IPBN Conversation with Gil Azevedo, Executive Director, Unicorn Factory Lisboa

Booking Closed

Date: 3rd March 2026
Start: 9:30
End: 11:30
,

IPBN Conversation with Gil Azevedo, Executive Director, Unicorn Factory Lisboa

Start Date:

9:30am, 3rd March 2026

End Date:

11:30am, 3rd March 2026

Location:

Praça Beato - Beato Innovation District, Tv. Grilo 1, 1950-145 Lisboa,

Country:

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tDQaRPV5nhJt57XD7

The Ireland Portugal Business Network was delighted to host the first event in its new Conversation with a Leader series, delivered in partnership with IPBN member Writers' Bloc.

The inaugural conversation took place at Unicorn Factory Lisboa's Beato Innovation District, in Praça Beato's cafe/restaurant, on Tuesday, March 3 from 9h30 - 11h30 and featured Gil Azevedo, Executive Director Unicorn Factory Lisboa.

This session offered members an inside look at one of Lisbon’s most ambitious innovation initiatives. Unicorn Factory Lisboa operates across the entire startup value chain, with a clear mission: to generate lasting economic impact for the city by building a strong, dynamic, and sustainable ecosystem where companies at every stage can thrive — from early-stage founders to globally scaling unicorns. The conversation explored the programme’s vision, the broader Lisbon innovation scene, and the strategic role Unicorn Factory Lisboa plays in positioning the city as a leading European hub for entrepreneurship and innovation.

The discussion was hosted by John Byrne, Founder of Writers’ Bloc, and went beyond surface-level commentary to focus on the realities of building and scaling businesses across borders. Together with the IPBN, John examined where real business opportunities lie between Ireland and Portugal, and what it actually takes to unlock them in practice.

This was not a keynote or a polished pitch session. Instead, the Conversation with a Leader series is designed to get into the substance behind leadership: trust-building across cultures, navigating complexity, identifying overlooked opportunities, and making the difficult decisions that define successful leadership.

The series reflects IPBN’s ongoing commitment to creating meaningful connections, facilitating knowledge exchange, and supporting members who are building, scaling, and investing across the Ireland–Portugal corridor.

The event was open to IPBN members and non members and was free of charge Next one to be announced soon.