Northern Founders Forum
Portugal’s technology ecosystem is growing quickly, with Porto and Northern Portugal emerging as major growth hubs.
Ahead of Web Summit, ACT is putting northern entrepreneurs at the centre of the conversation. You’ll hear directly from founders on what’s working, what’s getting harder, and what you need to take the next step towards growth.
We’ll break down how decisions being made in Lisbon and Brussels directly shape the day-to-day realities of building a startup in Porto. From AI and intellectual property to competition policy, access to investment, and the challenge of scaling across Europe’s fragmented markets, we’ll explore how those decisions translate from policy debates into real-world consequences for entrepreneurs.
Whether you’re launching your first venture, scaling globally, or investing in Northern Portugal’s startup community, we’d love to have you join us.
The Northern Founders Forum is hosted by ACT in partnership with Untile, Glazed, and DeHouse.
About Developed: EU
Developed: EU brings together founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders to discuss local startup realities and how EU-level decisions increasingly shape the way teams build, launch, and scale. The goal is simple: build a stronger cross-border community, discuss what’s working (and what isn’t) for tech innovators, and carry those insights and relationships from the Developed: EU Tour into broader conversations about digital policy and competitiveness in Brussels.
About the Association for Competitive Technology (ACT)
ACT is a global membership organization representing technology startups, scaleups, and independent developers building across the digital economy. We work with governments around the world to advocate for policies that reward and inspire small, tech-driven innovation while providing resources to help you raise capital, scale globally, and create jobs.
About Untile
Untile is a digital product studio based in Viana do Castelo that helps startups and established companies turn ideas into digital products. Bringing together strategy, product design, engineering, and mobile development, Untile works with teams from early-stage MVPs through complex, scalable products, with a focus on simplifying technology and creating digital experiences that solve real-world problems.
About Glazed
Glazed is a Porto-based software development company specializing in high-performance web and mobile applications. Its team of experienced engineers works with startups, scaleups, and global companies to build and scale fast, secure, and reliable digital products, spanning frontend, backend, infrastructure, and mobile development.
About DeHouse
DeHouse is a Porto-based network of flexible workspaces built around community, collaboration, and innovation. More than a place to work, DeHouse brings together entrepreneurs, creators, and technology professionals through coworking spaces, events, workshops, and networking, creating environments where new ideas and connections can grow.