Liliana Pereira: From Alvaiázere to "Best Engineer in Portugal" 2025

The technology sector in Portugal recently celebrated a major milestone in diversity. Liliana Pereira, a software engineer originally from the small town of Alvaiázere, was named the winner of the Liliana Pereira Best Engineer Portugal award at the prestigious Portuguese Women in Tech Awards 2025.

A Journey of Curiosity and Resilience

Liliana’s path to the top of the engineering field was anything but traditional. Originally dreaming of a career in History or Archaeology, she pivoted to technology in 2005. Her career evolved from building websites for small local firms to working for international companies across Europe.

Today, she serves as a Liliana Pereira Coverflex software engineer, contributing to one of Portugal’s most successful startups. Throughout her journey, she has navigated environments where women were often a minority, sometimes having to "shout to be heard" in teams lacking diversity.

Empowering the Next Generation

Liliana is a passionate advocate for closing the gender gap. As an ambassador for GeekGirls Portugal, she helps organize digital innovation events where female speakers take center stage to combat "imposter syndrome" and increase visibility for women in the field.

According to global tech news, initiatives like these are essential for demystifying the idea that technology is a male-only domain. Liliana believes that while companies are becoming more diverse, it is crucial to move beyond marketing and focus on genuine cultural change.

Breaking Regional Barriers

One of the most inspiring aspects of Liliana’s story is her representation of talent from outside major urban centers. She encourages young professionals from smaller towns to step outside their comfort zones and actively engage in networking across the country.

As devs.com.pt recently reported, her success serves as a roadmap for aspiring engineers. With an ultimate goal of becoming a CTO, Liliana continues to use her platform to mentor others and prove that geographic or gender barriers can be overcome with curiosity and persistence.