Startup Portugal CEO identifies deep tech as key to economic growth

Miguel d’Aguiar, CEO of Startup Portugal, identifies deep tech—the intersection of science and technology—as a primary driver for future global leadership and national economic growth. He notes that while the previous decade focused on increasing the total number of startups, the current priority is helping the existing 5,000 Portuguese startups scale up.

D’Aguiar highlights sectors such as health, wellness, and defense as areas with significant potential. He attributes this opportunity to Portugal’s strong engineering universities and a shift in student interest toward specialized fields like aerospace engineering. To increase international visibility, Startup Portugal is seeking global partnerships, including initiatives in Silicon Valley, to support the growth of Portuguese companies.