Startups and SMEs in Porto can now apply to the BSC AI Factory AI incubation programme
Startups and small and medium-sized enterprises developing artificial intelligence solutions can apply until 15 September for the European BSC AI Factory incubation programme in Porto.
Promoted in Portugal by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)
and the National Centre for Advanced
Computing (CNCA), the free programme will run from 5 October 2026 to 30 March 2027 at UPTEC Asprela II. It aims to accelerate
national AI innovation and strengthen links between the business ecosystem and
advanced computing infrastructures.
One programme, multiple services
The programme provides resources to help
companies develop, test and scale
their AI solutions. Selected companies will receive support from a key account manager and may access data discovery and access services, computing
capacity, technical specialists, mentoring, training and consultancy,
including support for large language
models.
The incubation programme also serves as a gateway to other BSC AI Factory services.
Access to the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer
in Barcelona will depend on each project's needs and maturity.
Who can apply?
The call is open to startups and SMEs developing AI projects, with priority
given to healthcare, biotechnology and
pharmaceuticals, agriculture, climate and the blue economy, energy, legal and
financial services, communications and media, and the public sector.
Companies in other sectors can also apply if
they demonstrate significant use,
development or investment in AI.
Applicants must be legally established in the EU, have a Portuguese tax identification number, no
more than 10 years of activity
and fewer than 20 employees.
They must also have a development team
and an AI project already under development. Selected companies will
be required to use the programme's co-working
space three days a week.
Applications must be submitted through the official BSC AI Factory project page
