Open Call: The map of ideas connecting city, culture, and community

The Open Call is a program of the Municipality of Porto, coordinated by Porto Digital, that supports projects of innovation, digital transition, entrepreneurship, and, more recently, creativity. Launched in 2017, this program has challenged startups, companies, universities, research centres, and the technological and creative community to develop solutions that make Porto a true living laboratory of urban experimentation.

Throughout previous editions, the Open Call has attracted hundreds of proposals (209 projects submitted by 180 entities until 2025) and funded 47 activities, including workshops, conferences, hackathons, etc., involving over 12,000 participants across the city during different editions. This shows the program’s role as an engine of citizen participation and a driver for the local innovation ecosystem.

Since the beginning, the central objective has been to stimulate the city’s ecosystem in technological innovation and entrepreneurship, promoting co-creation and collaboration among different actors, contributing to a city that is more dynamic, connected, and sustainable. In each edition, projects with real impact on the city receive financial and institutional support to move from concept to reality and be implemented on the ground, with dissemination through municipal channels and follow-up by Porto Digital. Porto’s ongoing commitment to innovation is reflected in the achieved results and the program’s growing thematic scope, as well as the increasing number of applications received each edition.

Between 2021 and 2023, the Open Call focused mainly on Technological Innovation and Entrepreneurship, closely aligned with Porto’s Digital Transition strategy. Eligible activities were largely ecosystem studies and mappings, knowledge-sharing and training in new technologies, activation of scientific/technological communities, and development of innovative pilot projects in local companies.

Three pillars, three ways to intervene in the territory

Each pillar corresponded to a specific focus area:

Pillar 1 – Innovation and Experimentation
Pillar 2 – Entrepreneurship

These pillars focused on accelerating and promoting digital transition and urban innovation and strengthening the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. While the first emphasised digital transition and urban innovation, the second reinforced entrepreneurship, collaborating with ScaleUp Porto to engage the city’s entrepreneurial community.

The projects selected for investment were:

Bombarda Circular 2.0 – Living Lab for Circularity and Digital Transition

The Bombarda Circular 2.0 project, developed in partnership between Mindshake and the Associação Bombarda – Quarteirão Criativo, builds on the pilot launched in 2024 and focuses on capacity-building in the circular economy and sustainable innovation in Porto’s Arts District. The initiative promotes training and experimentation sessions, using accessible technologies and the ReEVOLUTIØN 6 design thinking model. Throughout the process, three prototypes of circular solutions in the areas of waste, last-mile logistics and energy will be co-created, tested on a small scale, and assessed by the local community. One prototype will be selected through a public vote as the MVP and supported with €2,500 in funding for implementation. The project also includes the use of digital mapping and monitoring tools, as well as the production of open-access documentation to facilitate replication in other urban contexts.

MAP-In-AHA – Mapping the Porto Metropolitan Area for Innovation in Active and Healthy Ageing

The MAP-In-AHA project is a comprehensive study of solutions, practices and networks in the Porto Metropolitan Area dedicated to active and healthy ageing. Porto is the municipality with the highest ageing rate in the region, highlighting the need to map organisations and initiatives that improve the quality of life for older populations. The research, carried out in partnership with the Porto4Ageing consortium coordinated by the University of Porto, includes ecosystem analysis, periodic assessments and the publication of recommendations for local stakeholders and the municipality. The final presentation of results is scheduled for 7 April 2026, World Health Day. The project also foresees consultation of international best practices and collaboration with the European network on active and healthy ageing, reinforcing connections between regional and European actors.

AI Burnout Early Warning System (BEWS)

The AI Burnout Early Warning System (BEWS) aims to test a digital tool for the early detection of burnout in coworking spaces and startups in Porto. Supported by artificial intelligence, the solution combines anonymised monthly self-assessments with linguistic pattern analysis to identify signs of occupational exhaustion. Users receive personalised, evidence-based recommendations, while managers access aggregated indicators that allow them to anticipate collective trends and implement preventive measures. The pilot will take place in three innovation spaces across the city and will include training sessions for teams and users. The project seeks to strengthen digital health literacy and promote more sustainable working environments, positioning Porto as a living lab for socially impactful technologies.

