ANNOUNCEMENT

ZENDAL opens a pharmaceutical plant in Portugal

January 2021

The Spanish biotechnology Group is building a new facility in Portugal: a new vaccine production and packaging plant in Paredes de Coura, a city in the North of the country.

This new plant, with a planned investment of 15 million euros, will expand Zendal’s capacity for the production and packaging of human health viral vaccines.

With an initial staff of 30 people, the Group is planning to partner up with vocational training centres, universities and technology centres in Portugal.        

According to Andrés Fernández, Zendal’s CEO: “We consider that for Zendal the presence in the neighbouring country is an opportunity that will allow us to reinforce our role as a reference in the manufacture of vaccines. We are at a key moment for the Euroregion where the Galicia-North Portugal pole can be the base for large biotechnological projects.”

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CorPower launches wave energy project in Northern Portugal

February 2021

CorPower Ocean, a Sweden-based developer of wave energy converters, which has recently secured a 10-year license marine license in Portugal, attracted an investment of 7.3 million euros for its Portuguese wave energy technology project.

The investment will further aid the development of a world-class wave energy base in Viana do Castelo, northern Portugal, including R&D, Manufacturing & Servicing facilities. Proceeds will be used to demonstrate the first commercial scale WEC within CorPower’s flagship HiWave-5 project - and for the long-term development of supply and service capacity for commercial wave energy farms.

Portuguese authorities have joined the Swedish Energy Agency, EIT InnoEnergy and private investors to support CorPower’s flagship HiWave-5 demonstration project in northern Portugal.

According to CorPower Ocean CEO Patrik Möller “We are pleased to announce this positive development early in 2021 which will allow us to further ramp up operations in Portugal.” While Portugal offers ideal natural conditions for our HiWave-5 demonstration project it also crucially shares our passion and vision for renewable energy. There is firm political will to maintain its position at the vanguard of clean energy, which is reflected in this recent investment in CorPower.”

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EllaLink, the first submarine cable between Europe and Latin America arrives in Portugal

January 2021

In January 2021, the last generation fiber optic cable has anchored in the Portuguese town of Sines and it should be fully operational by the second quarter of 2021.

The first shortest direct route between Europe and Latin America, opening a new corridor for the transmission of data, will reduce the current latency by 50%, to below 60 milliseconds.

This direct connection between the two continents, represents an investment of 150M€ and nearly 6,000 Kilometers of cable, to ensure the connectivity needs the digital society requires.

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RECOGNITION

Navigator renews highest rating among the world’s sustainable companies

The Navigator Company, the Europe’s largest manufacturer of uncoated woodfree (UWF) printing and writing paper, and the sixth largest in the world, has once again been given an “A” rating by the CDP (previously known as the Carbon Disclosure Project) in a world survey assessing company action on climate change, achieved by only 3% of companies evaluated throughout the entire world.

Navigator has been distinguished as a world leader in fighting climate change by the CDP, a non-governmental organization which evaluates the environmental performance of companies and cities, whose analyses are used by investors in their decision-making on sustainable investing. For the second time running, the CDP has recognized Navigator for its action in the past year to reduce emissions, decrease climate risks and develop an economy with a low carbon impact, according to 2019 data published by the CDP.

Company aims to achieve carbon neutrality goal 15 years early.

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Tech Crunch: “Lisbon’s startup scene rises as Portugal gears up to be a European tech tiger”

Lisbon offers a strong tech ecosystem: Founders, Unicorns, key accelerators / incubators, funding initiatives, co-working spaces, VCs, angel investors, among others.

In the COVID era, the city is becoming a magnet for digital nomads with talent.

“Lisbon — and Portugal more generally — is emerging on the European and global stage as an increasingly fast-moving ecosystem that will benefit from its continued EU membership, international outlook, welcoming culture and can-do work ethic.” Mike Butcher, Tech Crunch, January 2021

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

Site Selection Magazine: “The New Place To Be - Portugal has made itself compelling location for tech and mobility investments.”

Portugal is no longer a wonderful place to vacation, with good food and wine. It is much more than that.

According to Site Selection Magazine, talent, young and technically savvy workforce, desire to innovate, investment incentives and a remarkably stable political climate, are the reasons highlighted by some of the most recent and relevant companies that invested in Portugal in tech and automotive sector.

Portugal has a strong automotive industry, ensuring the full value chain. The country is now in the new era of the industry, in the fields of digital solutions, electric and autonomous vehicles.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

DID YOU KNOW?

Portugal’s commitment to a greener future

Portugal ranked 17th in the Climate Change Performance Index rankings (CCPI 2021), scoring the 7th position within the EU. High performances are seen particularly in Climate Policy matters, with successful green fiscal measures in the fields of renewable energy and transport, to energy efficiency policies in the industry sector, and to new legislation in the forestry sector. At the international level, experts classify the country as a front-runner in international negotiations, thanks to its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050.

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WHAT COMPANIES SAY

“In 2016, Beck Automation decided to establish its first subsidiary outside Switzerland.

We chose Portugal because we were convinced that we would get the best overall package here. In Switzerland we got to know the Portuguese as loyal, proud and ambitious people.

Here we find the perfect conditions to drive our business forward. Many well-educated professionals, good access to our markets in South and North America, as well as to the EU. Portugal is perceived in Switzerland as a stable country

just as we know it from Switzerland. This is the basis to achieve our ambitious goals.

When evaluating the new location, it was also important for us to have easy access to reliable suppliers that meet our standards, which is the case here in the north of Portugal.”

- Nando Spalinger, General Manager, Robobeck Unipessol, Lda. (Beck Automation’s subsidiary in Portugal), January 2021