Continuity gives us the certainty and confidence that we continue to do our job well. Being named to the Financial Times’ list of Europe’s Leading Start-up Hubs, in partnership with Statista and Sifted, for the third consecutive year is an absolute privilege and an honor that always fills us with joy and a sense of accomplishment.
Knowing that our Founders, Entrepreneurs, Teams, Partners, and so many other Organizations and Companies give us this credit and continue to trust us is a huge validation and motivation to keep going. The process and methodology are extensive, involving several steps and stakeholders. From extensive surveys of alumni from the programs promoted by the Hubs, to evaluations by external experts, whether Investors, Academics, or Entrepreneurs, and culminating in assessments based on performance criteria such as the quality of mentoring, networking, growth support, or startup survival rates, making the list is never a given, and as time goes on, the standards continue to rise.
Proof of this is that, of all the Hubs recognized in the first edition in 2024, only 15 survived the last two, and only 2 remain on the Portugal list. It is with great satisfaction that we can say we are one of them.
We have remained on the list since 2024, and while we recognize that we are part of an increasingly competitive Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, one to which new Hubs, Ideas, Projects, and People are added daily, we understand the power and value that Sustainability brings. We remain proud of our role as a European and Portuguese leader in the Social Impact Innovation Ecosystem.
The Financial Times ranking itself has undergone changes, and the initial 125 featured Hubs have now grown to 180 Organizations of various kinds, spread across European countries. Despite this, our Ecosystem is growing, and even though only 4 of the 180 organizations are categorized as “Social Impact,” we are reaching more people and places and gaining ground in a world still so dominated by “Technology” and “Fintech.”
Over the course of three years, our presence on the list of Europe’s Leading Start-up Hubs underwent a transformation that demonstrated how we strategically positioned ourselves: while in 2024 we were recognized as an Impact Hub, albeit without a formal category, in 2025 the “Sustainability” category presented us as having an undeniable connection to Social and Environmental impact. Today, in 2026, we are explicitly identified by our core: “Social Impact.”
This ongoing recognition is a clear tribute to Casa do Impacto as a modern vehicle for fulfilling the social mission of Santa Casa da Misericórdia, and it proves that a century-old institution like this can reinvent itself and continue creating new opportunities to make an Impact on society. Eight years on, this strategic move remains relevant and continues to gain credibility and authority not only in Lisbon but also throughout Portugal and Europe. Nuno Comando, Director of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Social Economy and of Casa do Impacto, believes this is the path forward: “Being on the Financial Times’ list of Europe’s Leading Start-up Hubs for the third time validates our work and acknowledges its stability, maturity, and our ability to remain relevant in the face of growing competition in the sector and constant socioeconomic transformations. It is also a recognition of SCML as an innovative institution that combines five centuries of social mission with leadership in Impact-oriented Innovation.”
