Portugal’s 23-Startup Delegation in Qatar Signals a More Global Growth Play

Suf Zen (Asaf Eyzenkot)
1 day ago
4 min read

Web Summit Qatar is not just an event, it’s a window into where capital and partnerships are forming, and how Portugal wants to show up.

If you build companies in Portugal, Web Summit usually means one thing: Lisbon.

But this week’s news is a reminder that Portugal’s startup story is becoming more outward-facing, and more intentional about where it looks for growth.

Essential Business reported that Web Summit Qatar (Doha) hosted the first Portuguese delegation of startups, running from February 1–4.

That might sound like a small PR story. It is not.

It is a signal about how Portugal’s ecosystem wants to connect to global capital, and which regions are rising in importance for founders who want to scale.

What happened in Doha

According to Essential Business, the Portuguese delegation included 23 startups across multiple sectors.

Five of those startups participated via Startup Portugal’s Business Abroad program. The article reports that those five companies have already raised around €13.5 million in investment and employ more than 100 people.

The delegation was supported by Startup Portugal and Unicorn Factory Lisboa, positioned as a strategic move to place Portuguese startups in “the most relevant global ecosystems” for capital, technology, and international expansion.

The piece also points to two big clusters inside the delegation: Healthtech & Wellness and Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning.

And it names several of the Business Abroad startups, including Complear, Criamknowledge, sheerME, Move, and iRecruiter.

Why Qatar, and why now

The Essential Business framing is clear: the Middle East is asserting itself as a major investment centre for innovation, attracting sovereign wealth funds, venture capital, and large technology players.

If you want one practical data point on the size of the room, Invest Qatar’s event page says Web Summit Qatar 2026 would bring together over 25,000 attendees from 124 countries, with more than 1,500 startups and 600 investors.

It also lists the event dates as 1–4 February 2026 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC).

So the Portuguese delegation was not “showing up at a small conference”. It was stepping into a very large, capital-heavy arena.

The program logic behind the delegation

Startup Portugal’s own description of Business Abroad is simple: the program aims to support Portuguese startups’ presence at international tech conferences, to create more impact abroad and coordinate communications with international ecosystems and local media.

And the Portuguese-language program page lists Qatar as a Business Abroad destination for 2026, with dates shown as 1–4 February.

That same page also makes the “real world” point many founders miss. It lists what participation can include (for example, exhibition presence, stage pitching, and ecosystem events) and also what is not included (like flights and accommodation).

Meaning: this is support, not magic. You still need a plan and resources to use the opportunity well.

Zooming out: Portugal’s ecosystem is not small anymore

This kind of international push makes more sense when you look at the size of Portugal’s startup base.

Portugal’s Startup Ecosystem Report 2025 puts the number of startups at 5,091, with startup turnover of €2.856 billion, startup exports of €1.571 billion, and about 28,000 employees.

The same report also notes seven unicorns.

For founders and investors, that means Portugal is not just “an interesting scene”. It is a real economic layer with real output.

And when an ecosystem reaches that size, internationalisation stops being optional. It becomes the only path for the best companies, because the domestic market is limited.

What this signals for founders

For founders based in Portugal, a delegation to Qatar sends three clear messages.

First, capital is global, but it clusters in specific places. If the Middle East is increasing its role in innovation investment, it becomes a region you need to understand, even if you do not “move there”.

Second, Portugal wants to be seen as a generator of global companies, not only local startups. That is why support structures like Startup Portugal and Unicorn Factory Lisboa show up as the backbone of these missions.

Third, you need operational readiness. International conferences compress time. You meet people fast. They ask hard questions fast. If your company setup, financial narrative, and follow-up system are messy, you waste the opportunity.

What this signals for investors and operators

If you invest in Portugal, the delegation is a reminder that dealflow is not only created in Lisbon boardrooms.

It is created where founders pitch, where new partnerships form, and where “next round” conversations start.

For operators and relocators, there is another layer. A country that actively sends startups abroad is usually building the infrastructure for talent, visas, and business services, because global expansion requires those basics.

That does not mean everything is smooth. Portugal still has friction. But the direction of travel is outward.

How to think about it: treat “Qatar” like a growth sprint

A lot of founders treat conferences like a marketing trip.

A better model is to treat them like a short sprint with one outcome.

The outcome might be: A seed extension. Ten qualified enterprise leads. One strategic distribution partner. One hiring pipeline.

If you do not choose the outcome, you will come back with business cards and no movement.

Mini checklist: before you pitch abroad, get these basics clean

Here is a short, practical readiness check:

One clear story: what you do, who pays, and why now.
Proof in numbers: traction, retention, pipeline, or clinical validation, depending on sector.
A clean company setup: cap table clarity, IP basics, and contracts that do not scare serious partners.
A follow-up system: who will send what, and by when, within 72 hours.
One ask: be specific, “intro to X”, “pilot with Y”, “€Z at terms”.

Closing thought

A 23‑startup delegation might not change the world overnight.

But is doing it in regions where capital is increasing.

If you are building from Portugal, the opportunity is real.

The requirement is also real: you need clean operations at home to move fast abroad.

How can Burtucala help you?

In this context, Burtucala helps founders and operators get the Portugal side “clean and ready” so international growth is not blocked by admin. That typically sits in Business Setup (structure, setup path, getting the basics right) and Growth & Operation (process, cadence, and practical execution). For founders relocating while building, we also support through Relocation & Lifestyle, so life logistics do not damage business momentum.