Meet the winners!

 

 

International Visibility

Increase your project’s visibility at a European level.

Recognition of Excellence

Be recognised for the quality and impact of your project.

 

 

The Regulations will be made available shortly.

Discover the main winners

'A Smarter Portugal' Category

CIMRLEIRIA.06.13 – Real-Time User Information System

The Municipality of Leiria was awarded for implementing digital solutions that optimise urban mobility and enhance citizens’ quality of life. The Real-Time Information System, co-financed by Centro 2020 and supported by an Integrated Management Platform, interactive panels and a mobile application, provides immediate access to information on public transport, parking and sustainable mobility. A project that demonstrates how technology can make cities smarter and more accessible.

'A Greener Portugal' Category

Extension of Metro do Porto: Yellow Line (Santo Ovídio – Vila D’Este)

Metro do Porto was recognised for delivering a strategic investment in sustainable urban mobility, supported by PO SEUR. The 3.15 km extension includes three new stations and a modern Rolling Stock Park and Workshop, significantly improving access for thousands of citizens to essential services such as the Vila Nova de Gaia/Espinho Hospital Centre. This project strengthens the multimodal network of the Porto Metropolitan Area and highlights the structural role of public transport in the green transition, with time savings for users expected to translate into over €116 million by 2048.

'A more Connected Portugal' Category

DATABOX4OEMS

Stratio received the award for a solution with the potential to revolutionise fleet maintenance. The Stratio.Databox, co-financed by Centro 2020, is a device compatible with any vehicle, using Artificial Intelligence to analyse real-time data and anticipate failures in critical components, preventing unexpected downtime and reducing operational costs. This Portuguese technology has enabled public and freight transport operators to shift from reactive maintenance to a more efficient and sustainable predictive approach, placing Portugal at the forefront of smart mobility.

The project has already been adopted by more than 13,000 vehicles across Europe, including public transport operators and heavy vehicle manufacturers. Key benefits include reduced fuel consumption, extended battery life in electric fleets and improved operational reliability. Beyond its technological impact, the project has created skilled jobs in areas such as data science, software engineering and automotive engineering, strengthening the innovation ecosystem in the Centro region and across Europe.

'A more Social Portugal' Category

abem programme: Solidarity Network for Medicines

Associação Dignitude was awarded for creating an innovative solution that ensures no citizen is left without essential medicines due to financial constraints. With the support of PO ISE, it was possible to establish a network involving municipalities, social organisations and pharmacies, enabling beneficiaries to access medicines co-funded by the SNS free of charge through the abem: card, in a model that ensures dignity and anonymity. An initiative that mobilises civil society to support those most in need, demonstrating the power of social innovation.

'Portugal Closer to citizens' Category

Fundão MEDEIA Project: Network of Municipal and Intercultural Mediators

The Municipality of Fundão was recognised for creating a network of local mediators that promotes the integration of migrants, applicants for international protection and Roma communities. Through initiatives such as Escola-te!, Educação Intercultural and Medeia Trabalho, co-financed by PO ISE, the project has developed concrete responses in the areas of education, employment, healthcare and inclusive citizenship. This innovative approach strengthens social cohesion and demonstrates that effective integration relies on proximity and intercultural dialogue.

Find out who the finalists were

'A Smarter Portugal' Category

  • Intelligent Hospital Infection Control (more information soon)

  • CIMRLEIRIA.06.13 – Real-Time User Information System (more information soon)

  • Smart Farm 4.0 – Intelligent Solutions for Sustainable, Predictive and Autonomous Agriculture (more information soon)

  • Precision Medicine Centre in Oncology – Digital Pathology (more information soon)

  • INNO4HEALTH – Stimulate continuous monitoring in personal and physical health (more information soon)

'A Greener Portugal' Category

  • ECOGRES 4.0: Spin-off from an R&D project adopting principles of the circular economy, innovation and Ceramic (more information soon)

  • EcoX, Recycling of Waste Cooking Oils through Green Chemistry (more information soon)

  • Extension of Metro do Porto: Yellow Line (Santo Ovídio – Vila D’Este) (more information soon)

  • Rehabilitation and Restoration of the Dune System at Meia Praia (more information soon)

  • Video Surveillance and Automatic Fire Detection System as a Decision-Support Component (more information soon)

  • STRATIO.DATABOX4OEMS (more information soon)

  • InovC+: Intelligent Innovation Ecosystem of the Central Region (more information soon)

  • Aeronautics and Aerospace Industry Business Centre in Ponte de Sor (more information soon)

  • EEC PROVERE ‘Cork Oak Montado and Cork, a Sustainable and Inimitable National Heritage’ (more information soon)

  • Viseu Dão Lafões Cultural Network (more information soon)

'A more Social Portugal' Category

  • abem: Solidarity Network for Medicines programme (more information soon)

