• This marks the eighth edition of the programme in Portugal and the third developed in partnership with AEP – Portuguese Business Association
• Since the programme launched in Portugal in 2023, ELITE has brought together 53 Portuguese companies across 19 sectors, employing more than 43,000 people and generating €4.6 billion in annual revenue
• ELITE now brings together more than 2,000 companies and 200 partners, with businesses across the network having raised approximately €20 billion through more than 1,200 financing and corporate transactions

Lisbon, 24 September 2026 – Euronext today announced that ELITE hascrossed the threshold of 50 Portuguese companies, following the launch of its eighth Portuguese cohort. ELITE, Euronext's international ecosystem for ambitious private companies, supports businesses in accelerating growth, strengthening leadership and improving access to capital and international opportunities.

The Portuguese ELITE community now includes 53 companies across 19 sectors, employing more than 43,000 people and generating a combined €4.6 billion in annual revenue, highlighting the growing importance of the programme in supporting Portugal's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

This latest edition is the third programme delivered in partnership with AEP - Portuguese Business Association, reinforcing the shared commitment of Euronext and one of Portugal's leading business organisations to help Portuguese companies scale nationally and internationally. The initiative also continues to benefit from the support of BBVA Portugal, a long-standing partner in fostering the international growth of local businesses.

The new cohort welcomes six companies from Northern Portugal, representing a diverse range of industries: Beyond Motors Car, D. Figueiredo Irmão, Nautilus, Santos & Vale Sul - Distribuição, Simoldes Plásticos, and Mendes Gonçalves which joins ELITE through PortugalFoods, marking the beginning of a collaboration with one of Portugal's most internationally recognised industry clusters and reinforcing ELITE's commitment to export-oriented businesses.

Participating companies will begin an immersive development journey through ELITE, including executive education delivered in partnership with Católica Porto School of Business and Economics, specialised workshops across Europe, peer learning and networking opportunities with more than 2,000 companies in the ELITE ecosystem.

Marta Testi, CEO of ELITE-Euronext Group, said: "We are proud to welcome this new group of Portuguese companies to ELITE, strengthening our presence in the country as an accelerator of growth for local businesses. In line with our partnerships with AEP and BBVA Bank, we continue to support the next generation of Portuguese business leaders and we remain committed to our mission of connecting companies to capital. With this aim we are bringing together local businesses for the upcoming launch of the Basket Bond Portugal 1, an innovative mechanism that will provide small and mid-sized Portuguese companies with alternative long-term financing opportunities through the issuance of minibonds, enhancing both their development and market visibility."

Luís Miguel Ribeiro, CEO of AEP – Portuguese Business Association, said: “The partnership with Euronext is of particular value to AEP. It is about promoting the tools and opportunities that will enable Portuguese companies to grow, scale up and realise their development ambitions – and, in doing so, contribute to a stronger and more internationally competitive economy.”

Pedro Pereira, Head of Business & Institutional Banking of BBVA Portugal said: "We are proud to support this initiative and help Portuguese companies turn international ambition into sustainable growth. At BBVA, we combine innovative financial solutions with strategic insight and global reach to help businesses capture opportunities beyond Portugal. This project underscores our commitment to being a trusted partner as companies expand into new markets and build for long-term success."

 

Download the PDF to read the press release.