Startup Lisboa
Published on 08 March 2019
Portugal
Área Metropolitana de Lisboa
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Founded in 2012, Startup Lisboa it´s a private non-profit association, which three founding entities: Lisbon Municipality, Portuguese Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation, Bank Montepio Geral. Operationalizing some their programmes closest to the municipality and the government, and all the players of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Startup Lisboa is to support the development and growth of startups, helping them to attract customers and investors, to scale up and to become global. Startup Lisboa began its activity when there were no incubators targeting startups, which made it the first of its kind, bringing innovation to the region. The innovation accompanied its life, as it is the only incubator in the region that has a residence for entrepreneurs, a tourism programme to attract entrepreneurs to the city, a merchandising line to promote Lisbon as a city of entrepreneurship, and also a programme (The Host) that foments the free circulation of startups among the partnet incubators around the world.
Startup Lisboa is to support the development and growth of startups, helping them to attract customers and investors, to scale up and to become global. Startup Lisboa began its activity when there were no incubators targeting startups, which made it the first of its kind, bringing innovation to the region. The innovation accompanied its life, as it is the only incubator in the region that has a residence for entrepreneurs, a tourism programme to attract entrepreneurs to the city, a merchandising line to promote Lisbon as a city of entrepreneurship, and also a programme (The Host) that foments the free circulation of startups among the partnet incubators around the world.
Expert opinion
Startup Lisboa is a successful incubator established in public-private partnership. Over the years the incubator has achieved noteworthy success - 150M investments have been raised by startups and 3500 jobs have been created. Besides traditional support services for startups the incubator also offers some more unique services such as a residence for entrepreneurs, a merchandising line and a cooperation programme (The Host) with other incubators around the world. The latter enables to position startups to other relevant locations to facilitate their growth (e.g. to incubators that offer a specific service or equipment that is not available in Lisboa or perhaps closer to the target market). As Startup Lisboa was the first incubator of its kind in Lisboa and has been relatively successful, it could offer important insights to other policy makers seeking to establish an incubator in their region through a public-private partnership.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
Start-up investment: Lisbon Participative Budget (Lisbon Municipality); - Building (Bank Montepio Geral); - Lisbon Municipality support; - Companies support; - Average anual budget – 750.000€; - Human Resources needed - Staff = 14 pax and Outsourced = 3 providers.
Evidence of success
Metrics of Startup Lisboa since the beginning of its activity : - 4.500 applications; - 400 supported startups; - Entrepreneurs supported from more than 40 countrys; - 150M Investment raised by startups; - 3.500 jobs created.
Potential for learning or transfer
Incubators shouldn´t look at startups as their main source of financing. Startups should pay to be incubated, because it contributes to increase their responsibility regarding the institution. However, the fee they pay should be below the fair value, to help them in beginning of the activity. So incubators should look also to other sources of financing.
Incubation is not about renting office spaces. Incubators have to promote a culture of proximity with all actors of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The secret of success lies in the partnerships established.
Incubation is not about renting office spaces. Incubators have to promote a culture of proximity with all actors of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The secret of success lies in the partnerships established.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Municipality of Lisbon
Portugal
Área Metropolitana de Lisboa
Contact
Project Manager