Gaia made its mark at the SIM Conference
Porto’s Alfândega venue became the European hub for innovation and entrepreneurship during the SIM Conference (Startups & Investment Matching). Amidst a massive event, with over 4,000 participants, 450 startups, 270 investors and 40 partners, INOVAGAIA and the Municipality of Gaia were not just another name on the list. They made a disruptive, energetic and impossible-to-ignore impression.
A Stand That Came to Life (Sticker by Sticker) The main attraction was our incubator’s stand, which was transformed into a true collaborative work of art. Thanks to the participation of visitors, 4,000 stickers were applied which, over the course of the event, formed a visual and dynamic replica of our co-working space, bootcamps and acceleration programmes. This creative activation served as the perfect showcase for Gaia’s talent, attracting dozens of strategic partners fascinated by the energy of our region. Gaia’s talent on stage Gaia’s ecosystem made itself heard (and seen) on all fronts of the conference: Startup Showcase: Six of our incubatees – Compy, Visual Thinking, Pocket Theatre, Azure Photon, Factor AI and Simplifyer – shone in the event’s official showcase. High-Impact Pitch: Our very own Isabel Carapeta, from Simplifyer, took to the stage to raise the bar with a top-class pitch in the competitive session dedicated to the Fintech sector. The Final Verdict? More than just a participation, the SIM Conference was unequivocal proof of the dynamism, audacity and unstoppable strength of Vila Nova de Gaia’s tech ecosystem on the national and international stage. The future is here! And as the ecosystem never stops, the focus is already on the next chapter. See you next year, on 8 and 9 May, back at Alfândega do Porto! Are you coming?