Acceler@Tech
The registration period has begun for Aceler@Tech in Portugal, the programme organized by Acredita Portugal with the support of Turismo de Portugal, which aims to boost innovation in tourism and attract investment to Portugal. The initiative also includes a series of debates on various opportunities in the sector.
Applications have begun for Aceler@Tech in Portugal. This is an international acceleration programme organized by Acredita Portugal, with the support of Turismo de Portugal in the context of the FIT ProgramThe aim of the competition is to attract the best tourism-related innovation to the country and thus contribute to increasing competitiveness and innovation in the sector. Over €20,000 in financial prizes will be awarded to the winning projects.
A Secretary of State for Tourism, Rita Marques, who was present at the opening session of Acelera@Tech, shared the Government's perspective, stating that "Our goal is to position Portugal at the forefront of tourism on a global scale, a simple ambition that requires the combination of various resources and focus. In this sense, what we have been doing through NEST - Tourism Innovation Center is to create a hub that leverages technical skills, resources, training and innovation in a single platform to support companies in the sector to be more competitive. Turismo de Portugal's intervention is also made through the partnership developed with players responsible for organizing acceleration programs - such as Acredita Portugal, universities and investors, which make it possible to identify good ideas and create a dynamic ecosystem in the tourism sector."
Fernando Fraga, Director of Innovation at Acredita Portugal, explains the relevance of the program since "Competitive and innovative tourism is essential to maintain Portugal's position as a world player in the sector and to overcome current challenges. Programs like Aceler@Tech allow us to stimulate the innovation of our startups, identify the best that is being done in this context and promote its implementation in Portuguese companies. An initiative of this scale complements the efforts being made by Turismo de Portugal to create improvements that will make Portuguese tourism a benchmark on a global scale.".
Gaia is the city host The municipality has already demonstrated its willingness to host the best international projects locally, through the incubators promoted in partnership with Acredita Portugal.
The program aims to create and develop new businesses based on innovative and disruptive ideas in the tourism sector; support the development of projects that contribute to economic, social and environmental sustainability, adding disruptive technologies and methods that help companies move from traditional operating models to advanced technologies and more efficient processes; help startups acquire specialized knowledge, networks and support to transform and integrate their idea into the Portuguese and European digital ecosystems; highlight solutions for the promotion and development of local products and resources originating in rural areas; and present innovative solutions for the recovery of the tourism sector.
All the projects registered for the initiative will go through an initial acceleration phase. Among the projects that successfully complete this first phase, the 20 best will be selected, who will move on to a second acceleration phase in which they will be put in contact with various mentors with experience in business development and/or in the area of tourism, national investors, leading Portuguese companies in the sector with whom they can develop pilots and Portuguese startups linked to tourism with whom they can explore synergies. At the same time, all the projects will be equipped with key skills that will support their development in Portugal.
Over the next few weeks, the initiative will also include several webinars promoting the opportunities that Portugal represents for tourism-related projects and the reasons why an international project in this area should be launched in the country: Investment (February 17), Tourism and Wines (March 3), Hospitality and Tourism Support Services (March 10), Diversity of Regions (March 17), Health and Nature Tourism (March 24) and Support, financing and entry into Europe (March 31).
The Aceler@Tech sessions can be followed at social networks of Believe in Portugal, of Aceler@Tech and on the initiative's official website https://www.aceleratechinportugal.com/