Entrepreneurs with startup ideas can now apply to BUILD WITH… STUDIOS.pt, a new initiative that connects founders with venture studios that work alongside them as operational co-founders to help build, launch, and scale new companies.
Applications are open until July 24.
Participating venture studios include Build Up Labs, CRON STUDIO, Dengun, Here Partners, LX Launch, Phira Ventures, Driven Venture Builders, and Untile.
The initiative is developed by STUDIOS.pt, a recently created association working to professionalize Portugal’s venture studio industry.
Rather than offering a traditional accelerator or incubation program, BUILD WITH… STUDIOS.pt is designed to match founders with venture studios that actively participate in company creation.
Founders bring the idea, market insight, and domain expertise, while studios support product development, validation, go-to-market execution, fundraising, and company building.
“The program connects great founders with existing venture studios to become co-founders and build new ventures together,” Rui Gouveia, who is a founding member and president of STUDIOS.pt as well as CEO of Build Up Labs, told Portugal Startup News.
A new initiative to expand the venture studio model
STUDIOS.pt wants to make the venture studio model a more widely recognized option for entrepreneurs, corporations, universities, and investors looking to build innovative companies through a structured process.
The association’s mission includes mapping existing venture studios, supporting the creation of new ones, and documenting their impact and success stories, something Gouveia said has been missing in Portugal.
“Our goal with this initiative is to raise awareness of the venture studio model,” he noted. “As a structured process run by operators with hands-on experience building multiple ventures, the model aims to significantly increase the success rate of new companies.”
According to the association, Portugal currently has an estimated 10 to 15 venture studios, highlighting how early the ecosystem remains.
Read also: Venture studios could reshape Portugal’s startup ecosystem, says Build Up Labs CEO
How the program works
Founders apply by submitting details about their idea, including the problem they aim to solve, market evidence, their background, availability, and what differentiates their approach. Applicants can choose one, several, or all participating venture studios.
Each studio reviews applications independently, conducts interviews and due diligence, and decides which founders it wants to work with.
If more than one studio selects the same founder, the founder makes the final choice.
What founders need to apply
Applicants do not need to have a finished product.
Instead, the program is looking for founders with a clearly defined problem, evidence of market demand, relevant domain expertise, and a differentiated angle.
Applications can be submitted by one or two founders. While full-time availability is not required, the organizers say it can increase the chances of selection, and some studios may offer financial incentives for founders who commit full-time.
According to the program, founders should expect to retain the majority of the company’s equity, with the final ownership split negotiated directly with the selected venture studio.
The organizers estimate that many projects can reach the market with an initial product and early traction in around three months, although development timelines depend on the project.
Timeline
Applications opened on June 1 and close on July 24.
From July through September, participating studios will evaluate applicants and negotiate collaboration terms with selected founders. Projects chosen through the initiative may pitch to early-stage investors during a Demo Day planned for November around Web Summit.
What is a venture studio?
According to the Venture Studio Forum, a global organization that brings together venture studio operators, investors, and ecosystem partners, venture studios differ from venture capital funds, accelerators, incubators, and other support organizations because they systematically build companies while acting as entrepreneurs, investors, and operators.
The organization attributes the model’s global growth to its structured approach to company creation and hands-on operational involvement.
Industry data indicates that venture studio startups have around a 30% higher success rate than traditional startups, with 84% reaching seed stage and 72% reaching Series A, compared with 42% in the traditional model. Average returns also differ sharply, at about 53% internal rate of return (IRR) versus 21.3%.
Founder applications for BUILD WITH… STUDIOS.pt should be submitted through the program’s portal.
Read also: STUDIOS.PT launches to advance venture studio model in Portugal
Featured image: Rui Gouveia, president of STUDIOS.pt and CEO of Build Up Labs (Photo courtesy of Rui Gouveia)
