Play Your Idea 2026

Annual entrepreneurship competition by PLAY: ULusófona Association for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, supporting ideas with economic and social impact

This initiative represents the main mechanism for attracting talent and renewing the project pipeline of the incubator PLAY, ULusófona Association for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, promoting a culture of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit within the academic community and the surrounding business ecosystem.

Program

Phase 1 | Generate Ideas

• Application deadline: April 12, 2026.

Phase 2 | Structure Ideas

• Structuring and detailing of the 30 best ideas in each category: May 18, 2026.

Phase 3 | Pitch Ideas

• Final presentation of the 10 finalists in each category: June 25, 2026.

Competition Objectives

PLAY YOUR IDEA 2026 has the following main objectives:

• Stimulate the generation of innovative ideas across different fields of activity;
• Promote entrepreneurial spirit among students, alumni, and the external community;
• Identify projects with potential to join PLAY’s incubation programs;
• Foster connections between emerging talent and partner companies;
• Contribute to the creation of new sustainable business initiatives.

Target Audience

The competition is aimed at:

• Students from Universidade Lusófona and other partner institutions;
• Alumni;
• Faculty members and researchers;
• External entrepreneurs with early-stage projects;
• Multidisciplinary teams with innovative ideas.

Thematic Scope

PLAY YOUR IDEA 2026 accepts applications in areas such as:

• Technology and digital transformation;
• Creative industries and media;
• Sustainability and green economy;
• Education and social impact;
• Innovative business models;
• Artificial Intelligence and technological innovation;
• Other areas may be considered, provided they demonstrate innovation and market potential.

Competition Structure

The competition will be developed in phases:

• 1. Application Phase | Online submission of ideas, including description of the value proposition, identified problem, target audience, and differentiation.
• 2. Pre-Selection Phase | Technical evaluation of applications based on innovation, feasibility, and impact criteria.
• 3. Pitch Final Evaluation Phase | Presentation of selected ideas before a jury composed of representatives from PLAY, business partners, and experts.
• 4. Incubation Integration | Selected projects may join PLAY’s incubation and acceleration programs.

Evaluation Criteria

• Level of innovation;
• Clarity of the value proposition;
• Market potential;
• Technical and operational feasibility;
• Team capability.

Benefits for Participants

• Integration into the PLAY incubation program;
• Specialized mentoring;
• Access to business partners;
• Institutional visibility;
• Certificate of participation;
• Potential access to European programs (Erasmus+, FilmEU C-Accelerate, EIT).

Expected Outcomes

• Attraction of new qualified ideas;
• Integration of projects into incubation;
• Strengthening of entrepreneurial culture;
• Engagement of the academic and business community;
• Increased institutional visibility of PLAY.