  • NOVORON: National Oncology Registry Project (more information soon)

  • It’s a Community (more information soon)

  • ubbu – Learn to Code (more information soon)

  • Residential Facility and Day Care Centre for Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias (more information soon)

'Portugal Closer to citizens' Category

  • Fundão MEDEIA Project: Network of Municipal and Intercultural Mediators (more information soon)

  • @GIR – Regional Innovation Office (more information soon)

  • Museu Nacional Resistência e Liberdade, Space of Memory / Active Agent of Citizenship (more information soon)

  • AMP – Cultural Heritage: Metropolitan Heritage Days (more information soon)

  • Ponte 516 Arouca (more information soon)

Meet the jury

'A Smarter Portugal' Category

The ‘A Smarter Portugal’ category recognises investments that drive research and innovation, digitalisation, business competitiveness and internationalisation, skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship.

'A Greener Portugal' Category

The ‘A Greener Portugal’ category + recognises projects focused on the green transition, energy efficiency, strengthening renewable energy, innovation, the circular economy and sustainable mobility.

'A more Connected Portugal' Category

This category recognises projects that enhance the mobility of people and goods, improve territorial development, and promote attractiveness, competitiveness and integration into national and international markets.

'A more Social Portugal' Category

This category recognises projects that promote improved population skills, equal access to healthcare, quality employment and social inclusion.

'Portugal Closer to citizens' Category

This category recognises projects that promote local development, social and territorial cohesion, and sustainable urban development.

Review the highlights

Photo gallery

Troféus

Mónica Silvares

Dina Ferreira

Vencedor

Geral

João Joanaz de Melo

Nuno Alves

Vencedor

Menção Honrosa

Grupo

Miguel Gaspar

Tiago Teotónio Pereira

Vencedor

Menção Honrosa

Grupo

Delfim Machado

Sofia Pereira

Vencedor

Menção Honrosa

Grupo

Filipe Santos

Diogo Silva Pereira

Vencedor

Menção Honrosa

Grupo

Patricia Borges

Laurentiu Teodurescu

Grupo

Vencedor

Day 5

Friday

3:00 p.m.

Mondego Room – 2nd Floor

Pitch by the Finalists of the European Funds Awards

A Smarter Portugal

  • Intelligent Hospital Infection Control by Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira Guimarães (HSOG) (presentation available soon)
  • 06.13 – Real-Time User Information System by the Municipality of Leiria (presentation available soon)
  • Smart Farm 4.0 – – Intelligent Solutions for Sustainable, Predictive and Autonomous Agriculture by TOMIX – Indústria de equipamentos agrícolas e industriais (presentation available soon)
  • Precision Medicine Centre in Oncology – Digital Pathology by the Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Lisbon Francisco Gentil (IPOLFG) (presentation available soon)
  • INNO4HEALTH – Stimulate continuous monitoring in personal and physical health by WISEWARE (presentation available soon)

VIEW THE SESSION HERE

3:30 p.m.

Mondego Room – 2nd Floor

Pitch by the Finalists of the European Funds Awards

A more Connected Portugal

  • DATABOX4OEMS by Stratio, S.A. (presentation available soon)

  • InovC+: Intelligent Innovation Ecosystem of the Central Region by the University of Coimbra (presentation available soon)

  • Aeronautics and Aerospace Industry Business Centre in Ponte de Sor by the Municipality of Ponte de Sor (presentation available soon)

  • ECC PROVERE ‘Cork Oak Montado and Cork, a Sustainable and Inimitable National Heritage by the Municipality of Coruche (presentation available soon)

  • Viseu Dão Lafões Cultural Network by Comunidade Intermunicipal Viseu Dão-Lafões (presentation available soon)

VIEW THE SESSION HERE

4:00 p.m.

Mondego Room – 2nd Floor

Pitch by the Finalists of the European Funds Awards

A Greener Portugal

  • ECOGRÉS 4.0: Spin-off from an R&D project adopting principles of the circular economy, innovation and Ceramic 4.0 by ECOGRÉS – Cerâmica Ecológica, Lda (presentation available soon)
  • EcoX: Recycling of Waste Cooking Oils through Green Chemistry (presentation available soon)
  • Extension of Metro do Porto: Yellow Line (Santo Ovídio – Vila D’Este) (presentation available soon)
  • Rehabilitation and Restoration of the Dune System at Meia Praia by the Municipality of Lagos (presentation available soon)
  • Video Surveillance and Automatic Fire Detection System as a Decision-Support Component by the Comunidade Intermunicipal da Região de Leiria (presentation available soon)

VIEW THE SESSION HERE

4:30 p.m.

