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There are dozens of innovation events in Europe every year. Summits, expos, pitch competitions, matchmaking days. So when corporate innovation leads, startup founders, and investors keep clearing their calendars for The Impact Circle, it’s worth asking: what is it about this one?

Most countries treat their innovation policy and their tax policy as separate conversations. Portugal just stapled them together. On 1 January 2024, the old Non-Habitual Resident regime was replaced by the Incentivo Fiscal à Investigação Científica e Inovação (IFICI), a personal income tax incentive that only pays out if you are actually working in research, technology, or a certified startup.

Most corporate innovation programs don’t fail at execution; they fail at the question. A corporate launches a startup challenge, scouts hundreds of companies, and runs a glossy demo day. Twelve months later: no pilot, no business impact, and an innovation team struggling to justify next year’s budget. The startups were good. The technology was real. The problem? The challenge itself was never properly defined.

2,000+ attendees. 130+ speakers. 2 days. 1 clear message: Europe is getting serious about scale. The fifth edition of the EIC Summit wrapped up earlier this June in Brussels, and for anyone leading innovation at a corporate, here’s what caught our attention, and why it matters for you.  

Dealflow.eu opens its corporate-startup matchmaking platform, giving multinationals direct access to Europe’s most innovative deep-tech startups.

Fundraising is tougher than ever. VCs are pulling back. Valuations are down. Startups with long development cycles and high R&D costs are feeling the squeeze. But while traditional funding channels dry up, a powerful—and often overlooked—opportunity is emerging in Europe: Portugal.

Fundraising is tougher than ever. VCs are pulling back. Valuations are down. Startups with long development cycles and high R&D costs are feeling the squeeze. But while traditional funding channels dry up, a powerful—and often overlooked—opportunity is emerging in Europe: Portugal.