Startup Portugal, the organisation with responsible for promoting the Portuguese entrepreneurial ecosystem, announces today the data from the report “Portugal’s Startup Ecosystem 2025: From Growth to Consolidation”, developed by Startup Portugal in collaboration with Informa D&B. The study reveals that Portugal has achieved the PRR’s objective, surpassing 5,000 active startups nationwide, and that the national ecosystem has entered a new phase of consolidation and maturity.
According to the data presented, the number of active startups increased by 8% compared to 2024, accompanied by a positive evolution in practically all economic indicators. The total turnover of the sector reached 2,856 million euros (+9%), with startups employing around 28,000 people (+8%) and generating 1.5% of national exports, worth 1,571 million euros.
“These results confirm that Portugal is on the right track. The country has surpassed 5,000 startups, achieving the goal set out in the PRR and reinforcing the importance of this ecosystem for the national economy. This growth is a sign of the confidence that entrepreneurs, investors and international partners have in Portugal. We will continue to work with Startup Portugal and the entire ecosystem to ensure that this dynamism reflects greater scale, innovation and qualified employment”, says João Rui Ferreira, Secretary of State for the Economy.
The monthly average salary in these companies has risen to €2,200, which represents an 81% positive difference compared to the national average, reinforcing the role of startups in creating qualified jobs and valuing talent.
“The Portuguese startup ecosystem has reached an important milestone. We have now entered a consolidation phase, where the focus should be on quality, scale and impact”, says Alexandre Santos, President of Startup Portugal.
“Startups are a structural component of the Portuguese economy: they create qualified jobs, export innovation and attract talent from all over the world”, he adds.
The report also indicates that around 70% of startups were created in the last five years, confirming the vitality and capacity for renewal of the ecosystem.
In 2025, Startup Portugal will also launch the National Startup Ecosystem Mapping Platform, which will bring together, for the first time, data on startups, incubators, investors and public entities in one place. This will be a data-driven public policy tool that will promote transparency, continuous monitoring and better decision-making.
According to Teresa Cardoso de Menezes, Managing Director at Informa D&B, “Startups represent an important part of the technological engine of the modern economy; analysing their trajectory shows their ability to transform agility and innovation into value and sustainable growth, together with other actors in the ecosystem.”
The report also shows that Portugal maintains or improves its position in most international rankings, including the Global Innovation Index, the StartupBlink Global Ecosystem Index and the EU Startup Nations Standards, thus reinforcing the country’s reputation as a competitive, stable and attractive ecosystem.
