Startup Genome Launches the Lisboa Startup Ecosystem Report 2025 at Web Summit Lisbon
In collaboration with Lisbon City Council, Startup Genome launched the Lisboa Startup Ecosystem Report 2025 at Web Summit, highlighting the city’s rise into the Top 30, strong funding, and growing scaleups driving global startup momentum.
Startup Genome unveiled the Lisboa Startup Ecosystem Report 2025 live at Web Summit Lisbon, where Managing Director Samantha Evans presented new findings on the city’s trajectory and participated in a conversation with leaders from Lisboa City Council about the ecosystem’s next phase of growth. The launch marks a key moment in the collaboration between Startup Genome and the municipality, offering a data-driven look at how Lisboa is positioning itself on the global stage.
A Clear Picture of Lisboa’s Global Rise
During the session, Samantha highlighted several developments reflected in this year’s report, including Lisboa’s advancement into the Top 30 Emerging Global Startup Ecosystems. This progress is supported by gains across Startup Genome’s core ranking dimensions — Performance, Funding, Talent & Experience, Market Reach, and Knowledge — as well as the ecosystem’s shift into the Early-Globalization phase of development.
This stage is characterized by startups expanding internationally, accessing global capital, and strengthening cross-border networks. Startup Genome Founder and President, Marc Penzel, emphasized the city’s momentum: “Lisboa’s entrepreneurial energy is vibrant — a city combining creativity, community spirit, and global ambition. This report offers a data-driven understanding of Lisboa’s startup ecosystem; benchmarking it against leading European peers, examining its evolution over time, and identifying future opportunities for growth.”
Key Signals of Maturity
The latest data points to several defining achievements:
- 13% Ecosystem Value growth since 2022, countering global declines
- A rebound in Series A funding in 2024, rising from $23 million to $38 million
- $579 million in late-stage investment in 2025, led by Tekever’s Series C round
- The presence of five active unicorns and a billion-dollar exit in 2024, demonstrating growing scaleup strength
These milestones underscore Lisboa’s increasing capacity to support startups as they progress from early-stage validation to global expansion.
Talent, Community, and Collaboration as Core Advantages
The report shows that Lisboa’s talent base, supported by its universities and international community, remains a central driver of its growth. The city continues to attract inbound activity from global firms while cultivating a strong local pipeline.
Reflecting the municipality’s vision, Margarida Figueiredo, General Director for Economy and Innovation at Lisbon City Council noted: “Our ambition is to make Lisboa a city where innovation serves people, where creativity meets purpose, and growth goes hand in hand with inclusion… What truly defines our ecosystem is the culture of collaboration that connects entrepreneurs, researchers, and citizens around shared challenges.”
Looking Ahead
In the Web Summit conversation, Samantha discussed what comes next for Lisboa: accelerating early-stage capital, strengthening university–industry collaboration, and deepening global connectivity. These priorities will help ensure the ecosystem continues to scale companies capable of competing worldwide.
Explore the full report
Building on the insights above, the Lisboa Startup Ecosystem Report 2025 provides a comprehensive analysis of the city’s performance, investment landscape, and sector strengths, including its increasing leadership in AI and Big Data.
Discover the full findings on the Lisboa Innovation website and see how the city’s collaborative ecosystem is shaping global impact.
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