Discover the journey of Joana Diogo, project coordinator at 351 Startups who also participated as an attendee in the last edition of the Techstars Startup Weekend Albufeira!
The Beginning of my Organizer Journey
When I first joined 351 Portuguese Startup Association, I came on board to support the Techstars Startup Weekend in Porto. I had no idea then that it would be the start of a deep, ongoing relationship with this incredible initiative. Since that first edition, I’ve stuck around, helped bring Startup Weekend to cities across the country (we’re going on five editions soon!), and fully embraced my identity as a “Startup Weekend junkie”.
Back then, I couldn’t have imagined how much this experience would shape me. Now, with the upcoming event in Évora marking our fifth edition, I can say without hesitation: being part of this journey has been nothing short of transformative.
From the start, our mission was clear: enrich communities, ignite entrepreneurial spirit across Portugal, and decentralize innovation from Lisbon and Porto (because innovation has no geography!). Every town, every region deserves the chance to build, create, and dream big. Through Startup Weekend, we’ve contributed to this shift, and I’ve been fortunate to help organize every edition brought to life by 351. Each edition was beautifully unique — not just in its mentors, judges, participants, partners, and sponsors, but also in its setting, as Portugal, despite its small size, offers remarkable diversity from one region to the next.
But organizing is just one side of the story.
Techstars Startup Weekend as a Participant
In Albufeira, I switched roles and joined as a participant. After organizing four events, I assumed I knew what to expect. Newsflash: I didn’t. You truly can’t grasp the full impact of Startup Weekend until you live it from the inside.
Over just 54 hours, you’re thrown into an intense, high-speed loop of ideation, validation, prototyping, and pitching. You arrive with an idea (or jump into someone else’s) and leave with a startup (or at least the seeds of one). It’s chaotic, inspiring, and absolutely electric.
What makes Startup Weekend so powerful isn’t just the format or the top-tier mentorship (although both are excellent); it’s the people. You show up as strangers and leave as collaborators, sometimes even co-founders. The breakneck pace forces you to let go of perfectionism and focus on action (this is coming from a perfectionist, so you can trust me on this!). You get real-time feedback from mentors, judges, and fellow participants. One conversation can completely change your direction, or your career. And often, it does.
It’s also humbling. Your assumptions, your communication style, your comfort zone — all get tested. I’ve seen participants arrive with rigid ideas of “how things should be done”, only to pivot entirely by Sunday. That’s the magic of Startup Weekend: it compresses a year’s worth of learning into one powerful weekend.
For me, participating was a reset. It gave me renewed empathy for the people I had been organizing next to. It reminded me that no matter how many times you’ve done this, there’s always more to learn, more to improve, and more to build. It also reinforced how vital communities like 351 are — not just for talking about innovation, but for actively creating spaces where it can thrive.
What Now?
Five editions in and my belief in Startup Weekend is stronger than ever. It’s more than a weekend, it’s a launchpad. Whether you’re a student, a first-time founder, or a seasoned professional testing a new idea, it’s a place to challenge yourself, find your people, and maybe even take the first step toward something life-changing.
If you’re thinking about joining one, do it. Come with curiosity, leave with purpose, and maybe a prototype! And if you get the chance to organize one, take it. You’ll learn just as much behind the scenes as you would on stage.
As we gear up for Évora, I’m filled with gratitude. To my amazing colleagues that make it all possible. To the brave participants who take the leap. And to the ever-growing startup community in Portugal that keeps pushing boundaries.
Here’s to five editions, and many more to come!
