Macau as a Gateway to generate investment – 2025.06.19

Join us at the Rui Cunha Foundation Seminar: “Macau as a Gateway to Generate Investment Opportunities in Tech Startups”

Discover how Macau can serve as a key bridge for fostering innovation and investment in tech startups, connecting China, Portuguese-speaking countries, and global markets. This panel discussion features Marco Duarte Rizzolio, President of the Association for Entrepreneurship and Innovation between Macau, China, and Portuguese-speaking countries, alongside three renowned experts in entrepreneurship and venture capital: Rui Ferreira, former CEO Portugal Venture and Managing Partner of Nascente Value Accelerator; Paulo Andrez, Serial entrepreneur, president emeritus European Business Angel Network and author zero risk Startup; and Ana Barjasic, board member of the EIC (European Innovation Council), ecosystem builder recognized as one of Europe’s top 100 influential women in startups and VC.

Join us for an engaging conversation with distinguished expert, where we’ll explore opportunities, challenges, and strategies for leveraging Macau’s unique position to drive innovation and investment growth.

Rui Ferreira is Managing Partner of Nascente Value Accelerator, CEO of Territórios Criativos and Mendes Gonçalves Corporate Ventures coordinator. Worked as a consultant for several entities in the areas of financing, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions of SMEs and innovation/entrepreneurship, venture capital and private equity. He was CEO of Portugal Ventures (Public Venture Capital Manager), CFO of SharkTank Portugal, Executive Director of ICAT/TEC Labs – Institute for Applied Science and Technology of the University of Lisbon , Corporate Finance Manager of Capital Criativo (Private Equity Manager), General Manager and Founder of Audax-ISCTE (Centre for Research and Support to Entrepreneurship and Family Businesses of ISCTE-IUL and Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon), Manager of Deloitte’s Corporate Finance Division, Advisor to the Board of API-Capital, SA (Private Equity public manager) and Head of Financial Engineering Department of IAPMEI. Teacher of Entrepreneurship and Corporate Finance in ISCTE-IUL and Porto Business School.

Paulo Andrez is an international expert in entrepreneurship and innovation, scale up, and risk mitigation, and a bestselling author of Zero Risk Startup, published by Forbes Books. Paulo is also a prolific angel investor with an active portfolio including startup and scale up companies. He received the award “Best European Angel Investment” in 2012 when his investments reached 24,5 million euros in revenues within its first year of operations.

Paulo is currently President Emeritus of the European Business Angel Network (EBAN), after serving as President for two years, and an advisory board member of the Europe Startup Nations Alliance (ESNA). As a serial entrepreneur and investor, Paulo frequently speaks at global conferences and lectures on topics related to innovation, entrepreneurship, and venture finance, including a workshop series on risk mitigation for new ventures.

Ana Barjasic is an entrepreneur, angel investor, policy adviser and ecosystem builder, with over a decade of experience in international startup ecosystems. In 2024, Ana was listed one of Europe’s top 100 influential women in the startup and VC space in Europe.

Combining her hands-on experience and knowledge of startup and innovation ecosystems and investment communities across EMEA region, Ana founded Connectology, an early-stage investment and capacity-building firm.

Ana is also an Obama Leader Europe, Executive Committee Member of Global Entrepreneurship Network (Europe) and a Board Member of the European Innovation Council, largest innovation fund for deep tech in Europe with investment capacity of 10 billion euros

MODERATOR:

Marco Duarte Rizzolio: President Association Entrepreneurship and Innovation Macau – China and Portuguese Speaking Countries