From Idea to Direction — A Hands-On Entrepreneurship Workshop in Porto

Get ready to turn your startup dreams into real plans with this fun, hands-on workshop for future entrepreneurs.

You studied hard. You worked hard. Is this really all there is?

You check your bank account and wonder if this is what you were fighting for. You look at business owners and wonder how they all started. You listen to every podcast, read every book, attend every webinar, and still haven't started anything.

That is not laziness. That is productive procrastination. And it is time to stop.

Does any of this sound like you?

You have been carrying a good idea for months and haven't acted on it yet. You are changing careers and know what you are leaving but not what you are building toward. You are an expat or immigrant in Porto who wants to build something but doesn't know where to start. You are in a role that doesn't fit and want to build a way out. You are a fresh graduate with a direction but no concrete next step.

If any of these resonate, this workshop was built for you.

What is From Idea to Direction?

This is the first workshop in the Values Beyond Time Academy series — a three-part programme designed to help you transform your idea into a real business.

It is not a lecture. It is not a slideshow full of theory you will forget in a few days. It is a 4-hour hands-on session where you will do the actual work of figuring out what you are building, who it is for, and what your first real step is.

You will leave with ten concrete things in your hands:

— A founding statement that captures what you are building and why it matters
— A clear portrait of your first potential customer
— A gap analysis between what you believe and what your brand currently communicates
— An opportunity score for your idea
— A "Why This?" answer you can say out loud with confidence
— A Week One Blueprint — one action, one deadline, one outcome
— A personal vision statement
— A peer accountability partner from the room with a 7-day check-in agreed
— A VC insider perspective from a managing director who has evaluated hundreds of founders
— A community of 16 like-minded people who are on the same journey

You do not need a registered business. You do not need a pitch deck. You need an idea you believe in and the willingness to act on it.

Who is organising this?

Marco Bagheri, PhD | Professor | Startup Coach | Researcher

Marco spent seven years researching why some founders build something people genuinely believe in, while others with equally good ideas never gain traction. His doctoral research at the University of Minho produced the Brand Navigator Pyramid, a framework for how startups build brand credibility from day one.

Before entering academia, he worked in marketing and business development across four countries. He has started three businesses, two of them failed. The lessons from those failures became the foundation of this workshop.

He currently teaches entrepreneurship at ISAG-European Business School and IPAM - Marketing Business School, consistently rated 4.9 out of 5 by students from over 35 nationalities. He coaches startup founders through his consulting practice on brand strategy and go-to-market execution.

He is not here to inspire you with a speech. He is here to help you think more clearly than when you arrived.

Keynote Speaker

Heitor Benfeito | Managing Director, Critical Ventures | Porto & the US

Heitor evaluates business ideas and founders for a living. With over 20 years of experience in venture capital across Europe and the United States, he has been involved in more than 70 venture deals worth over $200M and has led more than 20 successful M&A exits.

He has been on the other side of the table from hundreds of founders at every stage. He knows what gets funded and what does not.

At the workshop, Heitor will share what he actually looks at when a founder walks in — and why it is almost never the slide deck.

★ Venture Pitch Pass holders only: a guaranteed 3-minute live pitch to Heitor with direct, immediate VC feedback.

The Details

📍 The Social Hub Porto
📅 September 18, 2026
⏱ 15h30 to 19h30 — 4 hours
👥 Maximum 16 participants
🗣 Delivered in English

Tickets

Builder Pass — €79 — 5 spots
Coached Founder Pass — €99 — 8 spots (most popular)
Venture Pitch Pass — €119 — 3 spots only (includes guaranteed live pitch to Heitor)

One last thing

If not now, when?