“Managed directly by an Intermunicipal Community”: inside Stage One

Located in Alto Tâmega e Barroso, Stage One stands out as the first incubator in Portugal managed directly by an Intermunicipal Community. By bridging local resources with entrepreneurial ambition, it provides tailored support to early-stage projects and established companies. We spoke with Anabela Carneiro, Coordinator of Stage One, about how the incubator is shaping innovation and growth in the region.

– How did Stage One – Incubator of the Intermunicipal Community of Alto Tâmega e Barroso come about? What kind of projects do you incubate?

We often say we did things the other way around. Since 2018, the Intermunicipal Community of Alto Tâmega e Barroso (CIMAT) has been developing initiatives linked to entrepreneurship, namely through the “Empreender no Alto Tâmega e Barroso” Ideas Contest (now in its 6th edition).

When the follow-up of the projects supported through this program ended, entrepreneurs still needed our support, and we didn’t think it was right to “let go of their hand,” so we continued to accompany them unofficially.

That’s why Stage One was created in June 2023 — to formalize the work we were already doing, becoming the first incubator in Portugal managed directly by an Intermunicipal Community. The incubated projects are mostly early-stage initiatives, still under development and validating their concept, but also established companies looking for support to grow and/or rethink their business model.

– Do you have any area of specialization?

Although the incubator is open to different types of projects, being managed by an Intermunicipal Community means there are strategic areas of greater relevance to the territory. We value projects linked to nature tourism, health and wellness, agri-food, forestry, environmental sustainability, and bio-related sectors.

These areas reflect the resources, challenges, and opportunities of Alto Tâmega e Barroso, but Stage One does not limit itself to them, also welcoming other ideas as long as they have the potential to generate positive impact in the region. The return we expect is a gain for the territory, not for the institution.

– What does your incubation model look like?

Stage One offers three types of support: Pre-incubation (up to six months) — for those still validating the idea, assessing the market, and structuring the project; Virtual incubation (up to three years) — online support, access to the incubator’s network, and occasional use of physical spaces; and Physical incubation (up to three years): mentoring, access to the network, and physical workspace.

Although the headquarters are in Chaves, Stage One also extends to coworking spaces in the other municipalities that make up CIMAT – Boticas, Montalegre, Ribeira de Pena, Valpaços, and Vila Pouca de Aguiar. This allows entrepreneurs to avoid relocating to Chaves and ensures alternatives in case of lack of space.

– Failure is also part of the journey. What is the biggest lesson from something that didn’t go well?

One of the biggest lessons so far is that many projects don’t fail because of a lack of ideas, but because of difficulty in understanding the market and ensuring adequate human and financial resources. This learning process is also valuable for the incubator itself, which keeps adjusting methodologies and creating responses better suited to local needs.

– What makes your incubator stand out? In other words, what do you have that helps startups succeed?

The main differentiator of Stage One is its direct integration with CIMAT, which provides access to a multidisciplinary team and to various entities in its strategic council, such as AQUAVALOR – Water Technology CoLAB, IPB, UTAD, IEFP, ADRAT, business associations, and the six municipalities of Alto Tâmega e Barroso.

At Stage One, we also make sure to monitor projects regularly, proposing biweekly meetings with entrepreneurs.

This proximity allows projects to align with regional development strategies and to gain easier access to local support, infrastructure, and partnerships. The incubator creates a support ecosystem that values the territory and strengthens the links between entrepreneurs and institutions (academia, government, and industry). In short, it is an incubator made for and with the region.

– What kind of projects or startups are you looking for right now?

Stage One is mainly looking for projects that bring innovative solutions to the challenges of the territory, from products and services related to sustainable tourism, agri-food, and forestry, to tech-based ideas that promote the digitalization of local businesses. We are open to both entrepreneurs at the idea stage and startups that want to consolidate and grow from Alto Tâmega e Barroso.

– What are the main challenges of incubation in your specific context?

The territory offers quality of life and unique resources to test innovative solutions in real contexts. The challenge is to turn these advantages into clear arguments to attract and retain entrepreneurs, as well as to ensure funding for early-stage startups. The lack of support for the actual creation of new businesses, and the eligibility criteria of some of these supports, has been the main challenge in assisting our incubatees.

– Is there any news, event, or initiative you’d like to share with us?

This September we are launching the acceleration program of the 6th edition of the “Empreender no Alto Tâmega e Barroso” Ideas Contest, where 9 projects were selected for follow-up.

Also coming soon is the public presentation of the ACTIVE project – Impact Entrepreneurship Centers in Alto Tâmega e Barroso, an initiative promoted by Fundação AEP, with CIMAT as social investor, financed through Portugal 2030, where Stage One will incubate the projects supported under this initiative.

ABOUT #INCUBXDISCOVERIES

#IncubXdiscoveries is Startup Portugal’s monthly feature that will help you discover Portuguese incubators. What projects they incubate, how they manage their community and what success stories they’ve had and future projects are some of the topics covered in these interviews.

If you’d like to find out more about Stage One, either because you’d like to see your project incubated in this region or because you’d like to establish a partnership, contact the Startup Portugal team at incubadoras@startupportugal.com.