English
We have already told you that in Portugal new technological ventures and start-ups are developing and opening up and creating new opportunities for residents, investors, and those who are interested in relocating to Portugal. The proof of this is not only in the innovative projects that the cities in Portugal are developing, but the scores and appreciation that the Portuguese cities receive throughout Europe, especially in the challenging period of the Coronavirus, which gave its signals in the European economy, as in Israel and around the world.
The Portuguese economic website Eco reported that the cities of Braga and Cascais reached the semi-finals of the “Innovative Rising City in Europe” competition. This is an initiative promoted by the European Innovation Council with the aim of highlighting the work done in the field of innovation by municipalities with a population ranging from 50,000 to 250,000 inhabitants.
The two Portuguese cities were selected by a group of experts from 39 candidate cities and will now compete for the title together with the cities of Castellón de la Plana (Spain), Harlem (Netherlands), Ludwigsburg (Germany), Trondheim (Norway), and Venta (Finland).
The winning city will receive a prize of 500,000 euros and will be announced during a summit meeting of the European Innovation Council to be held on 24 and 25 November. Earlier, during the month of October, the eight cities that reached the semi-finals had already been invited “to the group of pioneering cities that are actively pushing the boundaries of urban innovation” where they will defend their candidacies to a private audience.
In the case of Minho County that Braga is its capital, the candidacy will be presented by the local authority headed by Ricardo Rio and it highlights Braga’s technological innovation center supporting startups in areas such as digital economy, health technologies and nanotechnology, investing in innovative social impact projects and media activities.
“It is inspiring to see so many European cities putting innovation at the center of their recovery and growth strategies, after such a challenging period of time,” stresses European Commissioner for Innovation Maria Gabriel, quoted in a press release.
If you are planning a new business and/or technological initiative, and you want to explore the possibility of doing so in Portugal, you are welcome to contact us, we will be happy to provide you with information and help as much as possible.
