Request for recognition of startups

Foreign companies wishing to carry out a highly qualified business activity in Portugal must be certified to do so. 

Highly qualified business activities are defined in Article 2 of Law No 21/2023, which refers to Ministerial Implementing Order No 195/2018.

Recognition of startup or scale up status can be requested online via this page.

Service channels

Procedure and requirements

Documentos and requirements

Certified status is granted to start-ups that comply with all of the following requirements:

  • have been operational for less than 10 years;
  • have fewer than 250 employees;
  • have an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million;
  • are not the result of a transformation or division of a large company and do not have a majority shareholding in a large company;
  • have a registered office or permanent representation in Portugal, or at least 25 employees in Portugal.

Start-ups and scale-ups must also comply with one of the following conditions:

  • Be a company with high growth potential and have an innovative business model, products or services. The company must comply with the terms defined under Ministerial Implementing Order No 195/2018 of 5 July, or must have been recognised as suitable by the National Innovation Agency (ANI).
  • Have completed at least one round of venture capital financing by an entity legally authorised to invest in venture capital, subject to the supervision of the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM) or an international authority affiliated with the CMVM, or through the settlement of equity or quasi-equity instruments by investors other than the company’s founding shareholders, in particular by business angels, certified by the Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (IAPMEI); 
  • Have received investment from the Portuguese Development Bank (Banco Português de Fomento) or from funds managed by it or by its subsidiary companies, or from one of its equity or quasi-equity instruments.

Scale-up status is granted to companies that – despite possibly not complying with requirements 1, 2 or 3 to obtain start-up status – comply with the other requirements and meet the conditions necessary for obtaining Tech Visa certification pursuant to Ministerial Implementing Order No 328/2018 of 19 December.

The digital document certifying the recognition of startup and scale up status is available on ePortugal and is valid for all legal purposes. 

The list of entities recognised as startups and scale ups is available on the Startup Portugal website and at dados.gov.pt.

Useful documents

Procedure

You will need to sign in using one of the following means of authentication:

Once you have your chosen means of authentication to hand, follow the steps below.

  1. Click on ‘Realizar serviço’ (‘Use service’) on this page and sign in.
  2. Fill in the form ‘Pedido de reconhecimento do estatuto de startups e scaleups’ (‘Application for recognition of start-up or scale-up status’).
  3. Attach all the necessary documents.
  4. Click on ‘Submeter’ (‘Submit’).

Time of issue/decision

Certification is granted automatically as long as the conditions are met.

How much

It is free of charge.

Validity

Recognition is valid for the period during which the applicant fulfils the conditions, and is renewable every 3 years.

Legislation, refusals, contests, claims

Legislation

Reasons for refusal

Competent Entity

Startup Portugal

Address: Rua Horta Seca, n.º 15 1294 1200-170 Lisboa

Web url: https://startupportugal.com/