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When international companies evaluate their next location in Europe, they no longer look solely for competitive costs or favourable business conditions. They look for cities that can sustain long-term growth through talent, innovation, connectivity, and quality of life. Porto has consistently established itself as one of Europe’s most attractive destinations by bringing these factors together in a highly competitive, forward-looking ecosystem.
This development has not gone unnoticed internationally. In 2025, the Financial Times, through fDi Intelligence once again ranked Porto as the #1 large European city in terms of its foreign direct investment strategy, reinforcing the city’s reputation as one of Europe’s leading investment destinations. This distinction reflects years of consistent efforts to strengthen Porto’s economic competitiveness while maintaining the qualities that make it an exceptional place to live in and do business.
With approximately 253,000 inhabitants, Porto is the economic and administrative centre of the Porto Metropolitan Area, home to around 1.8 million people. Beyond the metropolitan boundaries, the wider Northwestern Portugal region encompasses 4.4 million inhabitants, representing approximately 41% of Portugal’s population and forming one of the country’s most dynamic economic regions.
Over the last decade, the Porto Metropolitan Area attracted more than €5 billion in foreign direct investment, corresponding to over 450 investment projects that have created more than 30,000 jobs. This trend has been consistently maintained, supported by a well-established investment ecosystem and a long-term development strategy.
Talent remains Porto’s greatest competitive advantage. The Northwestern region hosts 118 higher education institutions, serving more than 190,000 students. Between 2020 and 2024, more than 209,000 students completed their studies, including more than 65,000 bachelor’s degree graduates over the last five years, in fields such as engineering, IT, life sciences, management, and advanced manufacturing. At the centre of this ecosystem stands the University of Porto, consistently recognised as Portugal’s most entrepreneurial university and one of the leading research institutions in the Iberian Peninsula. Its close collaboration with industry ensures a continuous supply of highly qualified professionals capable of supporting knowledge-intensive business activities.
Porto’s talent base also benefits from Portugal’s strong international reputation in regards to language skills. According to EF Education First (2025), Portugal ranks 6th worldwide in English proficiency, which means that companies based in Porto can work smoothly within global organizations and international service centres.
This local talent pool has attracted a wide range of multinational companies including Critical TechWorks (BMW Group), Natixis, Euronext Technologies and Concentrix, all of which have established significant operations in Porto. Another stand-out example is Intellias, an Ukrainian global tech company which has expanded its presence in Porto as part of its international growth strategy. The company focuses on delivering advanced software engineering, digital transformation, and IT consulting services, working with clients across sectors such as telecommunications and mobility. With a local workforce currently exceeding 100 employees, Intellias’ Porto office plays a key role in contributing to innovation in multiple areas like cloud computing and data engineering.
Over the past decade, Porto has emerged as one of Europe’s fastest-growing technology ecosystems. The city is now home to more than 700 startups, employing close to 20,000 professionals, alongside over 80 R&D centres. In addition, Porto also hosts more than 50 incubators, accelerators and coworking spaces, creating an environment where entrepreneurship, research and business innovation reinforce one another.
The city has also become home to 8 unicorn companies, both Portuguese and international in origin, further reflecting the maturity of its innovation landscape. The most recent of these unicorns is TEKEVER, a leading Portuguese tech company specialising in autonomous systems and artificial intelligence. The company has gained international recognition for its cutting-edge drone technology, namely through the latter’s role in supporting Ukraine’s defence efforts.
Fostering this community is Porto Tech Hub, a private non-profit association that brings together around 40 local tech companies, including Intellias, to promote collaboration, talent development, and the continued growth of Porto’s digital economy. The city’s commitment to innovation is equally visible through initiatives such as PITCH, a brand-new project developed jointly by the Municipality of Porto, the University of Porto and the Polytechnic Institute of Porto to strengthen collaboration between academia, entrepreneurs, and industry.
Porto combines strong international accessibility with an outstanding urban environment, making it an increasingly attractive destination. The Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport provides direct connections to major European capitals, along with a growing number of transatlantic routes to both North and South America that enable companies to efficiently link operations across multiple continents. In addition, Porto is well positioned for travels to Central Europe, with key connections to airports near Ukraine: direct and one-stop flights provide access to cities such as Warsaw (3.5 hours), Kraków (3.5 hours), Budapest (3.5 hours), and Bucharest (about 4 hours).
Beyond connectivity, Porto offers one of Europe’s most attractive lifestyles. The city combines cultural heritage, gastronomy, safety, affordability and proximity to both the Atlantic coastline and the Douro Valley. In 2025, the World Travel Awards recognised Porto as Europe’s Leading City Destination, following its distinction in 2024 as the World’s Leading Seaside Metropolitan Destination. Porto also boasts 2 UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Historic Centre of Porto and the Alto Douro Wine Region, reinforcing its global cultural appeal.
Porto’s success is not accidental. Behind the city’s investment performance lies a clear and long-term economic development strategy led by InvestPorto, the investment promotion agency of the Municipality of Porto. Through InvestPorto, the city focuses on attracting projects that can generate high value-added jobs, increase productivity, foster innovation, and support the development of sustainable urban areas. This includes a special emphasis on knowledge-intensive sectors, such as digital technologies, business and financial services, engineering, life sciences, fintech, and advanced industries.
This strategic focus is reflected in InvestPorto’s portfolio: since its creation, the agency has supported more than 640 investment projects from 47 countries, with Digital & IT Services accounting for 27% of all projects and Business & Financial Services representing 18%, confirming Porto’s position as a leading European location for knowledge-intensive operations.
InvestPorto’s approach extends far beyond investment attraction. Close collaboration with universities, research institutions and industry stakeholders ensures that investors benefit from direct access to highly qualified talent, research capabilities and innovation networks. This integrated model enables Porto to compete successfully with much larger metropolitan areas by combining agility, ecosystem cohesion and institutional collaboration.
Equally important is InvestPorto’s emphasis on investor retention and expansion. Rather than viewing investment promotion as a one-time transaction, the agency maintains continuous engagement through comprehensive Aftercare services designed to support companies throughout their growth journey. One of the clearest examples is the Porto Leading Investors programme, which currently brings together 48 companies whose projects generate exceptional economic, social and environmental value for the city.
Companies are selected through rigorous criteria that recognise not only investment volume and job creation but also contributions to sustainability, innovation, and local community development.
Intellias is a proud member of this initiative, having benefitted from InvestPorto’s support even before setting up the local office in the city and ever since. As such, it stands as one of the clearest examples of a success story in Porto, a company that saw the added benefits of investing in the city and that has solidified its commitment ever since, in a close relationship with the Municipality.
Porto has developed an investment opportunity that goes far beyond competitive costs. It combines a highly qualified talent pool, a rapidly expanding innovation ecosystem, internationally connected infrastructure, outstanding quality of life and a proactive institutional framework that actively supports investors throughout every stage of their journey.
For Ukrainian companies seeking a European location capable of supporting tech centres, shared services, R&D, regional headquarters, or innovation-driven operations, Porto offers a unique combination of ambition, capability, and long-term vision.
The talent is here. The innovation is here. The partnerships are here. Porto is not simply preparing for the future; it is already building it.
Hugo Beirão Rodrigues – Porto City Councillor for Economics and Entrepreneurship, Mobility and Transportation, and Tourism and Internationalisation