Mondego Room – 2nd Floor

Pitch by the Finalists of the European Funds Awards

Portugal Closer to citizens

  • Fundão MEDEIA Project: Network of Municipal and Intercultural Mediators by the Municipality of Fundão (presentation available soon)

  • @GIR – Regional Innovation Office by the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra (IPC) (presentation available soon)

  • Museu nacional Resistência e Liberdade, Space of Memory / Active Agent of Citizenship (presentation available soon)

  • Cultural Heritage: Metropolitan Heritage Days of the Área Metropolitana do Porto (presentation available soon)

  • Ponte 516 Arouca by the Municipality of Arouca (presentation available soon)

VIEW THE SESSION HERE

5:00 p.m.

Mondego Room – 2nd Floor

Pitch by the Finalists of the European Funds Awards

A more Social Portugal

  • abem: Solidarity Network for Medicines by Associação Dignitude (presentation available soon)
  • NOVORON – Oncology Registry Project by the Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Lisbon Francisco Gentil – IPOLFG (presentation available soon)
  • It’s a Community by CRESCER – Associação de intervenção comunitária (presentation available soon)
  • ubbu – Learn to Code by the Fundação Altice Portugal (presentation available soon)
  • Residential Facility and Day Care Centre for Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias by the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Castro Marim (presentation available soon)

VIEW THE SESSION HERE

6:00 p.m.

Mondego Room – 2nd Floor

European Funds Awards Ceremony

WATCH THE CEREMONY HERE

Opening:

Cláudia Joaquim, President of the Cohesion and Development Agency

 

Presentation of ‘A Smarter Portugal’ Category Award:

Mónica Silvares, Jury Member and Executive Editor at Jornal ECO

Dina Ferreira, Programme Manager, Mar 2030

 

Presentation of the ‘A more Connected Portugal’ Category Award:

Miguel Gaspar, Jury Member and Mobility Expert at SIBS

António Ceia da Silva, Programme Manager, Alentejo 2030

 

Presentation of the ‘A Greener Portugal’ Category Award:

João Joanaz de Melo, Jury Member and Professor at NOVA University of Lisbon

Nuno Alves, Programme Manager, Açores 2030

 

Presentation of ‘Portugal Closer to citizens’ Category Award:

Delfim Machado, Jury Member and Deputy Editor at Jornal de Notícias

Sofia Pereira, Programme Manager, FAMI 2030

 

Presentation of ‘A more Social Portugal’ Category Award:

Filipe Santos, Jury Member and Director at Universidade Católica Portuguesa

Diogo Silva Pereira, Liaison for Portuguese programmes at the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission

 

Presentation of the Public Choice Category Award:

Patrícia Borges, Board Member of the Cohesion and Development Agency

Laurentiu Teodorescu, Team Leader at the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission

7:00 p.m.

Mondego Room – 2nd Floor

Closing session

Reading of the Message from the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa

Manuel Castro de Almeida, Minister for the Economy and Territorial Cohesion

Estudantina Universitária de Coimbra

VIEW THE SESSION HERE

Doors close

What are the European Funds Awards?

The ‘European Funds Awards’ are a competition aimed at promoting projects funded by the European Union through Portugal 20201, the Programa Operacional de Apoio às Pessoas Mais Carenciadas (POAPMC), Portugal 2030 and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund Programme (AMIF 2030). Its purpose is to demonstrate the impact of EU-funded projects on social, economic and environmental development in the territories soon they are implemented, highlighting the importance of European support.
This initiative therefore seeks to increase the visibility of European funds in Portugal and to strengthen positive public perception of their use, particularly among the general public and opinion makers.
It also contributes to enhancing the quality of demand by inspiring beneficiaries and potential applicants to develop projects that are more closely aligned with European and Portugal 2030 priorities, in increasingly innovative and impactful ways within their areas and territories of operation.
This initiative is promoted by the Cohesion and Development Agency, I.P., within the framework of the Portugal 2030 Communication Network, with the support and direct involvement of the Managing Authorities that are part of this Network.
Find out more at www.premiosdosfundoseuropeus.pt.

 

1 ERDF, Cohesion Fund, European Social Fund and EMFF.

Which projects are eligible?

All applications must meet the following eligibility criteria:

    1. The application must refer to a project that was initiated and completed between 31 January 2014 and 31 October 2024, and that received co-financing from the European Union under one of the following programmes:
      1. Portugal 2020 (through the ERDF, Cohesion Fund, European Social Fund and EMFF);
      2. The Programa Operacional de Apoio às Pessoas Mais Carenciadas (POAPMC);
      3. Portugal 2030, or
      4. the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund Programme (AMIF 2030).
    2. Projects are considered completed when all planned activities have been carried out, they are physically and financially finalised, have received the respective final financial contribution, and have been formally declared as completed in accordance with the applicable legislation.
How many projects can I submit?

Each beneficiary may submit up to a maximum of five projects, with only one project allowed per category.

What will be assessed?

