Scaling Up Program
Launched in Jan 2023, the Scaling Up Program is the first Portuguese acceleration program designed for growth-stage startups, shaped by international best practices and supported by strategic partnerships.
Some achievements so far
48 scaleups
336ME funding
+1657 employees
(1072 in Portugal)
6 EDITIONS
67% of the scaleups have HQ in Portugal
25% are female founders
+140 C-level mentors from unicorns, scaleups, large companies and venture capital investors
+100 investment and corporate partners
Our scaleups testimonials
“Being part of the first cohort of the Scaling Up program has been immensely beneficial for Sensei, as it has provided us with invaluable resources and guidance necessary for accelerating growth and achieving success in a highly competitive international market."
Scaleup, Cohort 1
Joana Rafael
Co-Founder & COO of Sensei
“This program has greatly exceeded our expectations. It has been tailored to the world of scale-ups, which is no simple task, and many programs fail in this regard. The biggest takeaways for us, besides, of course, the great community, were the coaching sessions on scaling our team and fundraising."
Scaleup, Cohort 2
Marco Carvalho
Founder & CEO of proGrow
“Since launching Rauva in April 2023 and partnering with Unicorn Factory, we've seen explosive growth. …. The expertise and support from Unicorn Factory have been instrumental to our accelerated success, setting Rauva firmly on the trajectory to achieving unicorn status."
Scaleup, Cohort 3
Jon Fath
Co-Founder & CEO of Rauva
Scale up Criteria
- Post-seed to series A startups
- Strong team in place
- Product market fit
- Generating revenue
- Clear growth trajectory
- Expanding internationally
Program Structure
The Scaling Up is an 8-month acceleration program that aims to support scaleups in their journey towards growth.
Program Pillars
What to expect
- Structured into 8 modules strategically designed to address the top challenges startup founders and their senior teams face when scaling the company.
Methodology
- Group sessions and one-to-one meetings guided by world-class growth experts from unicorns, scaleups, big corporates and venture capitals.
Modules
➔ Leadership, Culture & Hiring for High Growth: Features group and one-to-one sessions with Steve Cadigan, the first Chief HR Officer of LinkedIn.
➔ Fundraising Bootcamp: hands-on capacity-building program centred around Series A and post-Series A, facilitated by an investor and former entrepreneur.
➔ Hyper Growth Sales Showcases insights from senior founders and executives of late-stage scaleups and unicorns.
Other modules
→ International Expansion & Strategy
→ Product Development & Generative AI
→ Financial Runway & Due Diligence
→ Burnout Avoidance
What to expect
- Scaleup mentoring by 3 dedicated experts, carefully selected through a match-making process, based on your needs and focused on the growth stage;
- Ongoing structured support with regular meetings every 2 months, a safe space for personalized, impartial and confidential advice, while creating sprints to accelerate strategy evolution and fostering growth;
- Access to our mentor network which includes a portfolio of 140+ mentors for support on specific and timely issues.
Our mentors include
- Ex-founders that scaled up their ventures and/or accomplished successful exits;
- C-level executives with an array of functions comprising CEOs, CDOs, COOs, Head of Digital, Head of Innovation and others;
- Industry experts from different verticals, geographies and backgrounds.
What to expect
- Possibility of presenting the value proposition to large corporate companies operating in Portugal;
- Access to potential partners, customers, investors and successful leaders;
- Structured and constructive support with impartial feedback for fine tuning the business model.
Our corporate partners include
- Global big tech companies;
- Market leaders in Portugal also operating in other geographies;
- Corporates from a broad range of industries with a strong focus on innovation.
What to expect
- Upskilling Session focused on International Expansion & Strategy with scaleup founders and experts
- Local programs to land in a certain geography
- Access to international summits
- Access to international events
- Introduce to local ecosystem players such as startups, VCs, incubators, hubs and corporates
What to expect
- Connect with program peers while integrating Unicorn Factory Lisboa’s vibrant community, comprised of alumni and founders of other scaleups and unicorns who have been through it all;
- Join Unicorn Factory Lisboa’s diverse array of events, a great networking opportunity for you to grow your connections;
- Reach out, learn and get invaluable advice from other founders and the community as a whole.
Our events include
- Talks, fireside chats, meetings on relevant themes;
- Speakers, mentors, experts, founders and thought leaders;
- Networking and social events.
At a glance
Duration
8 months
Cohort
Target
Post-seed scaleups, Strong team in place, Product/Service market fit, Clear growth trajectory, Expanding internationally
Format
Face-to-face and Remote
English
Applications
On-going applications
3 Cohorts per year
Applications are ongoing and reviewed every 4 months to select a new cohort of 8 scaleups.
Applications are open all year round
Our scaleups
Cohort 1
Cohort 2
Cohort 3
Cohort 4
Cohort 5
Cohort 6
Our Strategic Partners
