Portugal and Israel may be worlds apart geographically, but when it comes to startups, they face the same reality: small domestic markets that force founders to think globally from day one. “Why should innovation stay confined to a tiny market?” asks Professor João Gabriel Silva, president of the Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN).
The two countries already share deep ties, from Portugal’s quiet support during the Yom Kippur War to a 2014 science and tech MoU. Today, the relationship is thriving in tech: Portugal’s ecosystem has exploded to 4,700+ startups, generating €2.6B in revenue, 58% from exports. With unicorns like Feedzai, Talkdesk, and OutSystems, plus 90,000 engineers graduating annually, the country is fast becoming Europe’s rising star.
Israel, meanwhile, brings talent, speed, and resilience—qualities Portugal is eager to tap. CoimbraTech, an accelerator in the university city of Coimbra, is at the forefront, luring Israeli startups like Filo Systems with tax perks, free office space, and EU market access.
As Israel seeks stronger ties in Europe, and Portugal looks to scale its tech globally, their complementary strengths could make this partnership one of the most strategic plays in the years ahead.
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