This week on the roundup: funding series, new members, panel deep-dives, FinTech in Wales, lunch invitations, IT leadership, BIM models, liveable cities, salesforces, Dublin Tech Summit, spaces of welcome, social enterprise, personal income, residential condos, eating the working capital elephant, and more!

But first, here are the IPBN Highlights of the week:

We have started the first article of a trilogy about "What funding is available?" in Portugal. According to our friend Luis Escudeiro of IPBN member ACT Solutions, that may be the wrong place to start. In the first of a new three-part thought leadership series for the IPBN, Luis explains why successful projects are rarely defined by the grant itself, but by the strength of the strategy behind it. Read the first part here.

We welcomed our newest member, Hutchins Wine Academy, a company that offers immersive wine education experiences for curious, adventurous wine lovers - no prior knowledge required! Led by founder and certified WSET sommelier Joanna Hutchins, our masterclasses blend sensory discovery, Portuguese wine culture, and exceptional food pairings in a warm, relaxed setting, with a focus on building genuine wine confidence.

We introduced the 2nd and 3rd Panels of the 3rd edition of the IPBN Innovation conference in Dublin; Thursday June 18 You will find all the details of the 2nd panel here and of the 3rd panel here. Register today. 

And now...

From IPBN Executive Partner Ivan Goor from Plain Concepts Europe (Ardanis) shared, "Wales is having its first fintech festival today, and it’s a strong one. AI, open finance and the wider UK–Wales ecosystem all in the spotlight. Our Head of UK, Greg Milsom, will be at the FinTech Wales Festival 2026 in the Swansea Building Society Arena all day, talking with founders, operators. and partners about how this tech actually works in practice, not just on slides.  From using AI to strip out friction in financial services to building open, connected rails that don’t leave customers behind."

From IPBN member Desmond J. Green invited IPBN members to the BLOOMSDAY LUNCH on June 16th in Cascais. Check all the details here- in the image gallery below.

From IPBN member Saros Consulting shared, "On Saros Insights, a clear-eyed view on AI from someone who has lived through other major shifts in enterprise technology. Pat Moynihan, an IT leader with over 30 years in senior IT leadership, shares why he is genuinely excited by AI, and what separates the organisations that will get real value from it."

IPBN member GEOPALM Engineering Consulting posted, "A BIM model that does not communicate with other BIM models is not a system. It is an isolated document. This is perhaps the most uncomfortable phrase that can be said about the current state of BIM in Portugal. But it is also the most useful. In 2026, this is no longer a conversation between experts. It has become a conversation involving owners, asset managers, designers, and builders. Link to the article here."

IPBN member Global Citizen Solutions posted, "What makes a city truly liveable? As global mobility evolves, so do the factors people consider when deciding where to live. The conversation is shifting from finding the "best" city to finding the right fit for the life you want to build. Read the full article here."

IPBN member Philippe Brodeur shared words of congratulations to Contentful and Salesforce. "The Contentful acquisition by Salesforce is a smart move for both sides. Salesforce gets a best-in-class composable content platform. Contentful gets the distribution muscle and enterprise reach to scale faster than ever. Together, they'll power how brand’s structure, manage, and deliver content across every digital touchpoint. It's a signal that the market understands: content infrastructure is now mission-critical."

IPBN Board member Sharon Dehmel wasn't watching the stage at Dublin Tech Summit 2026 last week. She posted, "I was watching the room. The founder pitching with absolute conviction — and a team back at base who have no idea how to lead without her in the room. And underneath it — quietly, invisibly — a question nobody was asking out loud: Am I actually ready to lead what I'm building? That question is my work. If you're asking it — even silently — I'd love to connect."

IPBN Academic Partner Sofia Almeida from the Universidade Europeia shared the article published today in Publituris Hotelaria.  "The article analyses the essence of hospitality that is often revealed in the most difficult moments. And it is precisely there that hoteliers demonstrate the fundamental role that hotels play in society: spaces of Welcome, Safety and Humanity. Read the article here."

IPBN member Sam Marchetti, Consortia Co shared, "This week marks the kick off of our Sam Marchetti series on Building Capacity for Sustainable Growth. Aimed at the social enterprise and voluntary sector, SENI (as part of the Department for the Economy NI work programme) is delivering 5 in-person Social Value capacity building days."

IPBN member ALL FINANCE MATTERS posted, "Today was the final event of this seminar series across the Algarve. Ricardo Chaves from All Finance Matters presented one last time on: 'Personal Income Tax and Life After NHR.' We truly appreciate everyone who participated over the past few days."

IPBN member Keystone Property Advisory said, "Next to Avenida da Boavista, the residential condominium Paulo Dias Novais 45 benefits from its urban centrality to position itself among the first choices of those who value comfort and quality, in one of the prestigious areas in Porto. As a recent addition to the city's landscape, the set of T3 and T4 Duplex apartments combines a modern design with the functional needs of everyday life, through rooms designed to welcome and promote serene days." Limited availability. office@keystonegroup.pt. Contact +351 911 715 932.

IPBN member Brian Shanahan published INFORMITA NEWS. "Eating the working capital elephant. Other articles: AR with Advance Payments - Seeing the wood from the trees. Cash Flow Forecasting - Basic is still best. Contracts affect stock too. Consequences. Country Profile: Syria. When is speculation good? - Usually never!"