the futurestarts here
The innovation hub in Vila Nova de Gaia. We bring together ideas, startups, businesses and talent in a single centre of excellence.
Through a virtuous cycle involving schools, local organisations, businesses, INOVAGAIA and the City Council, we tackle real-world problems through a continuous process of ideation, validation, development and scaling up, generating a steady stream of projects and measurable results that have an impact on the local area.
Where innovation finds the territory
students
creating from an early age
Schools
sense of community
Institutions
support
Companies
value
Territory
impact
Ecosystem innovation
Our figures
IMPACT
At INOVAGAIA, our actions are measured and guided by data and impact
- Turnover
- +395M€
- Supported companies
- +650
- Jobs created
- +3,000
- 5-year survival rate
- +85%
whowe are
We are a technology-based incubator based in Vila Nova de Gaia that supports pioneering projects, particularly those of a technological nature. We challenge startups to harness their creativity and value. We create synergies with municipal investment policies. We grow together: the entrepreneurs, the city, the economy and the country.
WHAT WE DO
Business incubation and support
Physical and virtual spaces to help your project grow, with close support and access to a network of partners in Vila Nova de Gaia. Choose the option that best suits the current stage of your business, whether it’s a physical space, a co-working space or a virtual space.
Programs dedicated to startups
A comprehensive entrepreneurship programme, from ideation to acceleration. From Start Up With Us to Create With Us and Scale Up With Us, we support teams from their initial idea right through to market launch.
Specialised training services
Accredited by the DGERT in areas essential to entrepreneurship and personal development, INOVAGAIA offers training tailored to entrepreneurs, with practical content delivered by those with first-hand experience in the field.
Support services for entrepreneurs
Mentoring, consultancy and links to the local ecosystem to meet the specific needs of each project. Tailor-made support that opens doors to contacts, partners and opportunities.
incubation &hosting.
Turnover
Supported companies
Jobs created
BUSINESS HOSTING &
INCUBATION
INOVAGAIA offers first-class facilities and services for startup incubation and business support.
FLEXIBILITY
Every project grows at its own pace, and the support should keep pace with it. At INOVAGAIA, you can choose between physical incubation, at our premises in Vila Nova de Gaia, or virtual incubation, with remote access to our services and network. You can also tailor the option to suit the stage your business is at, without rigid packages or commitments that don’t keep pace with your team’s development.
SERVICES
The incubation programme includes personalised support, mentoring from entrepreneurs and experts, and access to INOVAGAIA’s programme pathway, from ideation to acceleration. You’ll also have access to a network of partners, discounts, higher education institutions, companies and local organisations, which helps to open doors, test solutions and create business opportunities.
INFRASTRUCTURE
For those who opt for physical incubation, INOVAGAIA offers a professional space with internet access, free parking, electric car chargers, security, a mail and parcel reception service, an auditorium for events and presentations, and a dining area. It is an environment designed to allow your team to focus on what matters most: developing your project and making it grow.
RESOURCES.
Our spaces
programsfor startups.
Programs editions
Startups
programaspremios
PROGRAMS
YOUR PATH
INOVAGAIA offers a structured range of programmes that support startups from the ideation phase right through to scaling up.
START
The Start Up With Us program is an ideation program designed to bring entrepreneurship to Vila Nova de Gaia area. It was conceived to bring real problems, as experienced by the local population, into a creative ideation environment within the higher education institutions of Vila Nova de Gaia. This is the first step on INOVAGAIA’s journey into entrepreneurship.
#Ideation
CREATE
The Create With Us program is INOVAGAIA’s validation program, designed for start-ups that have already validated their problem and solution and are ready to take the next step: turning their idea into a product. This is where the concept moves beyond the drawing board and takes shape as a prototype or an MVP, tested with real users. This is the second step in INOVAGAIA’s entrepreneurship journey, following on from Start Up With Us.
#Validation
SCALE
Scale up with us is a hands-on acceleration program that helps startups refine their strategy, learn from mentors and build connections with investors. All this whilst developing the skills they need to grow with confidence. It aims to foster critical thinking, strengthen capabilities, accelerate ideas and forge positive connections capable of transforming each startup’s potential into growth and real impact.
#Acceleration
Programmes
Stories that matter
traininglearn with us.
Thousand hours
Trainees
Training sessions
learn
Training options
INOVAGAIA offers a structured range of training programmes, including state-funded training for individuals and businesses, as well as vocational and specialist training services.
Individual Training
Free, certified online training aimed at employees and the unemployed. With over 2,500 trainees having taken part in its training programmes, INOVAGAIA has established itself as a leading organisation in the field of training and is accredited by the DGERT to deliver a wide range of training courses.
#funded_training
Corporate Training
The SME Training-Action Programme is the ideal opportunity to upskill your team and reorganise your business through bespoke training and consultancy, with up to 90 per cent of the costs covered by a non-repayable grant. SMEs taking part in the programme are offered a personalised assessment which will guide the programme’s training activities. As such, each company is offered a bespoke training programme rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
#training_and_action_for_SMEs
Tailored Training
For more specialised subjects or advanced levels, INOVAGAIA also offers non-subsidised professional training. This training programme follows a carefully designed curriculum, providing certified training to businesses and individuals on specific topics that are relevant to the current business environment.
#vocational_training
support toentrepreneurs.
Supported projects
People impacted
Jobs created
By your side,
at every step
From general support for entrepreneurs to helping them create their own jobs and set up in Portugal, we support entrepreneurs by providing the right support for every stage and every journey. Whatever your starting point, at INOVAGAIA you’ll find guidance, partners and services to help bring your project to life.
Support for self-employment
INOVAGAIA is an organisation certified by the IEFP to provide support for self-employment projects. We help you turn your idea into a structured project, from defining the business model to preparing your application, with technical support at every stage.
#EPATs
Global founders
For foreign entrepreneurs wishing to set up or grow their business in Portugal, we support the Startup Visa (IAPMEI) process and ‘soft landing’ initiatives in the country, notably through the One Stop Shop project. We facilitate setting up your business, integrating into the local ecosystem and connecting with partners, institutions and networks that make your arrival simpler and more secure.
#StartupVisa
General support for entrepreneurs
Even if your project doesn’t fit into a specific programme, you’re not on your own. We offer guidance, answer your questions and put you in touch with the right resources, partners and services, at any stage of your entrepreneurial journey.
#support
Success stories
Inspiring testimonials.
Medsky
Medsky’s mission is to improve patients’ access to medical information through the development of innovative IT solutions.
Visual Thinking
Innovation Index
Indico Innovation’s main objective is to manage loyalty ecosystems that connect brands and customers, generating the engagement required to drive the business forward. Through market research, data analysis, scenario planning, KPIs, potential opportunities and implementation technologies, we develop bespoke concepts, solutions, processes and projects to achieve your business objectives.
Certifications & Accreditations