All eligible applications will be assessed by the Awards jury based on the following criteria:

  1. Cohesion
    The project’s contribution to overall economic, social and territorial cohesion. What added value does the project bring?

  2. Impact
    The local and regional impact of the project and the quality of its results. What has changed in the region, country and/or sector as a result of the project?

  3. Innovation
    The innovative nature of the project within the selected award category. What is new? What has not been done before? Innovation may be operational, economic, social and/or environmental.

  4. Sustainability
    The project’s potential to endure over time, particularly in terms of economic sustainability. Efforts to ensure continuity and growth beyond the project’s lifecycle must be demonstrated.

  5. Citizenship
    The extent to which citizens and civil society stakeholders were involved in the development and/or implementation of the project.

  6. Transferability
    The potential for the project to be replicated in other regions or scaled up at national level.

How and when will the selection process take place?

The selection process will follow these steps:

  • Launch and opening of applications: 11 December 2024;

  • Submission deadline: until 23:59:59 (mainland Portugal time) on 30 June 2025, via the application form available at www.premiosdosfundoseuropeus.pt;

  • By 19 September, the jury will assess all applications and select up to five finalists per category;

  • Week of 22 September: announcement of finalists;

  • Week of 22 September: opening of voting for the ‘Public Choice’ category;

  • Week of 13 October: presentation session by the finalists;

  • Awards ceremony: during the 2nd Edition of the European Funds Exhibition, to be held in October 2025.

What is the contact for enquiries?

For any questions regarding the application process, please send an email to: premiosdosfundoseuropeus@adcoesao.pt.

What are the competition categories?

The Awards are presented across five thematic categories, as well as an audience choice category:

  • A Smarter Portugal – recognising investments in research and innovation, digitalisation, business competitiveness and internationalisation, skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship;

  • A Greener Portugal – for projects focused on the green transition, energy efficiency, strengthening renewable energy, and supporting innovation, the circular economy and sustainable mobility;

  • A more Connected Portugal – dedicated to projects that enhance the mobility of people and goods, improve territorial development, and promote attractiveness, competitiveness and integration into national and international markets;

  • A more Social Portugal – for projects that support improved population skills, equal access to healthcare, quality employment and social inclusion;

  • Portugal Closer to citizens – for projects related to local development, promoting social and territorial cohesion and sustainable urban development;

  • Public choice – all finalist projects are automatically included in this category, where the public can vote for the project they consider most relevant, regardless of its category. Voting is purely quantitative, with no jury evaluation involved. In this category, voting is purely quantitative, and no evaluation of the projects by the jury will be considered.

    Who can apply?

    Applications must be submitted by the beneficiary or, where applicable, by the lead beneficiary of the project being submitted.

    What will be required during the application process?

    When completing the application form, the following information will be requested:

    1. Competition category

    2. Basic information

      • Project name;

      • Brief project description;

      • Project location (the corresponding NUTS III region must be identified, or, if not geographically identifiable, the location of the beneficiary’s registered office);

      • Funding operational programme; Project start and end dates (month and year);

      • Eligible amount, EU funding amount and co-financing rate;

      • Beneficiary name;

      • Beneficiary representative;

      • Beneficiary address;

      • Beneficiary contact details;

      • Beneficiary website;

      • Website and social media of the beneficiary or the project, where applicable.

    3. Project description

      • Project summary;

      • Project impacts and results;

      • Most distinctive and innovative features of the project;

      • Demonstration of the project’s future sustainability;

      • Public engagement or involvement in the project;

      • Potential for scaling or replication;

      • Declaration of support and compliance with all applicable rules by the Managing Authority (the template for this declaration is available soon😉

      • Supporting multimedia materials.

    Who will evaluate the projects?

    The jury is appointed by the Portugal 2030 Communication Network, following a proposal by the Cohesion and Development Agency, in its capacity as the coordinating body of this Network.

    Each award category will have a jury composed of three recognised experts with strong reputation and merit in the relevant fields, including at least one journalist covering European funds and/or related topics.

    The jury may decide to award a special distinction if justified or, in the absence of suitable applications, choose not to assign a prize.

    The jury’s decision is final and not subject to appeal. However, applicants may request access to the evaluation received for each criterion. The evaluation is carried out anonymously by each jury member.

    What are the benefits of participating in these Awards?

    All finalists will benefit from:

    • Visibility in the communication campaign carried out throughout the Awards process;

    • Association of their brand/project with a recognised mark of excellence in European funds, becoming national references in the use of these funds in Portugal;

    • Exposure to European institutions involved in these initiatives;

    • Access to a national and European networking network.

    What is the validity of the regulations?

    The rules set out in this regulation remain valid until the end of the 1st edition of the European Funds Awards.

    Future editions will have their own regulations, incorporating adjustments based on lessons learned from previous editions.