The Most Exciting Startups in Lisbon in 2025

The most thrilling startups in Portugal’s capital feature a platform designed to assist entrepreneurs in launching their ventures, an intelligent punchbag, and the Uber equivalent for hair salons.

TWO YEARS BACK, Jon Fath relocated with his family from the Netherlands to Portugal with the singular aim of starting a fintech company there. “This nation is full of talent and aspirations,” says Fath. “I express my gratitude to Lisbon for embracing me, along with many other expats and entrepreneurs, in such a friendly manner.”

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No one is surprised that the European Commission designated Lisbon as the European Capital of Innovation for 2023, while the Financial Times, in collaboration with Statista, placed two Portuguese startup hubs among Europe’s top 10—one of which is the Unicorn Factory Lisboa, established in 2022 and having already aided over 820 startups while helping to generate more than €1 billion ($1.1 billion).

“Portugal provides distinct benefits, including its weather, security, and affordability, making it a desirable option compared to nations in central or northern Europe,” states Nuno Pereira, CEO of Paynest.

Rauva

Prior to introducing Rauva in Lisbon, Jon Fath served as a startup CEO in Amsterdam, co-founded a logistics firm in Frankfurt, and worked at an investment management company in Beijing. “I chose to launch Rauva due to my experiences collaborating with entrepreneurs and co-founding various companies,” says Fath. “I decided to create a comprehensive hub to make entrepreneurship attainable for all.” Rauva enables business owners to sign up their enterprises online within minutes, providing a variety of tools such as debit cards and invoicing. “Moreover, if the business has not been established yet, Rauva provides that service with the assistance of lawyers,” Fath notes. “Our solution assists in minimizing the time allocated to bureaucratic procedures.” The startup, founded in 2022 by Fath and Sam Mizrahi, has recently collaborated with researchers to develop a quicker and more precise credit scoring system leveraging machine learning and quantum computing. At present, Rauva boasts over 3,000 users and has assisted in the establishment of over a thousand new businesses. rauva.com

Neuraspace

At present, there are approximately 9,900 operational satellites circling the Earth, a figure projected to increase tenfold by 2030. “The danger of accidents from space debris is increasing,” states Chiara Manfletti, the inaugural president of the Portuguese Space Agency and CEO of Neuraspace. “These impacts can damage satellites, resulting in significant financial losses and interrupting crucial services like banking operations, the internet, GNSS (global navigation satellite system), and Earth observation.” The existing manual decision-making methods are insufficient for managing this scale. Neuraspace tackles this issue by employing AI to examine different datasets, such as radar and star trackers, and autonomously forecast possible collisions while recommending evasion tactics. This platform for managing space traffic is presently monitoring over 300 satellites from operators like Spire, Nanoavionics, and the European Space Agency. Established in 2020, the startup has secured a total of $27.5 million (£20.8 million). “The grand vision for Neuraspace is realizing self-sufficient, independent space operations,” states Manfletti. neuraspace.com

Bhout

In 2021, Mauro Frota launched a gym with an innovative piece of equipment: a high-tech boxing bag. Created by Frota and Pedro Barata, the Bhout bag features an AI processing unit, biometric sensors, and a smart camera capable of monitoring the precision, speed, and strength of each punch. “The concept occurred to me in a dream,” Frota states. “I lost track of how many versions it took to arrive at that point.” “We were developing a brand new product from the beginning.” The punching bag features a series of light rings that encourage gym users to adopt various workout rhythms. Its center consists of foam layers and is filled with water, simulating the sensation of striking another boxer. Frota states that 20 new Bhout clubs have been officially confirmed in Portugal and Spain. Shortly, it will begin offering the Bhout bag, with prices from €6,000 to €10,000 ($6,100 to $11,000) to customers such as LinkedIn and Marriott Hotels. In 2023, the fit-tech startup secured a €10 million ($11 million) seed round co-led by Explorer Investments and Lince Capital. bhout.com

MyCareforce

MyCareforce is introducing the gig economy into the healthcare sector. “Hospitals frequently do not have enough personnel to satisfy demand, and they also lack the proper resources to swiftly recruit individuals for additional shifts,” states CEO Pedro Cruz Morais. “We were aware of numerous doctors leveraging WhatsApp to secure additional shifts, and we understood we could address this issue with technology.” MyCareforce offers a smart platform that links nurses with hospitals and clinics, enabling them to apply for and instantly secure open shifts. The platform, initiated in 2021 by Cruz Morais and co-founder João Hugo Silva, has over 15,000 nurses registered and collaborates with more than 70 healthcare facilities, including hospitals and clinics, across Portugal and Brazil. It has secured a €2 million ($2.2 million) funding round spearheaded by Portugal Gateway, Shilling, and Demium Capital. mycareforce.co

