Caixa Capital, the venture capital arm of Caixa Geral de Depósitos, has reserved €1 million for a potential investment in startups participating in Startup World Cup Portugal 2026.
The investment may be made in one or two startups selected from the group of 50 pre-selected companies participating in the competition, according to a media statement shared by the Startup World Cup Portugal team.
The chosen startups do not necessarily need to be among the 10 finalists of the event. The national final is scheduled to take place on June 17 and 18 at Unicorn Factory Lisbon, which is co-organizing the Portuguese edition of the competition.
The organizers say it is the first time that a national stage within the global Startup World Cup ecosystem, which spans more than 70 countries, includes a dedicated investment allocation for local participants.
In parallel with the potential investment from Caixa Capital, the winning Portuguese startup will represent the country at the global Startup World Cup grand finale in San Francisco in November.
At the event, startups will compete for a direct investment prize of $1 million awarded by Pegasus Tech Ventures, a global venture capital firm headquartered in Silicon Valley.
According to the statement, Caixa Capital will make the investment decision independently, based on its own strategic criteria. Any investment will remain subject to due diligence and final agreement between the parties.
“By supporting Startup World Cup Portugal, we want to reinforce our role as a capital partner in terms of the growth of startups with global ambitions,” said João Marques, executive board member at Caixa Capital.
He added that the potential investment reflects Caixa Capital’s confidence in the ability of entrepreneurial teams in Portugal to develop competitive solutions, scale internationally, and generate economic impact.
Sónia Magalhães, executive director of Startup World Cup Portugal, noted that Caixa Capital’s participation strengthens Portugal’s position as an increasingly relevant hub within the global innovation ecosystem.
She added that the partnership creates additional opportunities for startups by connecting talent, investment, and market access.
Applications for Portuguese startups interested in participating in the 2026 edition are currently open.
Read more: Startup World Cup Portugal: Applications open for $1M global prize
Featured image: Photo courtesy of Startup World Cup Portugal
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