The U.S. Embassy Lisbon organized its second speed networking event for USG exchange program Alumni in Portugal along with various local business leaders on November 16, 2016. The event took place during Global Entrepreneurship Week. This speed networking event was focused on connecting and networking among alumni and business leaders whose main focus is entrepreneurship, business and/or social entrepreneurship.
The event was well attended with participants from all corners of Portugal including Amadora, Aveiro, Braga, Coimbra, Porto, Algarve and the Azores, among others. The event brought together a diverse group of alumni and business leaders from various professional backgrounds, including educators, banking industry leaders, government leaders, NGO’s, social entrepreneurship leaders and college students.
Based on the format of speed dating, speed networking is specifically designed to allow participants to exchange information face-to-face and build substantive contacts within a short period of time (e.g. six minutes). Alumni were able to complete six rounds of speed networking, making six substantive introductions within 36 minutes. Following the speed networking session, guests had time for informal networking with one another in a relaxed reception environment to either meet contacts they had not yet met or to follow up in more detail with contacts from the speed networking rounds. At the end of the evening, most participants left with more than six new business contacts.
The U.S. Embassy Lisbon is planning on two such other Speed Networking Events for Alumni in Portugal early in the new year.
