Top Startup Accelerators & Incubators in Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon has grown from a hidden gem of Southern Europe into one of the continent's most vibrant startup hubs. The Portuguese capital blends Mediterranean charm with entrepreneurial energy, creating an ecosystem where innovation thrives against a backdrop of historic architecture and ocean views. With affordable living costs, a growing talent pool, and a government eager to support the tech sector, Lisbon has become the sunny alternative to Europe's more established startup cities.

This guide explores the leading accelerators and incubators shaping Lisbon's evolving startup landscape. These programs support domestic and international startups seeking to establish themselves in the Portuguese market.

Top 20 Startup Accelerators & Incubators in Lisbon

1. Startup Lisboa (Unicorn Factory)

Target Audience: Early-stage startups across sectors

Niche: Startup ecosystem development

Startup Lisboa is Lisbon's pioneering incubator, founded in 2012 to revitalize the city's entrepreneurial landscape. It provides comprehensive support, including mentorship, coworking spaces, strategic partnerships, and networking opportunities. It runs multiple specialized programs, including Launch in Lisbon, Lisbon Immersion, Clean Future, and Acelerador 5G. It also serves as a cornerstone institution in Lisbon's growing reputation as a European startup capital.

2. Beta-i

Target Audience: Early-stage technology ventures

Niche: Innovation management and acceleration

Beta-i is one of Portugal's most established innovation hubs, and it has been operating since 2010 with a track record of success. It supports early-stage companies through comprehensive innovation management, mentoring programs, and community-building events. Through its acceleration programs, it has successfully helped over 500 startups develop and scale globally. It also provides seed investments to promising ventures, creating pathways to sustainable growth.

3. Maze X

Target Audience: Impact-driven entrepreneurs

Niche: Social impact innovation

Maze X is a focused accelerator running an intensive four-month program for European entrepreneurs developing impactful solutions. It offers specialized mentorship from industry experts with experience in social innovation and impact measurement. It provides access to a diverse community of impact-focused investors and partners. It also creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to address significant social and environmental challenges through business.

4. Build Up Labs

Target Audience: Early-stage technology founders

Niche: Company building and scaling

Build Up Labs is a startup studio established in 2014 focused on efficient company development methodologies. It helps startups launch and grow through structured processes, mentorship, and resource sharing. It provides seed-stage investments to promising ventures showing significant potential. It also creates a supportive community through regular events and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

5. Building Global Innovators

Target Audience: Technology startups

Niche: Specialized sector support

Building Global Innovators is a specialized accelerator focusing on startups in health tech and Enterprise IT sectors. It provides comprehensive development support, including boot camps, demo days, and targeted business development. It offers multiple funding pathways, including crowdfunding, grants, private equity, and seed investments. It also connects founders with specialized mentors with deep industry expertise in relevant sectors.

6. Fábrica de Startups

Target Audience: Entrepreneurs from ideation to scaling

Niche: Full lifecycle startup development

Fábrica de Startups is a comprehensive acceleration platform established in 2011 to support entrepreneurs at all stages. It empowers startups through specialized programs focused on creation, validation, and internationalization. It provides structured methodologies for transforming ideas into viable business models and allows Portuguese startups to access global markets.

7. Casa do Impacto

Target Audience: Social entrepreneurs

Niche: Social innovation

Casa do Impacto is a dedicated hub supporting startups that are creating positive social change in Portugal. It provides coworking spaces specifically designed for social impact ventures. It offers mentoring programs tailored to the unique challenges of balancing social mission with business sustainability. It also facilitates connections within a network of like-minded, impact-driven entrepreneurs.

8. Startup Lab

Target Audience: Service-oriented startups

Niche: Professional service ventures

Startup Lab is a specialized accelerator powered by a Portuguese law firm that addresses the needs of service businesses. It supports ventures through comprehensive legal consulting, branding, marketing, and accounting training. It also provides specialized pitch preparation and business strategy development and leverages legal expertise to help startups navigate regulatory challenges.

9. Mustard Seed Maze (MSM) Fund

Target Audience: Impact-focused ventures

Niche: Scalable impact solutions

Mustard Seed Maze is an investment fund focused on ventures addressing significant global challenges. It provides acceleration programs designed to scale businesses, creating measurable social and environmental impact. It offers startup investment opportunities that demonstrate impact potential and business viability. It also connects founders with a community of impact-focused entrepreneurs and investors.

