Portugal Startup News

Granter, creator of “the world’s first AI grant consultant,” will officially introduce QuickMatch – a free AI tool designed to help businesses discover relevant EU funding opportunities – at Web Summit in Lisbon, taking place from November 10 to 13.

Granter’s first product, the AI Grant Consultant, automates the full grant process – from identifying opportunities to writing, submitting, and managing applications. The platform is designed to act as an AI employee that learns from company data such as past projects, strategic goals, and financial reports. 

QuickMatch, on the other hand, is a lighter and instant version of the same technology. Described as “Europe’s first free AI agent” designed to find personalized EU grant opportunities, it helps companies – from early-stage startups to large organizations – begin their grant journey with ease. 

CEO Bernardo Seixas says the company’s goal from the start has been to democratize access to grants, as many businesses, particularly smaller ones, find it difficult to identify which opportunities are right for them. 

“QuickMatch was created to remove that initial barrier. It’s a free experience that helps companies take the first step with confidence, showing them which opportunities fit their profile and giving them a taste of what our AI agent can do,” he told Portugal Startup News. 

According to Seixas, QuickMatch was built as a separate product within Granter because it represents a specific moment in the user journey. 

“While the AI Grant Consultant acts as a full AI employee, QuickMatch offers a lighter, instant experience that can be used anytime and as often as needed,” he explained, adding that businesses can join the waitlist for the full end-to-end solution. 

Simplifying access to EU grants

The Portuguese startup highlights that across Europe, billions in grants are available each year to support digitalization, innovation, sustainability, and growth, yet bureaucracy remains a major obstacle for many businesses seeking public funding.

According to the company, traditional approaches are often slow and costly, requiring long hours to prepare and submit a single proposal, with applicants frequently facing incomplete information, unclear eligibility rules, and uncertainty about which grants are truly relevant.

Granter says QuickMatch is designed to address this issue. While this version focuses on EU grants, it reflects an agnostic underlying technology – built to operate across borders and support national, regional, and local grants in any country.

Proven track record 

Founded in 2023 by Seixas and Bernardo Tavares, Granter’s earlier model supported organizations such as Fidelidade, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Liga Portugal, and the Aga Khan Foundation through its AI Grant Consultant, assisting in more than €20 million in grant applications. The current version of Granter is an evolution of that model, with expanded features and enhanced capabilities.

Granter was a finalist for the Most Promising Startup Award at the 2025 Entrepreneurship Awards by Unicorn Factory Lisboa, an annual event recognizing impactful companies and founders in Portugal’s innovation ecosystem.

“We believe grants should be accessible to all kinds of businesses, regardless of their previous experience, their size, or stage of growth. If you’ve ever felt that the process is too slow, too complex, or just too disconnected, we’ve built this for you,” Seixas says.