Green Maker Faire Porto

The Green Maker Faire Porto is a three-day event dedicated to civic innovation and maker culture, inspired by the international Maker Faire network. It will bring together citizens, creative collectives, educational institutions and local organisations to share ideas and test solutions related to the ecological transition. The programme features prototype exhibitions, workshops on green technologies and circular design, talks with national and international guests, a fair of local and circular products, and artistic installations made from repurposed materials. The first day will be dedicated to schools and universities in the Porto Metropolitan Area, encouraging young people to engage with sustainable experimentation. Beyond the event, the initiative includes the production of open educational resources and the documentation of best practices to extend its impact and foster collaboration networks.

PORTO. EMOÇÃO

The PORTO. EMOÇÃO pilot project, developed in collaboration with the Municipality of Porto, will apply the Fanmeter technology, created by PluggableAI, to the city’s cultural and festive events. Integrated into a municipal mobile app, the tool uses smartphone sensors to measure participants’ emotional engagement in real time, while ensuring full anonymisation. Previously tested in contexts such as football matches and music festivals, the technology will now be adapted to large-scale events like São João and Serralves em Festa. The system will identify peak moments of collective intensity and generate digital activations that reward the most engaged participants through cultural experiences. At the same time, aggregated data will be collected to support qualitative evaluations and inform future programming decisions. With this initiative, the municipality aims to explore new forms of digital interaction with citizens and position itself as a living lab for cultural technology experimentation.

Cientista Regressa à Escola (Scientist Returns to School)

The Scientist Returns to School initiative connects children with scientists from their hometowns, fostering scientific literacy and reducing inequalities in access to science. The programme includes year-long activities such as scientist training in communication, classroom sessions, interactive materials and an interschool competition. In 2023/24, with support from the Open Call, the project reached four priority schools in Porto, involving 166 children. The new phase foresees expanding its scope with a digital platform providing experimental teaching resources for teachers. Coordinated by Native Scientists, the project seeks to consolidate a community of Porto-based scientists available to collaborate with schools, with the ambition that, by 2030, every child will have direct contact with science before completing primary school.

Porto Tech Hub Conference 2025

The Porto Tech Hub Conference 2025 is one of the country’s leading technology gatherings, bringing together companies, startups and professionals to discuss innovation, artificial intelligence and sector trends. This year’s edition reinforces its focus on talent development and strengthening the city’s tech ecosystem, providing networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities that support investment attraction and consolidate Porto’s role as a technology hub.

Future Founders

The Future Founders project addresses a recurring challenge in Porto’s entrepreneurial ecosystem: the difficulty of finding the right cofounder to build a startup from the ground up. The initiative will launch the futurefounders.pt platform, where entrepreneurs can register, share project ideas and profiles, and access tailored matchmaking suggestions. In addition, regular in-person events will be organised to allow founders to present their projects, meet peers and establish meaningful partnerships. By combining digital tools with community-oriented face-to-face interaction, the project aims to facilitate the creation of stronger founding teams and contribute to a more cohesive and resilient innovation ecosystem in the region.

Pillar 3 – Creativity

For the first time, the Open Call created a pillar dedicated to digital artistic creation with the support of the Porto Municipal Gallery. Ten artists were funded to develop artistic and cultural interventions for public spaces, culminating in a Digital Gallery launched in July 2025. Selected artists include:

Cláudia Teixeira Martinho – Feet on the Ground
S4RA (Sandra Araújo) – Strong Hands
Francisco Pedro Oliveira – Interior Hydrography
Mariana Sá Lopes Tavares Caló – Drawings, tactics, and signs, an urban archaeology
Rui Filipe Veloso Peixoto Bourbon – City Delirium
Elisabete Sousa & Fábio André Teixeira Pereira (Fá) – Dream of the Machine-City
Maria – If My Voice Could Speak
Tiago Cadete – Walk
Diana Policarpo – Cora
Maria Constanza Ferreira – Alminha: An Ode to Lost Souls

Strong participation and impactful proposals

The initiative saw increased participation with applications spread across all three pillars. The thematic and methodological diversity of proposals demonstrates civil society and local agents’ capacity to critically reflect on the territory and propose concrete solutions.

Next steps

Upon announcing results, a new phase began: implementing projects in Porto. Selected initiatives are supported by involved entities working to promote collaborative, sustainable, and creative practices contributing to the city’s urban and social quality.

In conclusion, the 2025 Open Call represents the most comprehensive and robust civic participation and urban transformation achievement, able to simultaneously drive digital transition, entrepreneurship, and creativity in Porto. Since 2017, the Open Call has strengthened at each edition, becoming a key part of the city’s innovation strategy and bridging community talent and sustainable urban development needs.

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