Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) has just been recognised as the most entrepreneurial university in the country by Portugal's Ranking of Entrepreneurial Universities'24, released today at the Web Summit.
This achievement reflects the strong growth in alumni founders of start-ups, with a total of 409 entrepreneurs having graduated from UCP - an increase of 55 per cent compared to 2023, which places UCP at the top of this national ranking.
Created by Startup Portugal in 2022, Portugal's Ranking of Entrepreneurial Universities annually evaluates Portuguese universities based on the number of alumni who found start-ups and their impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The ranking is based on data from Startup Portugal's Ecosystem Mapping Platform, in partnership with Dealroom, and includes criteria such as the number of start-ups founded, the volume of funding raised and the creation of unicorns.
This ranking recognises and highlights the growing role of universities in promoting entrepreneurship in Portugal, encouraging the inclusion of innovative projects in academic programmes and positioning UCP as a leader in training entrepreneurs.
For Isabel Capeloa Gil, Rector of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, ‘This distinction is a reflection of Católica's commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. We are proud to see our alumni driving transformation and progress through their entrepreneurial projects, contributing to a vibrant ecosystem of start-ups in Portugal.’
The ranking presentation ceremony took place today, 13 November, at Startup Portugal's stand at the Web Summit, where Rector Isabel Capeloa Gil received the trophy for the country's Most Entrepreneurial University on behalf of Universidade Católica Portuguesa.
Startup Portugal is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship in Portugal, collaborating with the government in implementing the National Strategy for Entrepreneurship and supporting the growth of the national start-up ecosystem.