Forbes Portugal has unveiled the Under 30 Class of 2026, its annual list recognizing young professionals for their impact across a wide range of fields.
The publication describes the selection as recognizing “young entrepreneurs, creatives, researchers, athletes, executives, and change agents who are transforming their sectors and contributing to the economic, social, and cultural development of the country.”
The 2026 edition features individuals across categories including technology, healthcare, sustainability, the arts, science and education, and retail and ecommerce.
To mark the publication of the list, Forbes Portugal will host an event on July 6 at the DUO Hotel Lisbon, bringing together members of the 2026 class, business leaders, investors, partners, and special guests.
Forbes Portugal Under 30 Class 2026
Below are the members of the Forbes Portugal Under 30 Class 2026:
1- Leonor Pereira & Vicente Mayer Garção
Leonor Pereira and Vicente Mayer Garção are co-founders of Lampsy Health, which has developed a discreet epilepsy monitoring device to provide an additional layer of safety for people living with epilepsy, their families, and their caregivers.
The system uses computer vision to detect movements associated with tonic-clonic seizures and can automatically alert emergency contacts through phone calls and real-time notifications sent via a mobile application.
2- Afonso Soares & Francisco Soares
Afonso Soares and Francisco Soares are co-founders of Ivory Therapy. Ivory Therapy is a mental health initiative designed to make therapy more accessible for individuals and those around them, while reducing stigma around mental health.
The project links clothing to care, offering one therapy session for each item purchased under its “1 piece, 1 session” model.
3- Marta Bernardino & Sebastião Mendonça
Marta Bernardino and Sebastião Mendonça are the co-founders of Trovador. Trovador is developing what it describes as the world’s “first” autonomous all-terrain tree-planting robot designed to restore forests in steep and post-fire landscapes where traditional methods struggle.
The system plants rooted native seedlings with precision, focusing on difficult terrain that is often inaccessible or too costly to restore manually. By combining robotics with targeted planting methods, it aims to make reforestation faster, more scalable, and more reliable in the areas where it is needed most.
4- Julieta Rueff
Julieta Rueff is the founder of FlamAid. FlamAid is a personal safety device described as “the first peaceful grenade in the world,” designed for emergency situations.
Pulling the ring activates a 110 dB alarm, shares live GPS location, and alerts a trusted network within seconds. Built to be carried in a bag, backpack, or on a keychain, it is intended for everyday use as a discreet tool to improve personal safety and confidence in moments of risk.
Rueff is also the co-founder of Youth Agenda, a platform that seeks to give a unified voice to young Europeans and advocate for the interests of Europe’s youth under a shared European identity.
5- Luis Parra
Luis Parra is building Neobanc, a renter-first fintech that offers real cashback on rent, bills, and mortgages, along with free credit building.
6- João Hugo Silva
João Hugo Silva is the founder and CEO of MyCareforce, a health workforce platform that connects nurses and caregivers with available shifts at healthcare providers.
The company uses technology to digitize workforce management, helping healthcare organizations fill staffing needs more efficiently while giving healthcare professionals greater flexibility and control over when and where they work.
7- Beatriz Santillana & Carlos Anton
Beatriz Santillana & Carlos Anton are the co-founders of Street Smash Burger, a Lisbon-born concept built around the idea of bringing authentic smash burgers to street food, which has since evolved into one of Portugal’s fastest-growing food brands.
8- Mariana Santos
Mariana Santos is a creative director and designer, and the founder of NAD.NAKEDALLDAY, a fashion label focused on heritage-inspired craftsmanship and contemporary knitwear and textile design.
9- Catarina Machado
Catarina Machado is a certified financial educator, founder of Academia da Literacia Financeira, and winner of the Best Financial Publisher award at the Rankia Portugal Awards in 2025.
10- Inês Colaço & Joana Colaço
Inês Colaço and Joana Colaço are behind SEASONS, a brand established in Lisbon in 2023 that designs and produces bags locally, focusing on craftsmanship and storytelling.
11- Ricardo Rebelo
Ricardo Rebelo is the entrepreneur behind the O Meu Talho and Vó Elisa brands.
12- Mariana Inglês
Mariana Inglês is the co-founder and president of Guinanos, an NGO dedicated to driving sustainable impact in Guinea-Bissau’s education system.
13- Carla Lima
Carla Lima is a finance professional active in climate action at both local and international levels. In 2024, she won the NATO Youth Summit Challenge in Miami with a proposal on climate finance and spoke on the topic at the United Nations Economic and Social Council Youth Forum in New York.
14- Patrícia Sampaio
Patrícia Sampaio is a judoka who won a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
15- Filipa Martins
Filipa Martins is an economic and data scientist who serves as president of the Lomba Local Assembly.
16- Vizinhos
Vizinhos is a pop band from Évora whose music is inspired by Alentejo musical traditions and contemporary pop, combining regional influences with a modern sound.
17- Gonçalo Santos
Gonçalo Santos is chief commercial officer of the Sharing Education Group, an organization focused on developing international schools in Portugal through the Sharing Pedagogical Concept.
The group operates three international schools in Lisbon, the Algarve, and Madeira, with an emphasis on delivering a globally oriented education model.
18- Joana Várzea Aguiar & Inês Várzea Aguiar
Joana Várzea Aguiar and Inês Várzea Aguiar are actresses.
19- Lucas Valente Da Silva
Lucas Valente Da Silva is a real estate consultant, entrepreneur, author, co-founder of VS.Brothers, and founder of Lucas VS Real Estate Academy.
20- Rui Pedro Silva
Rui Pedro Silva is an actor who made his film debut in “Restos do Vento” (2022), directed by Tiago Guedes, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
21- Antonio “Tony” Laureano
António “Tony” Laureano is a professional big wave surfer from Nazaré who has competed in major big wave events and earned multiple WSL Big Wave Awards nominations.
22- Victoria “Vicky” Montanari
Victoria “Vicky” Montanari is a digital content creator focused on fashion.
23- Isabela Valadeiro
Isabela Valadeiro is an actress known for her work in O Clube (2020), Até Que a Vida Nos Separe (2021), and Valor da Vida (2018).
24- Frederico Telo
Frederico Telo is the co-founder and managing partner at IMAGO, Healthy Junkies, and Ímpar.
25- Bruna Martiolli
Bruna Martiolli is a digital creator who is behind the É Tempo de Morangos podcast. She is also the author of “É tempo de morangos: Reflexões sobre livros.”
26- Diogo Dalot
Diogo Dalot is a professional footballer who plays for Premier League club Manchester United and the Portugal national team.
27- Mafalda Creative
Mafalda Creative is a digital creator and the author of “Rir para Não Chorar.”
Mariana Félix Soares is the marketing manager at ScorePlay, an AI-powered media infrastructure designed specifically for sports organizations.
29- Mariana Castro
Mariana Castro is the head of sales and marketing at Grupo Sotecnisol
30- Adri Da Silva
Adri Da Silva is a digital creator whose content focuses on everyday style, makeup, and lifestyle.
See also: Forbes Portugal 30 Under 30 for 2025 spotlights emerging entrepreneurs and innovators
Photos and videos courtesy of Forbes Portugal
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