Last Friday, Vila Nova de Famalicão celebrated the start of the year in which it is
"proudly" a European Entrepreneurial Region (EER).
"It's a distinction we're very proud of and one that recognises Famalicão's business, economic and social dynamics, but we want it to also serve to add value and take us to a new level of excellence," said Famalicão mayor Mário Passos as he spoke to the territory's various driving forces who joined in the EER launch party: businesspeople and entrepreneurs, heads of schools, universities, technology and research centres and business associations.
At the session, the main events that will mark the year and the initiatives surrounding the distinction awarded last July by the European Committee of the Regions were presented.
There are more than three dozen events, from conferences, workshops, competitions and business missions, in different areas, to attract more technological, value-added investment that will contribute to a qualitative leap in the municipality's business dynamics.
The mayor has no doubt that this is "an opportunity to publicise all the entrepreneurial dynamics of the municipality and a mark of affirmation of the territory and the appreciation of Famalicão around the world" and that with the planned actions "we will be better trained and more competent for the challenges of the future by the end of the year".
And the praise was plentiful, with Carlos Coelho, founder and president of the Ivity Brand Corp consultancy, realising the importance of a distinction of this scale "above all because it's also an incentive for the region to be even more" and an opportunity for "the ecosystem to come together and create synergies capable of overcoming any market and economic issues". Considered one of Portugal's leading experts in the field of brand building and management, Carlos Coelho believes that the work that has been done in Famalicão to build this brand of entrepreneurship is not new. "This award is not for 2024, but for at least a decade in which Famalicão has shown the country that the future lies in industry and innovation," he said.
It should be remembered that Vila Nova de Famalicão is the European Entrepreneurial Region 2024, the first territory in the northern region of Portugal to join the group of European cities and regions to which this award is given and the only Portuguese city/region to hold this distinction in 2024.