Oscar

Oscar enables users to schedule over 150 at-home services—from cleaning to blind repairs—at a set price and within 30 minutes. “The concept emerged following a negative experience when I attempted to contact a plumber to repair my water heater,” says João Marques, founder and CEO of Oscar. “After spending hours reaching out to various technicians and evaluating estimates, I arranged a service, but the technician failed to arrive.” “It was clear that a home service from Uber was lacking.” The platform, accessible in Portugal and Madrid, presently features over 20,000 technicians, who are accepted after a strict selection procedure and background verification. Marques states that their yearly revenue now stands at €12 million ($13.4 million) and is increasing by 40 percent each quarter. They secured over €6 million ($6.7 million) in a round spearheaded by Lince Capital and Indico Capital Partners. oscar-app.com

Glooma

Francisco Nogueira’s cousin was 40 years old when she discovered a lump in her breast. “She believed it was insignificant, yet three months later, the lump still remained,” states Frederico Stock, CFO and COO of Glooma. Regrettably, the lump was identified as a malignant tumor, necessitating a mastectomy. “Francisco chose to establish Glooma to help women in similar situations take action more quickly.” The startup, established in 2021 by Nogueira and Stock, is creating SenseGlove, a glove fitted with intelligent sensors that women can utilize for conducting a breast self-exam. “It can monitor alterations in breast tissue over time and alert physicians when there’s an irregularity,” Nogueira states. He stated that an initial proof-of-concept trial revealed that the SenseGlove accurately diagnosed cancer 88 percent of the time, while the false positive rate was 12 percent. The startup, which has secured over €1.3 million ($1.4 million), is currently in clinical trials with its latest prototype. The team anticipates obtaining FDA approval by 2025. glooma.pt

Sheerme

“When you require a taxi, you turn to Uber; when you’re in need of a hotel, you utilize booking.com, but what options do you have when you seek a hair salon or a spa?” inquires Miguel Ribeiro, CEO of Sheerme. Ribeiro states that 85 percent of wellness and beauty services need advance reservations, yet merely 10 percent allow online bookings. “Sheerme addresses that gap,” he states. The platform enables users to search for, reserve, and pay for services offered by 7,000 health and beauty providers. “We have teamed up with L’Oréal and developed a white-labeled solution named SAL(ON),” states Ribeiro, who launched the platform alongside Karly Alves and Shakil Satar. The startup, boasting over 250,000 users in Portugal, Brazil, and Spain, has secured a €5 million ($5.5 million) seed funding round led by Lince Capital. sheerme.com

Sqill

Sqill is a mobile video editing tool driven by AI, designed for social media brands. “Afonso Coimbra, cofounder and CEO of Sqill, states, ‘With our social media suite and just one click, anyone can produce superior content compared to a social media expert.’” The platform employs AI for various functions, including suggesting what to share or automatically generating subtitles. Established in 2021 by Coimbra, Rui Ascenso, and André Perdigão, the startup has secured €2 million ($2.2 million) in funding from GED Ventures. Its clients include L’Oréal, the online platform Worten, and the Portuguese football team FC Porto, as well as in Portugal, Spain, Brazil, and the US. sqill.so

Ubbu

Over 300,000 students across over 20 nations have utilized the online learning platform Ubbu to acquire coding and digital skills. “Our platform is designed for the typical teacher, including those without coding knowledge, who represent about 90 percent,” states João Magalhães, CEO and founder of Ubbu. “It’s available to all since we aim to lower the obstacles to entering the tech industry.” Targeted at kids aged 6 to 12, the platform is offered in four languages and features Ubbox, a tool that enables project creation using a block-based programming language. A study conducted by Universidade Nova Lisboa discovered that Ubbu students were able to enhance their math scores by as much as 17 percent in comparison to a control group. Ubbu.io

Paynest

Established in 2022 by Nuno Pereira, Paynest serves as a platform for businesses to oversee their employees’ financial matters. “Our goal is to assist businesses in meeting the financial needs of their employees globally, while enabling them to achieve better control over their finances,” says Pereira. Highlights consist of streamlined expense tracking, early salary and bonus availability, financial guidance, and availability of financial education resources. Paynest is now utilized by over 30,000 employees across more than 50 companies in Portugal, Greece, and France. It has additionally secured a total of €3 million ($3.3 million) from backers like Lince Capital and Bluecrow Capital. paynest.co