There are those that arise suddenly and fall into the lap of those who are in the right place at the right time. There are those in which the planets align and the chaotic but perfect union of independent forces pushing in the same direction.Today, we talk about opportunities that arrive when they have to, that are slow to arrive, that are difficult because they are only for a few, the ones who resist. These opportunities are the ones that require hard work, heroic proofs of courage, blood, sweat, and tears. They are the ones guided by the sovereign jury that accompanies generations and resists the sign of the times, the supreme guarantor of quality and resistance, measured by the Impact it causes: time.

These are the opportunities that come through phone calls and emails, which are not left unanswered. They are invitations that arrive from the European Commission Representation in Portugal, thoughtful, conscious, and confident that, on the other side, there are Entrepreneurs and Projects that have reached that place.

They are Leaders who do important work with local Communities, focusing on Integration, Empowerment, and Training of various audiences. They are focused Entrepreneurs, with Purpose, who make a real difference in their spheres of action.

Allow us to introduce them:

• > Ana Martins, Founder of MELLA Supply: Presents itself as a platform for accessing the Portuguese-speaking world. Data-driven and people-centered, Mella Supply maps, verifies, and connects Founders, Professionals, and Companies to give visibility to black and Portuguese-speaking businesses in Portugal, Africa, Brazil, and the diaspora, a segment that represents millions of people in economic activity. They have already verified more than 50 businesses in nine cities and promise to continue turning invisible companies into opportunities, promoting Economic Inclusion and Diversity in the market.

• > Daniela Sanabria, Founder and Impact Director of Equivalence: They have developed a platform dedicated to supporting “Equivalent Profile”, they are able to transfer life and professional experiences to new national contexts, facilitating access to employment and promoting fairer and more effective integration.

• > Inês Freire de Andrade, Founder and Coordinator – No Bully Portugal: Over the last nine years, the Association has been dedicated to combating bullying and Cyberbullying, fostering empathy and inclusion within schools and communities. They have already impacted more than 15,000 participants and 64 institutions, and are now a national reference in promoting safer, more inclusive educational environments.

• > Tiago Fortuna, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Access Lab: Focusing on Accessibility for people with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, and the deaf community in culture, education, sports, and the business world, Access Lab has held more than 650 accessible events, trained 7,500 professionals, and directly impacted more than 8,000 people. The Social Impact Startup works to promote Inclusion and make society more representative.

The visit was brief, but its value was immeasurable. These four Community Leaders had the opportunity to learn firsthand about the work carried out by the European Commission in Brussels and about what guides the European Commission Representation in Portugal.

In addition to participating in several sessions dedicated to key European Union issues, they also had the opportunity to actively participate in discussions on the Impact of the EU on citizens’ lives, European political solidarity on migration and asylum, the European Union’s enlargement policy, and opportunities designed for young people, such as the Erasmus+ Program and the European Solidarity Corps.

Tiago Fortuna recognizes the importance of getting to know European structures up close and creating networks that support Community Leaders: “It was important for Access Lab to participate in the Community Leaders’ visit to the European Commission alongside other Entrepreneurs who are working to change the Social Impact Ecosystem in Portugal. In times of great change and many threats, meeting people like this and getting to know the European Project up close is relevant and alerts us to the importance of creating increasingly solid networks that can be strengthened by this union.”

The richness of the experience also stemmed from the group’s heterogeneity and diversity. The different voices that were heard originate from a common ground, but vary in their action plans and the challenges they seek to address, as Daniela Sanabria believes: “The value of this initiative lies in the diversity of the group and the direct link with the European Commission. For me, these spaces for dialogue bring local realities closer to strategic decisions and are essential for contributing to public policies designed with representativeness and greater real impact.”

This visit was about meetings. Meetings between Entrepreneurs who make an Impact on their way of life and who use their combined strength to transform society; and between Institutions seeking solutions on the ground, a ground that no one knows better than those who work there daily and are in contact with vulnerable communities. By bringing local realities closer to the places where real strategic decisions are made, space is created for the democratization of solutions and the adaptation of models to different areas and territories: “Being at the European Commission with Leaders and Activists from different Communities reinforced my belief that change comes from unity. Even in the face of forces that seek to divide us, we emerge stronger, more connected, and more committed to building a Europe—and a world—that is fairer for all people.” – Inês Freire de Andrade.

To achieve this, innovative Projects with scalability potential and their hearts in the right place need to be given a platform. We need to make room to listen to those who do the fieldwork, who are with the people, who wear the jersey. The European Commission Representation in Portugal knows this and took our four Entrepreneurs to Brussels. Who knows where they will fly next with this Partnership that did not just fall into their laps, but was a well-deserved opportunity that they seized with all the merit they deserve.