakeholders: by Coimbra, for Coimbra.”
The CoimbraTech Challenge serves as a soft-landing platform for carefully selected early-stage companies with ambitions to expand into Europe and other markets. Participating startups span sectors including mobility, clean energy, digital health, climate tech, sustainable materials, AI, telecommunications, and blockchain.
Supported by a network of public and private companies and organizations, including Brisa Group, Morais Leitão, Semapa, Santander, and Visabeira Group, the Challenge offers selected participants travel and accommodation, VIP access to decision-makers, meetings with selected investors, and personalized mentoring from international experts — as well as soft-landing benefits to assist in the transition.
"This is more than a Competition: it is a catalyst for ideas that can elevate the best of Portuguese ingenuity in cooperation with other global innovators to have an international impact," added Professor João Gabriel Silva, President of the Board of IPN. "We are proud to serve as a meeting point for leaders in science, business, and policy. Together, we are transforming the next generation of global companies into first-class innovation centers, while ensuring a deep, integrated, and relevant local connection."
The initiative is led by an excellent, women-led team of top-ranked women in technology, bringing experience from MassChallenge, Verizon Ventures, and other leading global accelerators. This initiative also marks the public debut of Baixinova - Portugal's first integrated innovation village. Next year, Baixinova will introduce other initiatives, including a Coimbra-focused venture capital fund, a collaborative club, and a workspace for startups, as well as strategic residency and co-living programs for founders.
Founders will participate in an impactful agenda that includes private pitching sessions, ecosystem deep-dives, policy discussions, and a Pitch Night on June 17 — an exclusive evening designed to connect innovation leaders, investors, and key stakeholders.
About the CoimbraTech Challenge
As the first international competition of its kind to arrive in Portugal, the CoimbraTech Challenge is an international initiative launched in the heart of the country. Held in Coimbra — a historic university city with a modern global vision, poised to become a major European innovation hub — this exclusive program invites a select group of high-potential international founders to immerse themselves in one of Europe's most promising innovation ecosystems. Marking the official launch of a broader vision for Baixinova, the country's first comprehensive and centralized innovation village, the CoimbraTech Challenge brings together founders, investors, policymakers, and leaders for a week-long experience of collaboration, growth, and opportunity. The CoimbraTech Challenge is not just a demo day; it is a gateway for companies ready to enter, grow, and thrive in Europe.
For more information, visit: http://coimbratech.com
The City of Coimbra, in collaboration with the Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) and Impact Portugal, today announced the first cohort of participants in the CoimbraTech Challenge, an international startup initiative that will take place from June 15 to 19, 2025. Over five days, Coimbra will strengthen its position as a competitive center of excellence for sustainable innovation, deep tech, and international entrepreneurship.
"We are building a new type of ecosystem – one that reinforces Coimbra's natural and historical identity as an intellectual capital and as a future-oriented innovation hub," stated Mayor José Manuel Silva. "This Challenge symbolizes our city's commitment to building global bridges, attracting and welcoming the world's most promising startups to the heart of Portugal, with the shared participation of all our main stakeholders: by Coimbra, for Coimbra.”
The CoimbraTech Challenge serves as a soft-landing platform for carefully selected early-stage companies with ambitions to expand into Europe and other markets. Participating startups span sectors including mobility, clean energy, digital health, climate tech, sustainable materials, AI, telecommunications, and blockchain.
Supported by a network of public and private companies and organizations, including Brisa Group, Morais Leitão, Semapa, Santander, and Visabeira Group, the Challenge offers selected participants travel and accommodation, VIP access to decision-makers, meetings with selected investors, and personalized mentoring from international experts — as well as soft-landing benefits to assist in the transition.
"This is more than a Competition: it is a catalyst for ideas that can elevate the best of Portuguese ingenuity in cooperation with other global innovators to have an international impact," added Professor João Gabriel Silva, President of the Board of IPN. "We are proud to serve as a meeting point for leaders in science, business, and policy. Together, we are transforming the next generation of global companies into first-class innovation centers, while ensuring a deep, integrated, and relevant local connection."
The initiative is led by an excellent, women-led team of top-ranked women in technology, bringing experience from MassChallenge, Verizon Ventures, and other leading global accelerators. This initiative also marks the public debut of Baixinova - Portugal's first integrated innovation village. Next year, Baixinova will introduce other initiatives, including a Coimbra-focused venture capital fund, a collaborative club, and a workspace for startups, as well as strategic residency and co-living programs for founders.
Founders will participate in an impactful agenda that includes private pitching sessions, ecosystem deep-dives, policy discussions, and a Pitch Night on June 17 — an exclusive evening designed to connect innovation leaders, investors, and key stakeholders.
About the CoimbraTech Challenge
As the first international competition of its kind to arrive in Portugal, the CoimbraTech Challenge is an international initiative launched in the heart of the country. Held in Coimbra — a historic university city with a modern global vision, poised to become a major European innovation hub — this exclusive program invites a select group of high-potential international founders to immerse themselves in one of Europe's most promising innovation ecosystems. Marking the official launch of a broader vision for Baixinova, the country's first comprehensive and centralized innovation village, the CoimbraTech Challenge brings together founders, investors, policymakers, and leaders for a week-long experience of collaboration, growth, and opportunity. The CoimbraTech Challenge is not just a demo day; it is a gateway for companies ready to enter, grow, and thrive in Europe.
For more information, visit: http://coimbratech.com
