Unicorn Factory announces Entrepreneurs of the Year

The CEO and co-founder of Infraspeak, Felipe Ávila da Costa is the winner of the João Vasconcelos Award – Entrepreneur of the Year.

Winners in the other categories were Isabel Carapeta, Veronica Orvalho, Ana Casaca, and the startups Lampsy, Ubbu, and ROOTkey.

The initiative from Unicorn Factory Lisboa that distinguishes the startups and personalities that most stood out over the previous year in the Lisbon and Portugal innovation ecosystem.

The top award went to Felipe Ávila da Costa, founder of Infraspeak, who received the João Vasconcelos Award – Entrepreneur of the Year.

The Portuguese startup has created software for maintenance and facilities management and has already raised €36 million in investment. With more than 1,100 customers in more than 40 countries, it has a team of 225 employees spread across six countries. This award honours and recognises entrepreneurs who combine purpose, growth, and impact.
As part of the recognition, he will have the opportunity to present his project on the stage of the Web Summit 2025, before a global audience of investors, companies and entrepreneurs, reinforcing Portugal’s presence on the world map of innovation.

This year, the event had two new categories that reflect and evolution and diversity of the sector: the Rising Female Award and the International Personality Award.

In the first, the award went to Isabel Carapeta, founder and CEO of Simplifyer, recognised for her inspiring track record and contribution to strengthening women’s leadership in innovation.

An entrepreneur who has excelled in international acceleration programs, winner of the Ideas in Cash 2025 award, named by Forbes “30 Under 30”, and former municipal councillor for the Municipality of Loures, Isabel has also mentored hundreds of young entrepreneurs at Nova SBE and Católica.

Veronica Orvalho, founder and CEO of Didimo, was distinguished with the International Personality Award.

With a career spanning over 20 years in both the academic and entrepreneurial worlds, Veronica is one of the most recognised voices of Portuguese innovation overseas. Heading Didimo, one of the most promising national deeptechs, it has already attracted €16 million of investment, in addition to being a professor at the University of Porto while also dedicating part of her time to social projects.

The Ecosystem Award, which distinguishes an individual or personality that has stood out over the years in the development of the innovation ecosystem, was awarded to Ana Casaca, Global Innovation Director of Galp for her active contribution to the development and growth of the Portuguese ecosystem over the past 20 years, from the creation of the University of Porto’s Technology and Transfer Centre to her current role where she leads innovation programmes that generate 18 opportunities for scale-ups per year, involving 1,000 researchers and 800 collaborators, following Virgilio Bento, founder of Sword Health and Marcelo Lebre, founder of Remote, winners of the first 2 editions of the awards.

The other awards were: Most Promising Startup Award: Lampsy, the Startup making the most impact: Ubbu, and the University Startup Award, ROOTkey,

Source: Unicorn Factory Lisboa

Photos: Unicorn Factory Lisboa