The Madeira Startup Retreat welcomes and is looking forward to selecting 10 Tourism and Travel startups. If you aim to:

>find new ideas
>look for inspiration
>boost your startup
>increase your network

then this retreat is for you! Startups that are interested in this program can apply with 2 to 4 collaborators.

Already established Travel, Tourism and Leisure startups. In this 7th edition, the jury will preferably select the finalists, considering those who offer: > Applications of Artificial Intelligence, including Generative AI, across various tourism-related industries to transform the experience of both tourists and service/product providers. > Innovative solutions that position companies at the forefront of technological adoption, ensuring competitive advantage, customer loyalty, and stronger brand engagement, while generating new revenue streams for tourism stakeholders. > High-impact innovations in the tourism sector aimed at increasing profitability and competitiveness of businesses and destinations.

If you already have users or clients and a product in the market — but you're still hungry to grow, scale, and explore new opportunities — you're in the right place

Yes! Your startup needs to be up and running, i.e, previously established, functioning, and scalable.  It must have an updated website/platform and social media.

No. We don’t ask for anything that could compromise your product innovations in the application process.

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Mission of the Program

> Foster relationships with the private sector, including tourism-related businesses, enabling innovative startups to test and commercialize their solutions and products.
> Leverage Madeira’s ecosystem as a living lab to test, scale, and explore new market niches for products and services.
> Promote an internal culture of innovation and contribute to increased competitiveness.
> Accelerate knowledge sharing and strategic development.
> Define and implement effective innovation strategies.
> Empower the adoption and development of disruptive technologies.
> Optimize operational processes and efficiency.
> Support innovative startups in growing and scaling from Madeira to the world, benefiting from a world-class island tourism ecosystem.
> Promote and globally showcase Madeira entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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Mission of the Program

> Direct networking opportunities with key contacts, partners, and investors.
> Collaboration and synergies within a high-quality, excellence-driven ecosystem.
> Sharing of tools and data-driven insights.
> Tangible impact on the local and global innovation ecosystem.

This program is co-designed by regional and national entities deeply connected to innovation, emerging trends, and business growth — especially in tourism and technology. It’s built to support startups ready to scale, grow, and explore new opportunities.

Throughout the retreat, each startup will be supported by:
> A dedicated event assistant, guiding participants from selection to the final day of the program.
> A local operations and consulting team, ensuring smooth daily logistics and a seamless experience.
> A network of over 15 mentors and guest speakers, offering insights, feedback, and inspiration.
> Local industry players, who will engage directly with startups to explore collaboration and market fit.

To make the experience truly immersive, each startup will be matched with a local host — someone from Madeira who will share valuable insights about the ecosystem, lifestyle, and, when possible, support your regional expansion journey.

During the program you will be learning (more) about:
> Startup Team Status
> Strategy & Business Diagnosis
> Value Creation
> Brand & Communication
> Product Strategy Review
> Sales Improvement
> Business Model Review
> Growth Hacking & Digital Marketing
> Soft & Hard Skills
> Leadership for Impact
> Business Measurement
> The Art of Pitching

Participating startups will be studied and new ideas or suggestions will be applied to their companies, products, and markets. Besides the mentoring and workshops you will be attending /participating in, you will also have networking events and leisure activities at your disposal.

We want you to experience this beautiful island like a local, so as the beautiful walks along the famous water canals (Levadas) up in the mountains, diving and sea trips, hiking and mountain biking, tasting the traditional food and drinks, relaxing yoga sessions and so much more have been planned, especially for you.

At the end of this retreat, you'll have the opportunity to refine your objectives, business model, improve your product/ service, and focus on strategic aspects of your startup. There'll be a Demo-Day, where you will have the opportunity to pitch to a crowd representing different local and national tourism & travel enterprises and organizations.

Each startup receives a grant to be spent on expenses while in Madeira: 2.500€. These may include: travel expenses, accommodation, meals, etc.). By aiding you in this way, we hope to keep you 100% focused and relaxed during this 6-week-program, so that you can truly make the most of your stay in Madeira.

No.

From the 1st day of the event, February 9th, 2026. We recommend you to arrive during the weekend before, so you can have a safe arrival and time to settle.

If you're located in the EU, you can travel to Madeira without a VISA. If you're from outside the EU, you may need to get a Schengen VISA. It is relatively easy to apply for a 90-day-visa.

The application is open from the 1st - 30th of November 2025. Read the 7th Edition' regulation for more information here.