From Portugal to the US to Brazil to the Middle East.
A 6-month program for scaleups looking to expand internationally in four leading innovation ecosystems.
Applications close 13 December
USA
Middle East
Europe
Brazil
Program
The world's most promising scaleups are built to go global.
Global expansion requires guidance, networks, and capital across multiple markets. The Global Scaling Up Program unites leading ecosystems across Europe, the Middle East, the US, and Brazil under one cohort and a shared curriculum.
Up to 12 scalups in
the founding cohort
4 countries
Portugal, UAE, USA, Brazil
4 summits & immersive experiences
Web Summit (PT), SXSW (US) South Summit (BR), Impact Summit (UAE)
6 months
Jan – Jun 2027
4 online soft-landing session
+ 6 upskilling modules
Four pillars, six months, one cohort.
Upskilling modules
Two in-person bootcamps (Lisbon, Abu Dhabi) and four online workshops across Leadership, Sales, Product and Capital Raise. Delivered by leading international experts and designed for the whole C-suite, not just the founders.
C-level advisory board
Structured advisory from proven executives at unicorns, VCs, senior executives and post-Series B companies. A warm introduction, then three to four strategic sessions across the six months.
Soft landing sessions
Expert-led online sessions that cut through the guesswork of entering a new market: practical set-up (legal and fiscal, regulation, recruitment, taxes, funding access), business and culture (go-to-market, deal-making norms, pitch adaptation) and network & business development.
Summits & immersive
experiences
Free or discounted access to local tech summits (Web Summit, SXSW, South Summit Brazil, Impact Summit), plus optional immersive experiences during tech summits period with local ecosystem players, ecosystem visits and introductions.
Journey
January · Lisbon, PT
Welcome event; Leadership & Culture Bootcamp with Steve Cadigan; Portugal soft landing and Europe immersive experience.
February · Online
International Expansion Strategy; C-level matching; US soft landing.
March · Online + Austin, Texas, USA
Building & Scaling Global Sales; USA soft landing; SXSW and immersive experience (optional).
April · Online + Porto Alegre, BR
Scaling Product Across Markets and Growth Engine & Execution; South Summit Brazil and immersive experience (optional).
May · Abu Dhabi, UAE
Capital Raise Bootcamp; UAE soft landing; Impact Summit and immersive experience; program graduation.
June · Online
Final advisory sessions.
Eligibility
Is your scaleup ready for the next level?
€1M+ raised,
post-seed
At least €1M raised and past the seed stage.
€600k+ ARR
Product live and generating over €600k in annual recurring revenue.
15+ team members
Management across product, sales, operations and finance.
A real international
expansion plan
Global growth is central to the business, not a someday idea.
Validated in at least
1 of our 4 markets
Europe, the US, the UAE/MENA or Brazil.
Open to applicants worldwide
No need to be based in Portugal or any partner market.
Applications are open.
Applications are open.
Apply
Fill in the online form (about 15 minutes) and attach your deck and latest metrics.
Open until 13 December
01
Interview
Shortlisted teams meet the UFL and partner teams to talk through expansion plans and program fit.
December
02
Selection
A joint jury selects the final cohort. Selected scaleups confirm their place and pay the participation fee.
December
03
€5,500 + VAT: Open call fee per scaleup. Includes multiple C-suite attendees.
0% equity: We take no equity, ever. The program is run at cost.
Not included: Flights & accommodation. Mandatory stops: Lisbon & Abu Dhabi.
Apply by Dec 13. Any questions, fell free to reach out.
Partners
Built by four leading ecosystems.
Global partners: carry the in-person backbone of the program
Unicorn Factory Lisboa
Lisbon, PT
Program lead. Hosts the program launch at Web Summit (November 2026) and, in Lisbon in January 2027, the Welcome event, the Leadership & Culture Bootcamp and the Europe soft landing with immersive experience.
Hub71
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Hosts the Capital Raise Bootcamp, the UAE/MENA soft landing, the graduation and the Impact Summit immersive experience.
Ecosystem partners: unlock access to their local networks.
Q-Branch
Austin, Texas, USA
Runs the US soft landing online and hosts the SXSW immersive experience. Silicon Valley support from Redbridge.
Instituto Caldeira
Porto Alegre, Brazil
Runs the Brazil soft landing online and hosts an immersive experience around South Summit Brazil.
Expert partners: hands-on mentorship and industry expertise.
Module: Leadership
Bootcamp
Steve Cadigan
Talent Advisor, Author
& LinkedIn’s first CHRO
Steve was LinkedIn’s first Chief Human Resources Officer. He scaled the company from 400 to 4,000 employees and through its IPO. He is the author of Workquake and now advises leaders and organizations worldwide on talent and culture.
Module: Capital Raise
Bootcamp
François Mazoudier
Founder & CEO, Fundraising Bootcamp
François is a serial tech entrepreneur and investor with 20+ years of experience building and funding companies across Europe. His Fundraising Bootcamp has helped more than 360 startups raise over £750M, from Seed to Series B.
Module: Product Strategy
& Growth Bootcamp
Gina Dragulin
Product Marketing & Growth Leader
Gina has 18+ years of marketing leadership at tech companies including Microsoft, Miro, Unbabel and SoSafe. She has led go-to-market for cloud, AI and enterprise products, and she mentors startups on product-market fit and GTM strategy.
Track record
Backed by 10 past ScalingUp editions
ScalingUp Global extends Unicorn Factory Lisboa's flagship acceleration program. It takes that curriculum international.