Starting a startup can seem daunting, however, if you wish to start your startup in Lisbon, there’s no reason as to why you should feel demotivated. Lisbon has nothing but a big number of advantages that will make you sure that one of the places that Lisbon has to offer is the best solution for you. Despite Lisbon being widely known as a touristic destination, your startup doesn’t have to be related with tourism. In fact, it’s a very good place to build your business as it presents many good options, related to tourism or not.
If you aren’t Portuguese and fear that it won’t be possible to build a startup in a country whose people speak a language in which you’re not fluent, please know that this is not true. Due to the always growing number of investors coming to Portugal, Lisbon has become a multilingual city when it comes to businesses. You should still learn Portuguese, but you can do this at your own pace since many technical terms in the business field can be found in English.
In order to make this process easier, we’ve created a list with the best five places in Lisbon to build a startup.
Heden
The first one is Heden which is an abbreviation for “Hidden Eden”, and it’s a space in which an environment of inspiration, comfort, sustainability and inclusion prevails. Like the name suggests, it’s a safe space for everyone who wishes to turn their ideas into something real. Currently they own two spaces, one in Chiado and another in Graça and are planning on opening a third one in Santa Apolonia.
Avila Spaces
Avila Spaces are similar to Heden in the sense that they also want their spaces to have a relaxed and comforting environment that make it seem like you’re at home. It even has the advantage of having an app called “MyOffice.” that works as a virtual office space. They are located in Avenida da República which means that they are still in the centre of the city but not quite in the most touristic area which adds to a quiet environment.
Second Home
This is a more vastly established place as it already has several locations open in Europe. In Lisbon, it’s located in the Cais do Sodré area, in the Time Out Market Building to be more precise. This is another place that values sustainability and thus it’s an open space, full of light and a massive number of plants and flower.
Cowork Central
If you’re looking for a place with a more creative environment, Cowork Central might be the place for you. They describe themselves as “the hub for creative, independent minds in the heart of Lisbon.”
LACS
This is the last space we have to show but it is equally good. This is another space that focuses on a sense of community and creativity. It’s important for them to create an environment that facilitates networking between entrepreneurs. They have two spaces open but only one is located in Lisbon. It can be found in the Arroios neighbourhood, which, in spite of being a very busy area, it’s also an area of diversity that gives place for creativity.
All these spaces present great conditions to serve as incubators for your projects. They provide an environment that is peaceful and are full of equipment that can help you to take the first steps on your new project. At these spaces you will also have the opportunity to network with other people (Portuguese or not) who are creating their own projects or building their own startups and can give you some piece of advice and insights to boost your project forward. We hope that, with this list of the top 5 spaces in Lisbon to build a startup is going to help you to make the best decision just for you. As you can see, every space is different and presents their unique features. So, it probably won’t be hard to choose which one is the best for you. We also hope that you rest assured knowing that Lisbon is a city that will harbour and welcome your projects without any reservations.