10. Nova SBE Haddad Entrepreneurship Institute

Target Audience: Student entrepreneurs

Niche: Academic entrepreneurship

Nova SBE Entrepreneurship Institute is a university-based accelerator supporting student-led ventures and innovations. It provides mentoring programs tailored to the unique challenges faced by student entrepreneurs. It offers access to Nova SBE's extensive entrepreneurship ecosystem and resources. It also creates pathways for academic innovation to achieve commercial implementation.

11. Católica-Lisbon Entrepreneurship Center (CLEC)

Target Audience: Student and alums entrepreneurs

Niche: Educational entrepreneurship

Católica-Lisbon Entrepreneurship Center is a university-based initiative that supports student entrepreneurial development. It provides specialized training programs for students interested in launching innovative businesses, offers resources connecting academic knowledge with practical entrepreneurial application, and creates a supportive community where student entrepreneurs can develop their ventures.

12. Tribe Accelerator Lisbon

Target Audience: Web3 and blockchain startups

Niche: Blockchain innovation

Tribe Accelerator Lisbon is a specialized program supporting blockchain and Web3 innovation in Portugal. It provides technical mentorship and resources for blockchain technology development and implementation. It offers connections to industry partners and potential clients for blockchain solutions. It also creates opportunities for regulatory navigation within the complex blockchain space.

13. Portugal Blue

Target Audience: Ocean technology startups

Niche: Blue economy innovation

Portugal Blue is a specialized accelerator leveraging Portugal's extensive maritime heritage and resources. It supports startups developing innovations in ocean technology, sustainable fishing, and coastal tourism. It provides access to testing facilities and connections to Portugal's established maritime industry. It also creates pathways for implementing solutions addressing ocean sustainability challenges.

14. REDangels

Target Audience: Female entrepreneurs

Niche: Women-led startups

REDangels is Portugal's first angel investment network focused specifically on women-led ventures. It provides specialized mentorship that addresses the unique challenges faced by female entrepreneurs. It offers funding opportunities designed to address the investment gap affecting women founders. It also creates a supportive community that connects female entrepreneurs with resources and networks.

15. Starter Business Acceleration

Target Audience: Energy sector startups

Niche: Energy innovation

Starter Business Acceleration is a specialized accelerator focusing on innovations within the energy sector. It leverages its strategic location in Lisbon to provide access to Portugal's vibrant energy ecosystem. It connects energy startups with relevant investors, industry mentors, and corporate partners. It also creates pathways for implementing and scaling disruptive solutions that can transform the future of the energy sector.

16. Poolside Accelerator

Target Audience: Blockchain and Web3 ventures

Niche: Decentralized technology

Poolside Accelerator is a focused program supporting the development of decentralized technology ventures. It provides specialized resources addressing the unique challenges of blockchain and Web3 implementation. It offers mentorship from experts experienced in decentralized technologies and business models. It also creates connections within Portugal's growing blockchain ecosystem and beyond.

17. Hub Criativo do Beato Living Lab

Target Audience: Urban innovation startups

Niche: Sustainability and smart city solutions

Hub Criativo do Beato Living Lab is an innovative smart campus supporting urban sustainability initiatives. It was created to become a model for implementing urban strategies promoting environmental resilience. It provides a living laboratory where startups can test and refine sustainability solutions in real-world settings. It also creates a collaborative ecosystem connecting entrepreneurs with resources focused on urban innovation.

AcceleratorApp's Closing Thoughts on Startup Accelerators and Incubators in Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon's startup scene isn't just growing; it's shining with distinctly Portuguese character. What makes this ecosystem special isn't just the tax incentives or the Web Summit crowds. It's the unique Portuguese approach to entrepreneurship: resourceful, relationship-driven, and refreshingly balanced.

In a city where centuries-old tiled buildings house cutting-edge tech companies, Lisbon founders have embraced a different rhythm than their counterparts in London or Berlin. The punishing "hustle culture" gives way to something more sustainable, perhaps influenced by the Atlantic sunshine or the city's laid-back café culture.

As Lisbon continues to evolve from an underdog to an established player in Europe's startup landscape, it maintains an authenticity that sets it apart. This isn't a city trying to become the next anything, it's creating something uniquely its own, where Atlantic traditions meet global innovation and tomorrow's unicorns might emerge from an entrepreneur's afternoon brainstorm at a riverside café.