Portugal HQA Visa Program
The Benefits of the HQA Visa
- The HQA Visa Program is built specifically for business people
- There is no property investment required
- The program allows applicants to have access to the EU as a plan B or second residency
- Provides a clear pathway to Portuguese Citizenship
- The ability to easily start and maintain a venture in the EU
- Portugal’s fantastic lifestyle and climate
- Provides pathway to citizenship and Permanent Residency for family members.
- You will benefit from Portugal’s Non-Habitual Tax Residency Program for the first 10 years of your residence
HQA Visa Program Website
You can read more about the HQA Visa Program in detail, including learning more about the legislation that supports the program by visiting the HQA Visa website.
Visit HQAVISA.PT
HQA Research Projects & Partners
One of the requirements for the HQA Visa Program is making an investment in research and development activities that can be used to support your new venture at one of Portugal’s universities. We partner with several of Portugal’s leading Universities. For more details, request more information.
Using our proven and powerful methodology, network, market insight and business expertise, we guide entrepreneurs on a path to successfully start a business in Portugal.

Become the Best
We educate and empower founders to build market offers and business models that empower their ideas to become the best in the world. We guide them through the rigours of Lean StartUp and Horizon Methodology, and cycle through the validated learning process of build-measure-learn.

Connect with the Best
We select entrepreneurs from around the world with the best innovative and scalable concepts to startup in Portugal, with international reach. We are skilled at assisting entrepreneurs in de-risking their projects, increasing their speed to market, and enhancing the overall prosperity of the Portuguese ecosystem they are entering.

Sell Internationally
We build startups that define and aggressively pursue revenue goals on this equation: My startup will sell $X of Y product to customers A, B, C in N number of countries in M number of months.
OUR PARTNERS
Our valued partnerships provide transnational entrepreneurs with opportunities to deepen the foundations and extend the reach of their ventures.
Politechnic of Leiria
Our partnership with the Politecnic of Leiria offers entrepreneurs access to innovative research in sea basin technologies.
University of Évora
Our partnership with the University of Évora provides entrepreneurs with access to state-of-the-art expertise in Industry 4.0 solutions.
BEP
Our partnership with BEP provides start ups with ready access to top tier researchers, according to their business needs.
PORTUGAL NEWS
Polytechnic Institute of Beja (IPBeja) Signs MOU with Empowered Startups
Beja, Portugal – September 19, 2023 – Polytechnic Institute of Beja recently signed an MOU with Empowered Startups to expand Empowered’s HQA Visa™ Program to the institution. This will give IPBeja the opportunity to receive foreign direct investment towards research...
We are Hiring an Administrative Assistant
About the Position About Us: Empowered Startups is a Global Startup Incubator, Accelerator, and Foundry with a diverse and expansive portfolio of international relationships and businesses. We partner with public research facilities to mentor, accelerate and...
Empowered Startups Signs MOU with Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo (IPVC) to Expand HQA Visa™ Program
Viana do Castelo, Portugal – July 18, 2023 – Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo has entered an MOU with Empowered Startups to expand Empowered’s HQA Visa™ Program to the institution. This will give IPVC the opportunity to receive foreign direct investment...
ADVISORS
The following professionals generously offer their perspectives on our plans. We are grateful for the influence they continue to have on our projects.
Paulo
Bandeira
Executive Director, STARTUP LAB – SRS Advogados
Hugo
Barros
Director , CRIA – University of the Algarve
Alex
Rodrigues
Entrepreneurship & Investments Officer, Brigantia-EcoPark