Macau as a Gateway to generate investment – 2025.06.19

«Macau can serve as a key bridge for fostering innovation and investment in tech startups, connecting China, Portuguese-speaking countries, and global markets», according to the organization. This is the focus for the debate that will bring together a distinguished discussion panel, taking advantage of leading figures passing through the territory to participate in the “Macau Angel Investor Network” recent event. The purpose has been to bring together residents that are interested in starting their own businesses and becoming successful entrepreneurs, in an economy that is increasingly seeking to diversify.

The aim of this debate is to «explore opportunities, challenges, and strategies for leveraging Macau’s unique position to drive innovation and investment growth», according to Marco Rizzolio. The purpose of connecting angel investors to emerging start-ups and local SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) has been an important resolution for AEIMCP, hoping to foster the entrepreneurial ecosystem and promoting Macau’s economic diversification. The accelerated growth of innovation and technology, more digitalization and use of software in business, are today a growing interest within the Greater Bay Area, particularly in sectors such as information technology, smart tourism, the green economy, the big health industry, digital education, the potential of logistics or the creativity of finance.

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. He 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. He 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 Andrez 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, she 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, as well as investment communities across the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Ana Barjasic founded Connectology, an early-stage investment and capacity-building firm. She is also an Obama Leader Europe, Executive Committee Member of Global Entrepreneurship Network (Europe) and a Board Member of the European Innovation Council (EIC), largest innovation fund for deep tech in Europe with investment capacity of 10 billion euros.