Portugal is a hub for many well-known tech companies and is home to more than 2,000 registered startups. The city has a thriving startup culture and is supported by hundreds of angel investors. 

These investors aren’t only funding startups but many of them have launched separate startup programs to boost the entrepreneurial landscape.

Thinking about who are the top angel investors in Portugal?

Well, no need to, because we have prepared the list of the top 9 angel investors in Portugal.

Top 9 Angel Investors in Portugal

Following is the of some of the top angel investors in Portugal along with some additional tips on how to pitch to them. 

Miguel Barbosa

Miguel Barbosa is a well-known angel investor with more than 20 years of experience in the venture capital and private equity industry. He is currently the Investment Director of the Tourism Division at Portugal Ventures. 

Miguel Barbosa prefers to invest in companies that have the highest ROI and can scale on an international level. Miguel has also served a lot of time in the Tourism division and loves to fund startups that are introducing something unique and innovative in the sector.

The investment range of Miguel Barbosa is around  €200,000.

Sergio Rodrigues

Sergio Rodrigues is the President of Invicta Angels, one of the oldest and biggest Business Angels clubs in Portugal. He actively looks for projects and invests in startups developing businesses in several areas, from technology to health, from food to energy.

Moreover, Rodrigues prefers startups that can at least generate 2x ROI within the first 2 years of investment and are at the early/seed stages. He usually selects startups through startup programs and invests after arranging several investor meetings.

The investment range of Sergio Rodrigues is around  €150,000.

Ricardo Normand

Ricardo Normand is a Venture Partner at Tomahawk.VC, an entrepreneur-led early-stage venture capital firm based in Portugal. He is also the Managing Partner at Keppler Global and has over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, technology, investments, finance, and advisory.

Ricardo Normad invests in startups that are at the seed stages and are offering products/services that can be sold internationally. He prefers quality over quantity and only makes 1-2 investments per year.

The investment range of Ricardo Normad is around  €2M.

Miguel Santo Amaro

Miguel Santo Amaro is a tech entrepreneur and an early-stage tech investor. He is the co-founder & CEO of Coverflex and a Partner at Shilling.vc Miguel prefers to invest in the Seed stage startups.

Moreover, Amaro has been involved in the startup ecosystem for over a decade. He began his career as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst at Banco BPI in 2009 and has invested in many startups across Europe. Like most other angel investors, Miguel usually makes his investments through startup events and expects 3-4x profit within 4-5 years.

The investment range of Miguel Santo Amaro can range up to  €3M.

Alex Vassiliev

Alex Vassiliev is an angel investor who has been an executive at Alibaba, JD.com, and Yandex. He is currently an Investment Partner & Business Angel at REDangels. 

Alex Vassiliev prefers to invest in tech startups across the globe. His investment focus includes sectors such as Enterprise Applications and Marketplaces. He usually makes his investments in the Pre-seed and Seed stages. 

Aside from investment activities, Alex Vassiliev is also involved in attending startup workshops and utilizes his experience to guide startups throughout different stages. The investment range of Alex Vassiliev lies between  €100,000 to  €2M.

David Apple

David Apple is an active angel investor and startup advisor based in San Francisco, California. He is currently the Chief Business Officer of ScorePlay and serves on the Board of the CMTA. He prefers to invest in the Pre-seed and Seed stages.

When making investments, David Apple likes to invest in businesses that are gaining a lot of hype for their exceptional services/products and are ready to go international. David doesn't like to fund businesses that do not have a strong team of experienced leaders.

The investment range of David Apple is between  €200,000 to  €1.5M.

Omar Fonseca

Omar Fonseca is also a notable individual angel investor who funds startups in Portugal. Known for his commitment to the startup community, Fonseca doesn't just invest in startups but also arranges startup events and personally guides startups through different workshops.

Coming back to his investment activities, Omar Fonseca likes to become a part of profitable businesses and invests accordingly. Like most other investors, he has a criterion of only funding startups that are led by experienced individuals.

The investment range of Omar Fonseca is around  €100,000.

Alexis Bonte

Alexis Bonte is an Angel Investor and a Venture Partner at Atomico, advising on new investments in France, Spain, Portugal, and Eastern Europe. He also supports the exec team on strategy and M&A. Alexis was previously the CEO of eRepublik Labs, the studio he founded and that is part of Stillfront.

Talking about his investment activities, Alexis Bonte invests in 1-2 startups each year and usually makes seed-staged investments. He attends different startup events and related programs to get connected with startup leaders who have ideas that can thrive.

The investment range of Alexis Bonte is around  €800,000.

Nicolas Julia

Nicolas Julia is an angel investor and the CEO of Sorare and has a strong focus on Consumer marketplaces and B2B SaaS & Marketplaces.  He prefers to invest in the Pre-seed and Seed stages. Julia dedicated his career to Blockchain in 2015 and was previously running operations at Stratumn. 

Making investments, Nicolas Julia utilizes his years of experience and invests in startups that can grow 2-3x within two years. Julia is also known for his amazing services as a mentor and guides his portfolio companies when things don't go as planned.

The investment range of Nicolas Julia is around  €500,000.

How To Pitch To Angel Investors?

If you’re an entrepreneur who has already founded 3-4 startups and is on his way to securing the investment for the 5th one, pitching to angel investors may not sound like a big deal.

However, the real problem arises for startup leaders who are going to do it for the first time. So, let us ease the job a little bit by helping you with some important tips on how to pitch to angel investors.

Research Your Angel Investors BEFORE You Meet

The most important aspect of securing an investment is knowing the person who will be investing. If you're planning to just randomly attend an investor meeting and satisfy the investors, this won’t work.

In contrast, always do strong research and understand the linkings of your targetted angel investors before meeting them.

Be Passionate and Authentic in Your Purpose

During an investor meeting, never lie about your goals and don’t get too excited either. Be realistic and passionate about what you dream of building/providing and how can your business improve the community. 

Tell a Compelling Story

It’s important to make your pitch deck sound like an attractive story, but it’s equally important to not bore out the investors. Start with a journey about your startup and wrap up within a few minutes to ensure the investors are still listening.

Some Additional tips include:

Wrap Up

So, there you have the list of the top angel investors in Portugal. However, before we end things, here’s an important advice:

“When attending an investor meeting, always keep a formal dress code and don’t try to come up with something flashy/out of context”

Frequently Asked Questions