NOVA START-UP Competition 2026

Who Can Apply?

If you’re part of the NOVA innovation ecosystem, this opportunity is for you. Projects with a stronger connection to NOVA will be viewed favourably during the evaluation process.

General Eligibility

To apply, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• NOVA Community – Current students (at any academic level or field), researchers, faculty members or professional staff.
• NOVA Alumni – Graduates who completed their degree at NOVA within the last five years.
• NOVA Start-ups & Spin-offs – Companies incubated at Madan Parque or the Haddad Entrepreneurship Center.
• Individual Founders – Solo entrepreneurs with a clear and demonstrable connection to the NOVA ecosystem.

Your Project Must

Your application should present a project that:

• Is original and does not infringe any third-party intellectual property or legal rights.
• Demonstrates clear innovation.
• Solves a well-defined market need or problem.
• Has a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) already developed.
• Is investment-ready or expected to reach investment readiness within the next 12 months.
• Ideally contributes to one or more of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (recommended but not mandatory).

Additional Requirements for StageTwo

To compete in StageTwo, your project must also meet the following criteria:

• Have raised no more than €500,000 in equity investment.
• Have received no more than €1,500,000 in grant funding.

Additional Requirements for UniVerse

To compete in UniVerse, your company must:

• Have been incorporated less than three years before the competition date.
• Be officially recognised as a start-up by the participating Higher Education Institution.
• Have received no investment rounds, or only one early-stage funding round, with total funding not exceeding €250,000 (including venture capital, grants and/or prize funding).

Ready to Apply?

If you meet the eligibility criteria and have an innovative, investment-ready solution, we encourage you to submit your application and become part of NOVA’s next generation of entrepreneurs.

For complete eligibility criteria, application requirements and competition rules, please consult the official Regulations here.

Participation is free of charge.

To complete your application, you must complete both of the following steps:

1. Complete the online application form available [here].
2. Submit your Business Plan by email to novaimpact@unl.pt.

Please note that applications will only be considered valid if both the online form and the Business Plan are submitted. Failure to complete either step will result in disqualification from the competition.

Business Plans must be submitted electronically (preferably in PDF format) to novaimpact@unl.pt no later than July 14, 2026.

The Business Plan must not exceed 15 A4 pages and should use a minimum 12 pt font with 1.5 line spacing. It must include the following sections:

• Executive Summary
• Problem / Opportunity
• Business Model
• Competitive Landscape
• Financial Plan / Investment Needs

Following the evaluation of all Business Plans, up to 10 teams will be shortlisted to advance to the Final Pitch.

Final Pitch

1. Projects will be presented in person at the Rectorate of NOVA University Lisbon on July 22, 2026, at 2:30 PM. Remote participation is not permitted.
2. Teams may use multimedia support materials (e.g., PowerPoint presentations, audio, or video).
3. Functional prototypes may be showcased during the pitch.
4. Each team will have 3 minutes to present, followed by 5 minutes of Q&A with the jury.

The jury’s decision will be announced at the end of the Final Pitch event and is final and binding.

The winning team will represent NOVA University Lisbon at StageTwo 2026 in Berlin, taking place on 22–23 October 2026, including participation in all pre-event activities.

This opportunity includes:

• Pitching to leading European venture capital investors;
• Networking with more than 40 universities and over 70 venture capital firms from 20+ countries;
• Participating in coaching and legal preparation sessions in September 2026;
• Gaining international exposure, media visibility, and access to investor deal flow.

To support participation, the selected team will receive up to €1,500 to help cover travel, accommodation, and subsistence expenses related to StageTwo 2026.

If eligible, the winning team shall also represent NOVA at the 2026 edition of UniVerse, to be held in Lisbon on the 10th of November 2026. If the winning team does not meet the UniVerse eligibility criteria, the highest-ranked eligible startup shall be selected to represent NOVA instead.

Key Dates:

• Registration & Business Plan/Pitch Deck Submission Deadline: 14 July 2026 (by 11:59 PM)
• Announcement of Selected Teams: 17 July 2026
• Final Pitch: 22 July 2026 | 2:30–5:00 PM
  Venue: Rectorate, NOVA University Lisbon

For further information, please contact us at novaimpact@unl.pt, indicating NovaStartupCompetition2026 in the subject line of your email.