Empowered Startups Signs MOU with the Municipality of Santarém

Lisbon, Portugal, November 11, 2025 – The Municipality of Santarém has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with…

Erin O'Connor, November 12, 2025

An exciting new MOU was signed on November 11, 2025 between Empowered Startups and the Municipality of Santarém. Represented here are Pedro Camões Gouveia, Councilman for the municipality of Santarém, Élise Racicot, Ambassador of Canada to Portugal, Chris Lennon, President of Empowered Startups, and João Moutao, President of Instituto Politécnico de Santarém

Lisbon, Portugal, November 11, 2025 – The Municipality of Santarém has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Empowered Startups, marking an important expansion of the HQA® Visa Program in Portugal.

On November 11, 2025, Empowered Startups signed an MoU with the Municipality of Santarém at Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. The partnership marks an important milestone and represents a crucial next step in expanding the HQA® Program into Portugal’s interior regions. This MoU exemplifies Santarém’s commitment to welcoming foreign investors, entrepreneurs, and professionals to the municipality and demonstrates its openness to foreign direct investment.

João Moutao, President of Instituto Politécnico de Santarém and Chris Lennon, President of Empowered Startups sign the MOU along with Nuno Mendonça, Vice Rector of Coimbra — *Pedro Camões Gouveia, Councilman for the municipality of Santarém* *and Chris Lennon, President of Empowered Startups sign the MOU along with João Moutao, President of Instituto Politécnico de Santarém*

Signing of MOU with representatives of Instituto Politécnico de Santarém and Empowered Startups — *Pedro Camões Gouveia, Councilman for the municipality of Santarém signs agreement with Chris Lennon, President of Empowered Startups*

Through this new partnership, Empowered Startups will support the government’s strategic priorities, including attracting highly skilled talent, facilitating knowledge transfer, sharing best practices, and providing ongoing support for innovative R&D projects in collaboration with higher education institutions within the municipality.

Since 2023, Empowered Startups has partnered with the Politécnico de Santarém, a higher education institution located in the municipality, resulting in 12 project collaborations between foreign founders in the HQA® Program and the university. The partnership with the university has been instrumental since its inception and continues to foster new research and development collaborations.

The MoU with the municipality demonstrates how local governments in Portugal can enhance support for innovative R&D projects and attract increased levels of foreign direct investment to the region.

Instituto Politécnico de Santarém, Élise Racicot, Ambassador of Canada to Portugal, and Chris Lennon, President of Empowered Startups applaud the agreement. — *Pedro Camões Gouveia, Councilman for the municipality of Santarém, Élise Racicot, Ambassador of Canada to Portugal applauds the MOU.*

About Empowered Startups and the Municipality of Santarém

Empowered Startups is the exclusive, government-endorsed partner for the Portugal HQA^® Program with extensive experience building innovation clusters in priority industries. The HQA® Program invites global academics, professionals, and entrepreneurs to bring their expertise to Portugal, launching and growing innovative ventures that make a real impact. Professionals are paired with Portuguese institutions on these projects, which are funded through foreign direct investment. The HQA® Program now partners with over 50 higher education institutions across the country.

The Municipality of Santarém, located in the Ribatejo region of Portugal, serves as the administrative center of the Santarém district. The municipality is known for its historic and cultural significance, its proximity to the Tagus River, and its commitment to fostering innovation through institutions like the Politécnico de Santarém.