Roda de Negócios boosts entrepreneurship

The fifth edition of the Business Roundtable took place yesterday in Gaia, bringing new dynamism to the entrepreneurship and franchising ecosystem.

The event, organized by the Portuguese Franchising Association (APF) in partnership with IAPMEI – Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation and inovagaia, brought together entrepreneurs and well-known brands to foster new business opportunities.

With the aim of expanding beyond Lisbon and connecting franchisors with potential entrepreneurs in other regions, the Business Roundtable 25 brought 18 franchised brands to Gaia, namely: FT30, Zome, Nata Lisboa, House Comfort, Branquia, Fitness Factory, Aqui a tua Remodelação, Portugália, House Shine, Doutor Finanças, Century 21, Melom Obras/Querido Mudei a Casa, UNU real estate network, Action Coach, Vangor, Viva Fit, and Urban Obras.

During the event, each brand had the opportunity to present itself and meet potential franchisees, promoting an environment conducive to the creation of new partnerships.

Another highlight was the participation of Sandra Melo Alvim, coordinator of the entrepreneurship and financing department at IAPMEI, who presented details about the new edition of the Startup Voucher. This program, to be launched in the coming weeks, targets young graduates up to 29 years old residing in the NUTS II Norte, Centro, or Alentejo regions, who have idea-phase projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices.

With funding of up to €20,000 per project, the Startup Voucher aims to support 300 young people and boost around 150 new projects, promoting innovation and sustainable growth.

With this edition, the Business Roundtable reinforced its role as a key event for energizing entrepreneurship and franchising in Portugal, encouraging brand expansion and creating new opportunities for local entrepreneurs.