- Seventh Portuguese group to join ELITE since 2023, and the fourth cohort launched through the World Trade Center Lisboa International Academy by ELITE
- Six new companies bring the Portuguese ELITE network to 48 members across 19 sectors, employing over 30,000 professionals and generating more than €2 billion in revenue
Lisbon – 26 March 2026 – Euronext, the leading European capital market infrastructure, announces the launch of the seventh cohort of Portuguese companies to join ELITE, the exclusive ecosystem dedicated to supporting ambitious private businesses on their growth plans and international expansion.
This cohort brings together a group of six companies, including Logialent, MPG Metalúrgica Pinto Guerreiro, Portocargo Transitários, Starfoods and Trivalor, representing the fourth edition of the World Trade Center Lisboa International Academy by ELITE. This is the first ELITE cohort to launch this year in Portugal, and marks a significant milestone, further consolidating the successful partnership between ELITE and World Trade Center Lisboa. Established in July 2023, this collaboration is rooted in mutual trust and a commitment to support the growth of the local business ecosystem and its international expansion.
As part of this initiative, companies joining the World Trade Center Lisboa International Academy by ELITE, will embark in a dynamic learning journey for top executives at Nova School of Business and Economics (Nova SBE). They will also participate in four international workshops, engaging with the broader ELITE community of over 2,000 companies across Europe. In addition, they will gain access to specialised expertise in export growth and international matchmaking business development, supported by the global network of 320 World Trade Center hubs across 93 countries.
Since 2023, ELITE has built a strong network in Portugal of 48 companies across 19 sectors, employing over 30,000 professionals and generating €2.1 billion in revenue.
Marta Testi, CEO of ELITE, said: “We are proud to launch the fourth edition of the WTC Lisboa International Academy by ELITE and to welcome the six new companies joining our Portuguese community. With nearly 50 companies now part of the ecosystem, our priority is to equip them with the right tools, expertise, and capital pathways to accelerate their cross‑border growth. In line with this commitment, we are preparing the launch of the Basket Bond Portugal initiative, an innovative mechanism that will provide small and mid-sized Portuguese companies with alternative long‑term financing opportunities through the issuance of minibonds, enhancing both their development and market visibility. Since the start of our collaboration with World Trade Center Lisboa in 2023, this initiative has become a key stimulus in strengthening our presence in the country and a clear demonstration of the ambition and trust of Portuguese entrepreneurs.”
“The fourth edition of the WTC Lisboa International Academy marks a shift from learning to execution. In today’s world, internationalisation is no longer optional, it is a strategic necessity. Through this programme, we are not only preparing companies to think globally, but enabling them to act globally, leveraging the power of the World Trade Center network to accelerate real cross-border opportunities,” said Luciano Menezes, CEO of the World Trade Center Lisboa.
| Company name | Sector | Description | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logialent |
Industrial Goods & Services
|
Logialent is a Portuguese company specialising in road freight transport. Its activities include national and international freight transport, freight logistics including refrigerated transport for food and other temperature-sensitive foods, fleet management, goods warehousing, wholesale and retail trade of food products. | Evora |
| MPG-Metalúrgica Pinto Guerreiro | Industrial Goods & Services |
MPG-Metalúrgica Pinto Guerreiro is engaged in the production of office furniture. The company was established and incorporated in 1971. Its registered business office is located in Casal Do Bispo-Famoes, Portugal. The company offers a wide range of storage and filing products, such as lateral, fire, and vertical files, as well as bookcases and storage cabinets; seating products, including executive, task, side, conference, and multi-purpose chairs; and ergonomic tools comprising keyboard trays, adjustable height work surfaces, flat screen monitor arms, and ergonomic work tools. It also provides workstations; laminate to wood veneer desks; conference and training tables; reception stations and lobby seating products; architectural walls; healthcare products; and education furniture solutions. The company is committed to continuous customer satisfaction, providing all the support to ensure an environment of growth and confidence. MPG is active and operational in Portugal. |
Lisbon |
| Portocargo Transitários SA | Industrial Goods & Services |
With more than three decades of experience, Portocargo Transitários is a company dedicated to planning, coordinating and executing global logistics solutions. The company is part of the BBL Group (since March 2021), which has more than 95 offices and warehouses around the world and employs around 1,700 people. Portocargo's technical team is widely recognised for its competence, professionalism and experience. Portocargo continually invests in the training and qualification of its team, ensuring that its professionals have all the necessary tools to provide high levels of quality, meeting the individual needs and requirements of each client. In close collaboration with agents with high technical capacity and in-depth local knowledge, carefully selected and evaluated, Portocargo is represented in several countries around the world. Through this network, Portocargo plans, coordinates and ensures the transport of goods, from the most remote origin to the most distant destination, whatever the route – or routes – to use or the formalities to comply with. |
Porto |
| Starfoods SA | Food & Beverage |
Starfoods is a Portuguese multi-brand restaurant group operating in the modern food service segment, with a diversified portfolio of concepts designed to address different consumer occasions and dining preferences. Headquartered in Lisbon, the company has established itself as one of the key players in Portugal’s casual and quick-service dining sector, combining strong brand equity with an efficient and scalable operating model. The group manages a portfolio of well-known restaurant brands, including Companhia, Loja das Sopas, Selfish, Basilico, Bifanas de Vendas Novas, Twist Smash Burgers, and the well-known Italian-based I Love Poké, each with a distinct positioning while benefiting from the operational scale and expertise of the group platform. |
Lisbon |
| Trivalor- Sociedade Gestora de Participações SA | Retail |
Trivalor is engaged in the management activities of holding companies. It was incorporated in 1989. The company is headquartered in Lisboa, Portugal. The company exercises financial control over its subsidiaries, settles their general policy and appoints their top management, as well as provides central services. It also operates as an establishment that administers, manages, and oversees other establishments of the company or enterprise. |
Lisbon |
CONTACTS
MEDIA – mediateam@euronext.com
Europe/ Portugal Sandra Machado +351 917 776 897
About ELITE
ELITE, launched in 2012 by Borsa Italiana and now part of Euronext Group, is the European network of private SMEs which accelerates the process to access private and public capital markets. ELITE’s mission is to support companies by connecting them to capital, skills and network to drive their sustainable growth in the long-term. Based on a unique offer of services and solutions, ELITE combines a calendar of workshops and coaching sessions, supporting entrepreneurs and executives in upskilling and empowering their strategic plan and business opportunities. ELITE Companies’ management teams are also guided on how to fast-track their development and how to access the most suitable funding options for their needs, whether through Basket Bonds®, institutional investors, private equity, venture capital or equity markets. With over 2,000 companies and 200 partners admitted since its launch, about €20 billion has been raised by ELITE businesses through 1,200+ corporate transactions, highlighting how dynamic SMEs are once they are provided with an efficient access to private and public markets. For more info please visit: elite-network.com and follow us on LinkedIn on the hashtag #weareELITE.