December 22 2020 –

As 2020 closed, the Portuguese authorities issued an HQA residency permit in just 3 days to the HQA applicant submitting before holiday closures, underscoring the priority status of the program. Southern Portugal’s University of the Algarve was delighted to receive the applicant, albeit under appropriate protocols.

This HQA applicant is a C-suite executive in the financial services industry. Through the HQA program, this highly accomplished professional will oversee the launch of a fintech startup in Portugal that commercializes research by the University of the Algarve.

HQA applicants in the Algarve benefit from strong local support. The Algarve 2030 regional strategy, published in the Fall of 2020, favors the development of an ICT innovation ecosystem. Regional stakeholders in the Algarve are notably supportive of diversifying the area’s tourism-dependent economy.

– Empowered Startups Portugal