Unicorn Factory Lisboa launches Engineers Hub with 10 startups

Lisbon’s Unicorn Factory launched its Engineers Hub on Thursday (February 26) with 10 startups aiming to create 200 jobs within six months.

The project is the result of a strategic partnership between Unicorn Factory and the Association of Engineers (South Region).

So far the 10 startups have already raised €12 million. The companies Quadrante and CIMPOR are the hub’s partners.

“The 10 startups that currently make up the Engineers Hub have already raised €12 million in investment and are expected to create 200 jobs in the next six months. These numbers show that we are working with projects that are already validated and have the capacity for execution, which reinforces our ambition to accelerate their growth and create a community that actively contributes to driving innovation in the Portuguese engineering sector,” said Gil Azevedo, CEO of Unicorn Factory Lisbon.

Our goal is to make this hub a catalyst for the growth of innovation in engineering in Portugal, where startups already in operation or in the launch phase, owned by members of the Order of Engineers, can test and scale their technological solutions, benefiting from initiatives to support business development and a network of mentors, as well as various opportunities for direct contact with national and international companies, entrepreneurs and investors,” he added.

Gil Azevedo – CEO of Unicorn Factory Lisboa

The President of the Association of Engineers, António Carias de Sousa, explained that the hub aims to “structure an action-oriented environment where engineers and students can transform technical knowledge into solutions with real-world applications, develop sustainable business models, and launch startups capable of generating innovation in and for the country.

The objective is clear, he assures: “to retain talent, promote technological innovation, create economic value, and strengthen the competitiveness of Portuguese engineering, positioning it as an active engine of national development.”

The President of the Association of Engineers, António Carias de Sousa

“The Unicorn Factory continues to expand in Lisbon and create more job opportunities for Lisbon residents. There are already 18,000 jobs generated thanks to technology in the city. Each new centre represents a greater capacity to attract companies to Lisbon and to have more attractive salaries for Lisbon residents,” said Carlos Moedas, Mayor of Lisbon.

Located next to the OERS headquarters on Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo in Lisbon, the hub occupies 300 square meters, featuring coworking space and private rooms with varying capacities, totaling 45 seats. It also includes a kitchenette and an auditorium with a capacity of 192 people, to host community events such as hackathons, workshops, and lectures.

Source & Credits: Unicorn Factory Lisboa; Images: Unicorn Factory/Association of Engineers (South Region).