We’re excited to reveal that we’re one of the startups selected by Algarve Empreende 2026 and @anjealgarve to represent the region at Web Summit 2025! 🎉
You’ll find us proudly wearing our hats (no pun intended 😉) at our stand on November 13th.
If you’re attending and would like to connect, drop us a message, we’d love to meet up during the week!
You might not believe it when community builders tell you they spend countless hours organizing and planning their community, many times volunteered hours that see little return, or hours spent chasing the wrong lead.
But those actively building communities know how painful it is to make the jump from 20 to 300 people, the logistics nightmare, the multiple sources all spread around different platforms.
Don't waste more time, look into our blog post to know how to optimize your time: https://local.foundation/blog/Breaking_Free_from_Platform_Chaos
90% of startups fail
But here's the shocking part:
Accelerator-backed companies perform only slightly better.
After studying reports and engagement patterns across multiple startup ecosystems, LocalFoundation discovered why most accelerator programs are flying blind. The numbers don't lie:
Only 10% of accelerator participants secure funding
97% of 1.6M annual applicants are rejected
Success can be predicted with 78% accuracy using engagement data
The game-changer?
Smart accelerators are already using data to:
✓ Save €3,500-€8,500 weekly through optimized operations
✓ Increase success rates with cross-community engagement/collabortation
✓ Design cohorts that boost individual outcomes by 43%
The accelerator industry is at a turning point.
Programs that adapt will thrive.
Those that don't?
They'll become obsolete.
Checkout our full breakdown in our blogpost 👇
https://local.foundation/blog/The_90_Failure_Rate_No_One_Talks_About
#Accelerators #StartupData #FounderAnalytics #Innovation #StartupSuccess
"Are you crazy? That won't be possible" I hear this a lot, not joking. I texted a friend about how I always wanted to do an art gallery and one day I would get to do one.
Then IPDJ said if geek sessions wanted to do a community lounge, a place where participants could connect to communities, in the gallery space for GeekSessionsConf, we would have to do an exhibition.
This was in February. I immediately said "ok!" and then had a million other projects to do, including my dayjob 😂 2 weeks ago I finally sat down and said "time to make it a reality". I asked the people that would never tell me I'm crazy, but instead immediately asked important questions about the space, materials, logistics.
Our region is stronger than we think. We have many hopeful people doing brilliant work at the cost of nothing.
I mapped more than 70 activities in the Algarve. 25 people submitted projects ranging from tech, social gatherings, art&culture, entrepreneurship to social & environment impact. The space currently holds 47 projects, and you will find they're connected to each other. We're mapping them all to be digitally present in local.foundation, and if your community is not on the map yet, you can add to an ever-growing ecosystem!
I used to be a perfectionist, but communities don't have time for perfection. They need to get shit done.
Thank you @ritavrainha@shenriquesdev@norbu09 Manu and my parents for supporting my crazy ideas and helping turn them to reality. Shoutout to @flordosreis that helped some final submissions too 🌸
I hope you can visit the space until April 5th, and watch it re-bloom on March 21st with live interaction and demos.
Photos by my dears at @calliope.pt we will release and share with communities more photos soon ♥️
📍Startup Weekend Women Loulé
Durante este fim de semana, a tecnologia encontra pessoas, as ideias encontram coragem e o futuro ganha forma em conversas, protótipos e encontros improváveis.
Um espaço para explorar a inovação, partilhar conhecimento e lembrar que as mulheres também são fortes empreendedoras 🚀💡🌍
📸 @calliope.pt
When we come all together we can create great things! Big shoutout to @montalvoschools for opening their doors to host Startup Weekend Women Loulé 💪🏽
➡️ Swipe to meet a lot of familiar faces within LOFT community helping behind the scenes to bring this weekend to life 🥳🩷 everyone contributing with their time, skills, energy and network to make this a very unique event.
Big appreciation to our volunteers, dear LOFTies:
Brendon
Gwen
Penelope
Walter
Alexis
Kari
Flor
Lenz
Learn more at swloule.com link in profile @flourishmode.co
How does it look to build a startup in 54hs?
Many hours of brainstorming, debate, teams formed and even re formed, ideas grow into executions validated and ready to pitch with a business model by end of the weekend.
If you want to experience it yourself and learn how to bring ideas into reality, join a startup weekend next year! You won’t regret it.
If you are in Lagos keep up with @fabricadoempreendedorlagos for more initiatives like this one.
If you are in Portugal stay tunned to @351startups , @localfoundation_ & @flourishmode.co
For StartUp Weekends across the world check @techstars website.
Is never too late to start 😏
Great teams make great things possible. Even when it's hard, and uncertain, and frustrating, a good team makes all the difference, and @localfoundation_ has it.
Over here I'm always learning to be a better entrepreneur, builder and person, and isn't that the best place to be?
Thanks @anjealgarve for bringing the team to @websummit
Come hang out with the local.foundation team on @websummit tomorrow, and learn how we build data-driven startup ecosystems from the ground up.
Find us on the Algarve Empreende Startup Island next to Startup Portugal with @anjealgarve
Our booth: PS7-07
This week many of us at LOFT and across Algarve are heading to Lisbon for @portugaltechweek & @websummit
Is so cool to be part of a national network, even we are kms away from our home we still feel at home.
Wish us luck 🍀 and stay tuned to our updates right from Lisbon to Algarve and the World.
Anyone around here? Let’s meet!
Don't miss the fun at @portugaltechweek palace by make.
The @localfoundation_ team is kickstarting the week this monday with 3 different events to promote our growing ecosystem.
Links and more info on our stories.
#smartnetworksrealhumans
Who joined us for The Entrepreneurs Village? 👇🏽
Meet Levin co-founder of @localfoundation_
If you are an accelerator or incubator and want to understand better your ecosystem to make smarter data driven decisions, connect with @localfoundation_ they’ll give you the visibility you are lacking 😎
I’m so greatful to have met all the awesome people behind @localfoundation_ and have them nearby right in Algarve, they make my life brighter. Is always easy and fun to do things together… and I know we are just getting started 😎
________
I’m @flordosreis founder of @loftcommunity.pt and through my @flourishmode.co I help people, projects, spaces and places #Flourish
