5G accelerator

In 2021, NOS and Amazon Web Services (AWS), with the support of Startup Lisboa, launched the 5G Accelerator - Collaborative Innovation Program, which aimed to boost startups with ideas or businesses that could be leveraged by 5G technology.

This program aimed to support the construction of a 5G innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Portugal, targeting digital transformation and fostering the creation of opportunities associated with the new mobile technology.

The 15 selected startups presented solutions in areas as diverse as Healthcare, Industry, Environment, Smart Cities, Entertainment, and Tourism, using different technologies potentially enhanced by the fifth generation of mobile networks, such as IoT, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality.

The 7-week 5G Accelerator program featured webinars, mentoring sessions, and individual support for each project. It also offered networking and open innovation sessions, as well as talks by experts in 5G technology, entrepreneurship, and venture capital. The program concluded with a Demo Day and a public presentation of the finalist projects to potential partners and investors.

The startups benefited from exposure to potential investors, including Armilar Venture Partners, the entity that manages the "NOS 5G" Venture Capital Fund. They also received access to sessions with technical and business mentors from NOS and AWS, as well as access to an AWS service offering worth up to €100,000 through the AWS Activate program. The overall winner received a cash prize of €7,500 and direct access to incubation at Startup Lisboa.