During the last five years, it was possible to see the rise and growth of the Portuguese Startup Ecosystem. Innovative ideas became globally successful companies, millions have been invested in national ventures and startups have reached economic relevance capable of engaging governments. This growth demands now integrated actions to reach another level. That’s why a new movement is coming up: the Portuguese Startup Manifesto.

In 2013, Leaders Club, an independent group of founders in the field of tech entrepreneurship, launched the manifesto for entrepreneurship & innovation to power growth in the EU, drawn with the contribution of dozens of European players coming from organizations such as Rovio, Seedcamp, Spotify and The Next Web.

With a similar approach, the Portuguese Startup Manifesto wants now to create a dialogue involving the Portuguese community – entrepreneurs, startups, investors and other key stakeholders – to set a common action plan, creating a shared vision and increasing the opportunities of local startups to reach global markets. Beta-i, that’s leading the project in Portugal, will publish the document at the Startup Europe Summit in Berlin in June 2016.

According to Hugo Vaz Oliveira, from Beta-i:

Startup Europe would like all stakeholders in the ecosystem to collaborate. Much like Europe itself, this will be a joint program that aims to help all players and partners in Portugal leverage its innovative edge by facilitating the growth and consolidation of innovative companies. In essence, these shared inputs and insights will drive change, as the solution doesn’t lie in one individual or group, but in the entire Portuguese scene.

You can join the debate and give your input by using #PTstartupManifesto in your social media channels or by joining the meetups and online campaigns happening to foster the discussion.