About Almada
Sitting in the country that is a hot tourist destination, Almada sits on the Tagus River opposite the city of Lisbon. The 2 cities are connected by the 25 de Abril Bridge and this urban town has a population of round the 174,030 mark. With a history that dates back to the end of the Neolithic period (think 5,000 years ago), this is where the Muslims built a fort to defend the entrance of the Tagus River. It has been a crossroads for the Phoenicians, the Romans and the Moors who traded along the river. Today you will see a plethora of ferries taking people from Lisbon across the water to Almada. Considered to be a transportation hub, it is a fast-growing suburb with numerous sandy beaches and incredible views along its coastline. Coworking venues have sprung up in Almada not just for its intrepid out-of-the-box thinking locals, but also for the wandering globetrotters who are lured to this country for its easy-going lifestyle and of course, its "petiscos" eating culture (think Spanish tapas).
Sitting opposite what is definitely one of the tech hubs of Portugal, Almada locals can have the best of both worlds. Startups are beating a path to Portugal for its culture, its beaches and to be able to immerse yourself in architectural wonders. Lisbon is actually one of "the" cities for the best places to start a "startup" with a growing ecosystem that is expanding twice as fast as the European average. One of the key factors is the fact that Portugal is an affordable and convenient place to create digital platforms with a competitive edge in the cost of tech services.
Portugal has a long history of investment in education, English is widely spoken and there are 8 universities producing about 100,000 graduates each year with around the 53% mark in the 20-29 year bracket graduating in engineering or math related subjects. Portugal is Europe's most friendly startup nation and as such coworking venues form an integral support role to the creative souls who wish to hang out with likeminded people.