A three-hour hackathon challenged students from Portugal’s top universities to build startups from scratch, showcasing Lisbon’s innovative spirit.
The Católica-Lisbon Entrepreneurship Center (CLEC), part of Católica Lisbon School of Business & Economics, the top business school in Portugal, in collaboration with JUNITEC (Instituto Superior Técnico), Europe’s #1 Junior Enterprise, and the 351 Portuguese Startup Association, the largest startup community in the country, organized an innovative hackathon at the Portugal Tech Week Palace. The event was part of Portugal Tech Week, the country’s biggest innovation festival, featuring more than 300 events across Portugal.
Over an intense three-hour sprint, students from UCP, IST, NOVA SBE, and young aspiring entrepreneurs were challenged to turn ideas into real solutions, going through a masterclass, team formation, MVP sprint, and final pitch. The experience gave participants hands-on exposure to the realities of entrepreneurship: collaboration, creativity, and rapid execution in a highly inspiring environment.
“It was incredible to see the energy in the room and the ambition driving these young entrepreneurs. Each team brought different ideas, but all shared the same determination to make things happen,” said Leonardo Sardelli, organizer and Italian student who chose Lisbon for the unique opportunities the city offers. “I came to Lisbon because it’s a city that breathes opportunity. I found people who believe in the future and are ready to build it. This event was born from that energy: the desire to learn, create, and build something with real impact.”
Three teams stood out for the innovation and impact of their ideas:
- Third place went to QuickTake, a platform that turns complex news into short, dynamic, easy-to-consume content, helping users stay informed quickly and engagingly in a TikTok-style format.
- Second place went to DriveGuard, a data-driven platform that assesses car accident risk across Portuguese cities, helping predict and prevent incidents and supporting governments in road safety and urban planning.
- First place was awarded to RooMatch.ai, an intelligent matchmaking platform that helps students find compatible roommates by combining factors such as cleaning habits and sleep schedules, and offering integrated chat and video calls to facilitate connections.
The hackathon was supported by MEO, featured a session from lecturer Filipe Pinho Pereira, and received mentorship from Miguel Faustino and José Maria Mendes. More than an academic challenge, the event provided visibility, networking, and practical tools for university talent to engage more closely with the national entrepreneurial ecosystem. “Supporting young people is an investment in tomorrow’s solutions. This experience offers practical tools and visibility to university talent,” added Sardelli.
This first collaboration between CLEC, JUNITEC, and the 351 Portuguese Startup Association marks a milestone in strengthening Lisbon’s international and collaborative spirit, reflecting the city’s dynamism as a hub of innovation and creativity. For participants, it was more than a challenge: it was a concrete first step toward becoming active contributors to society and to the future of Portuguese entrepreneurship.
