‘The year 2024 leaves us with the certainty that we have a territory that is very committed to the development of the municipality and that today we are better prepared to face local and global challenges and continue to be a true national locomotive.’
With 2024 almost over, this is how the Mayor of Famalicão, Mário Passos, looks back on the year in which Vila Nova de Famalicão was awarded the title of European Entrepreneurial Region (EER).
A year in which Famalicão and the people of Famalicão demonstrated that the distinction awarded by the European Committee of the Regions was no accident. In total, more than 300 actions were carried out in the territory as part of 65 projects/initiatives, involving almost 10,000 people, more than 1,700 companies and start-ups and 54 institutional partners, including conferences, initiatives to promote and enhance the territory, internationalisation, and the development of projects to enhance talent, innovation and entrepreneurship, among others.
‘The EER has given us a huge sense of pride in an award that has been given to the whole territory and has given us the certainty that we are on the right track, that together we have done an excellent job, but that we still have a lot to give to Famalicão,’ added the mayor.
In 2023, when the European Committee of the Regions evaluated the dynamics of Famalicão Made IN and Created In, in 2024 the actions and strategic agendas for the future of the municipality, such as innovation, entrepreneurship, internationalisation and attracting and retaining talent, together with Famalicão's export and production strength, were arguments that endorsed the economic dynamics and positioning of Famalicão as one of the most cohesive, innovative and entrepreneurial municipalities in the country.
‘It's a happy coincidence that in this year of the European Entrepreneurial Region we're celebrating the 10th anniversary of Famalicão Made IN, a municipal programme that clearly demonstrates Famalicão's entrepreneurial streak,’ said Mário Passos, during the closing session of the EER, which last Friday, December 6, brought together various players from the municipality's entrepreneurial ecosystem at CITEVE.
The mayor was speaking at the ‘EER Talk: Balance and Future Prospects’, which also brought together the Director of Innovation at CCDR-NORTE, Ricardo Simões, Ema Leitão, administrator of the company Transportes Nogueira, and the municipality's councillor for Economy and Entrepreneurship, Augusto Lima.
The event also included a showcase of entrepreneurship, the awarding of diplomas to the 40 or so Geração Made IN companies created in the last year with the support of Famalicão Made IN, a ShowCase organised in partnership with UPTEC - the Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto and the presentation of the results of the Famalicão Made IN Hackathon, an initiative that brought together seven startups from all over the country in a challenge to respond in 48 hours with artificial intelligence, process automation and digital transformation solutions to challenges posed by companies in the municipality. ‘The results are very good and these are actions that will be repeated,’ said Mário Passos.
It should be remembered that Vila Nova de Famalicão was designated European Entrepreneurial Region 2024, the first territory in the northern region of Portugal to join the group of European cities and regions awarded this honour and the only Portuguese city/region to hold this distinction this year.
