Welcome to
the other side
of Coimbra

GO Coimbra is Coimbra's investment and innovation agency. We support business growth, attract investment and connect knowledge, talent and opportunities. We work with businesses already based in the region and with those choosing Coimbra to invest, establish a presence or develop new projects.

Invest in Coimbra About GO Coimbra

The University Tower. The historic streets.
A heritage that spans generations.
Coimbra has an unmistakable identity and a history that continues to capture the world's interest.

There's the Coimbra you know.
And another side worth discovering.

Beyond that familiar image lies a city that creates, experiments and evolves. Businesses are growing. Ideas are moving out of laboratories.
Technology is reaching new markets.
And people are choosing Coimbra as the place to build their future.

This is the other side of Coimbra. And it all stems from the same place: a city that has brought people together through knowledge for centuries.

It's this closeness that sets Coimbra apart.
The ability to connect talent and businesses, ambition and quality of life, deep roots and a global outlook.

Coimbra has it all. GO Coimbra works with this ecosystem to strengthen connections and create new opportunities.
Welcome to GO Coimbra.

  • SET UP &
    EXPAND

    • Manage and develop iParque, Taveiro Industrial Park and Eiras Business Park.
    • Identify available business locations, develop a coworking network and prepare projects for future expansion.

  • GROW

    • Map and engage the business ecosystem.
    • Organise training and capacity-building events, matchmaking initiatives, institutional visits and international business missions.
    • Strengthen European networks and partnerships with key organisations.

  • INVEST

    • Provide a single point of contact for investors, offering support throughout licensing procedures and soft-landing services for businesses.
    • Promote and strategically position Coimbra and the wider region as an investment destination.

  • TEST &
    INNOVATE

    • Promote Coimbra as a living lab, offering opportunities to test solutions in real-world settings.
    • Connect businesses and partners with experimental projects, including Coimbra City Lab, the Technology Free Zone for defence and aerospace, and international consortia.

What we aim to
achieve by 2029

  • −20%

    Decision-making time

  • +750

    Skilled jobs

  • +10%

    Regional exports

Coimbra has it
all

Coimbra
has it all

Knowledge that challenges convention.
Talent that turns ideas into reality.
Businesses that take risks, innovate and break new ground.

A place that brings the region together and connects it to the world.
With room to invest, the right conditions to grow and a quality of life that makes you want to stay.

Coimbra railway station

Location & Accessibility

Location
& Accessibility

A strategic location connecting Coimbra and the surrounding region to major national and international markets.

Road & Rail Connections

Access to major road routes: A1, A14, A13, IP3 and N1/IC2. Rail connections to Spain via the Beira Alta line, as well as to Lisbon and Porto. Sustainable local and regional mobility through the Metrobus network.

Ports & Airports

Close to the ports of Aveiro (60 km) and Figueira da Foz (40 km). Easy access to Porto and Lisbon international airports.

High-Speed Rail

The planned high-speed rail line is expected to offer journey times of approximately 30 minutes to Porto and 45 minutes to Lisbon.

Students working on laptops

Talent

An education and training ecosystem that generates knowledge, develops skills and creates opportunities for businesses.

40,000 students

A higher education community bringing together the University of Coimbra, the Polytechnic University of Coimbra, the Instituto Superior Miguel Torga and the Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama

9,300 graduates every year

New skilled professionals strengthening the region's talent pool.

Over 650 study programmes

A diverse range of programmes across different fields of study and specialisations.

Aerial view of iParque, Coimbra Science and Technology Park

Science & Innovation

Science &
Innovation

Leading research centres, laboratories and technological infrastructure that advance knowledge and help businesses develop new products, processes and solutions.

40+ R&D centres

Research and development units funded by the Agency for Research and Innovation (AI2), producing leading work in neuroscience and biomedicine, particle physics, robotics, computer engineering and health sciences.

4 Technology & Innovation Centres

  • Instituto Pedro Nunes

    Ranked among the world's top 10 technology business incubators.

  • AIBILI

    Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image.

  • CTCV

    Technological Centre for Ceramics and Glass.

  • Itecons

    Institute for Research and Technological Development in Construction, Energy, Environment and Sustainability.

9 out of 10 units rated Excellent or Very Good by AI2

Banks of the Mondego River with Coimbra's Alta in the background

Quality of Life

Quality
of Life

A human-scale city with green spaces, culture and easy access to services for those who live and work here.

Wellbeing

380 hectares of green space and 13.9 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants.

Culture & Heritage

The University of Coimbra — Alta and Sofia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and an average of 144 live cultural events every month.

Pedestrian bridge over the Mondego River

International Relations

International
Relations

A region that builds bridges across borders, fostering cooperation and creating new opportunities for development.

25 twin cities

A network of institutional relationships connecting Coimbra with cities and regions around the world.

International Alliances & Networks

Active participation in networks that promote cooperation and knowledge sharing.

International Cooperation

Partnerships and agreements that encourage exchange and collaboration between regions and institutions.

Explore Coimbra's international connections

Want to get to know Coimbra? Discover everything the city has to offer.

Discover Coimbra

Five strategic sectors

GO Coimbra's focus combines sectors in which the region already has expertise with emerging areas.

  • Illustration of a DNA strand

    Health &
    Biotechnology

    Show more about Health & Biotechnology

    Biomedical research, digital health and the pharmaceutical industry.

  • Satellite dish at night

    Aerospace, Defence
    & Technological
    Sovereignty

    Show more about Aerospace, Defence & Technological Sovereignty

    Dual-use technologies (civilian and defence applications), a Technology Free Zone and an ESA Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) based in the region.

    NATO DIANA Accelerator (IPN) ESA BIC Coimbra Supernova
  • Students in a university auditorium

    Education &
    Future Skills

    Show more about Education & Future Skills

    EdTech, advanced training and the transformation of learning models.

  • Wind turbine in the fog

    Green Transition &
    Circular Economy

    Show more about Green Transition & Circular Economy

    AgriTech, sustainable energy and the circular economy in the Mondego Valley.

  • Digital illustration of a brain

    Digital & Artificial
    Intelligence

    Show more about Digital & Artificial Intelligence

    Data science, applied AI and digital economic infrastructure.

From first contact
to investment on
the ground.

Discover our services to support investment and business expansion.

Big enough to scale, small enough to care

  • Investor Support

    Personalised support for businesses looking to invest or expand in Coimbra.

    CONTACT US

  • Investment Fast Track

    A single point of contact to help speed up procedures, licensing and project implementation.

    GET STARTED

  • Incentives

    Clear information on available funding programmes and investment incentives.

    VIEW INCENTIVES

Space to set up and expand

Explore Coimbra's business and industrial locations and find detailed information about each park.

Satellite map of Coimbra showing the location of the business parks

Ready to take
the next step?

Looking to invest in Coimbra, expand your business, find partners or test a new solution?
Tell us what you're looking for. The GO Coimbra team will help you find the right contacts, explore opportunities and identify the next steps.

Get in touch.
Be part of the other side of Coimbra.

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