2-min read

I am Managing Director of the Techstars Lisbon Accelerator. Previously, I was co-founder & CEO of a high-growth technology company that received $3 million in seed funding before being acquired. As a former founder, I can share the best practices and challenges that arise from growing the team from a couple of founders to 25 people, accelerating the client base from 10 pilots to 250+ paying clients in 40+ US states, or scaling a product from MVP to a client solution. Most importantly, I understand how hard it is, everyday, to overcome the challenges that arise from building something new.

01. What are the key elements you look for when sourcing startups for the Techstars Lisbon in Partnership with Semapa Next Accelerator?

Team, Team, Team. Their unique story, the reason for what they are building, and their unique strengths. After getting to know the team, I try to understand how we can add value to what they are building.

02. What are some of the biggest learnings from your career and entrepreneurial journey that you bring to being a Techstars MD?

There are no silver bullets. Process and experimentation lead to minor positive changes that in the long run create the biggest impact in the product, the customers, and the company.

03. What does our partner Semapa Next bring to the accelerator?

World class mentorship, access to distribution channels, and the potential to test technologies or pilot new products with the target segments of the startups we invest in.

Learn more about how Techstars mentors work: read the Techstars Mentor Manifesto.

04. Describe a situation with a startup founder or team where you felt like you made a difference.

I believe that 100% of the time, the founders are the ones making a difference. My most basic help is to listen when founders need (or request) to chat and then work hard—as a hard as a cofounder—to help them with their needs and asks.

05. What is your favorite thing about the Lisbon startup scene?

The blend. There is a great blend of different nationalities, cultures, academic, and professional backgrounds which are reflected across the multiple stakeholders of our community: incubators and co-working places for all kinds & sizes of teams, accelerators for different verticals, corporate companies that work with startups (and pay for it), technical and business schools, talented individuals in all sorts of areas and, of course, amazing startups from pre-seed to unicorns that started or created a strong foundation right here in Lisbon.

Learn more about Techstars accelerators and see which ones are accepting applications now.

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