Embassy Lisbon, in partnership with American Corner@FCT-NOVA, served as an anchor post for a live worldwide web chat on the theme, “Raising Capital: Trends and Innovations” hosted by ECA Alumni Division. The program, part of the “Entrepreneur Exchange” series, featured a Portuguese and an American expert. The Portuguese participant, Sandra Correia, an IVLP alum and CEO of designer accessories company Pelcor, participated from the event at FCT NOVA. From the U.S. in the IIP studio in Washington, DC was Risk Cooperative CEO, Dante Disparte.
The speakers shared their stories and advice on finding funds to launch, sustain, and expand business ventures with a global audience including the approximately 35 audience members present in Lisbon. Sandra Correia also talked about how her IVLP exchange experience helped her to launch a social entrepreneurship project “A New Beginning for Portugal” which provides mentoring to aspiring Portuguese entrepreneurs. After the webchat there was a Q&A session during which Sandra Correia answered questions from the audience about raising funds and sustaining business ventures in Portugal.
The audience in Lisbon included exchange alumni, women entrepreneurs, science and technology faculty, and university students. The webcast was viewed around the world with questions coming in from three different continents.
