Portugal’s Economic Shift: From Beaches to Data & AI — And How Investors Can Participate

Portugal’s entry into the tech & AI economy

The country is investing billions to reduce dependence on seasonal tourism and pivot toward **data centers, AI infrastructure, advanced logistics, and clean industry**. Sines — a coastal hub south of Lisbon — sits on a critical nexus of **subsea cables** connecting Europe with Brazil and Africa, and soon the US (via a new link), making it a natural **gateway for data traffic** across continents.

• Hyperscale data build-out at Sines (“Start Campus”) with a reported ~€8.5B / $9.9B project value; first building live.
• Cloud & compute tenants (e.g., major global providers) and a roadmap to six buildings by 2030 powered by renewables.
• Re-use of legacy industrial infrastructure (cooling/seawater) to accelerate deployment and sustainability.

Beyond data: batteries, ports and logistics

Complementing the data pivot, Portugal is attracting **advanced manufacturing and logistics** to deepen its role as an Atlantic-EU platform. Projects referenced include a **~€2-2.3B battery factory**, port expansions, and broader supply-chain upgrades.

Stakeholders note infrastructure bottlenecks (housing, transport) that require continued investment — a familiar pattern in fast-growing innovation hubs.

Capital follows innovation — the investor’s lens

As **Web Summit Lisbon** and broader innovation agendas amplify Portugal’s visibility, global allocators are pairing domestic return engines with **EUR-denominated, regulated exposure**. The objective is to capture growth while benefiting from EU governance and jurisdictional diversification.

Explorer Investments — your institutional bridge to Europe

Explorer provides **CMVM-regulated** access to European private markets aligned with institutional due diligence standards. Investors can pursue **Golden Visa-eligible** strategies or **non-GV share classes** when residency is not part of the mandate.

• Private Equity — operational value creation in lower/mid-market companies.
• Real Assets — resilience, income characteristics, and inflation linkage potential.
• Governance — oversight, reporting cadence, KYC/AML and suitability processes.

What we cover in a 1:1 strategy session

• Objectives: liquidity horizon, tax residency, generational planning.
• Brazil vs. Europe blend: currency, legal, and governance diversification.
• Explorer vehicles: mandate fit, pipeline, fees, reporting.
• Golden Visa options vs. non-GV tracks — trade-offs and suitability.
• Next steps: onboarding, documentation, custodian integration.