​Why Portugal? with Patreon, Iberis Capital, Gama Gloria, Unicorn Factory & The Consulate General of Portugal

​Building, Hiring & Scaling in Europe

​Wednesday, October 7, 2026 | 5:00–7:30 PM
Cooley LLP | 3 Embarcadero Center, San Francisco
SF Tech Week 2026

​Building, Hiring & Scaling in Europe

​How has Portugal quietly become one of Europe’s gateway to technology & one of the most compelling places to build?

​A deep pool of technical talent at significantly lower cost than the Bay Area. An English-fluent workforce. R&D tax incentives and government programs designed to attract investment. And a startup ecosystem that has produced multiple global technology companies and unicorns in less than a decade.

​But what does the opportunity actually look like for a U.S. startup?

​Join Cooley, Iberis Capital, Gama Glória, Patreon, Unicorn Factory Lisboa, and the Consulate General of Portugal in San Francisco for a candid conversation about what Portugal actually offers U.S. startups — and what it doesn’t.

​We’ll bring together perspectives from investors, operators, ecosystem builders, government, and legal advisors to look at the practical realities of using Portugal as a place to build teams, access European talent and capital, and establish a foothold in the European market.

​What we’ll cover

​Building a team in Portugal
Hiring timelines, compensation benchmarks, employment considerations, and how U.S. companies approach establishing and structuring operations in Portugal.

​Government incentives
R&D tax credits including SIFIDE, IFICI, startup and talent programs, subsidies, and which opportunities may actually be worth navigating.

​The talent pool
Portugal’s engineering and technical workforce, universities, English fluency, cost advantages, and where the deepest concentrations of talent can be found.

​What’s being built
The sectors, technologies, founders, and companies shaping Portugal’s startup ecosystem today — and the trends worth watching next.

​Capital
How Portuguese, European, and U.S. investors are increasingly intersecting, what the funding environment looks like, and where opportunities are emerging.

​Portugal as a European base
What founders should consider when evaluating Portugal as part of a broader European expansion strategy — including where Portugal has a genuine advantage and where another market may make more sense.

​Panel

​Opening Remarks: Filipe Ramalheira — Consulate General of Portugal in San Francisco

​João Henriques, Partner — Iberis Capital

​André Glória, Partner — Gama Glória

​Gil Azevedo, CEO & Executive Director — Unicorn Factory Lisboa

​Colin Sullivan, General Counsel — Patreon

​Moderated by Daniel Parames, Partner, Cooley LLP

​Agenda

​5:00 PM — Doors, drinks & food
5:30 PM — Why Portugal? Panel
6:30 PM — Audience Q&A
6:45 PM — Drinks & networking
8:00 PM — Close

​Who should come

​Founders and operators considering an international or European presence; heads of talent and engineering leaders planning 2027 headcount; investors looking at European companies and deal flow; and anyone interested in the growing technology corridor between Silicon Valley and Portugal.

​Getting in

​Cooley LLP
3 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco, CA

​Please bring a photo ID for lobby check-in and register using the name shown on your ID.

​Part of SF Tech Week 2026.

​For founders thinking globally, Portugal may be closer to the roadmap than you think.