Called the Rede de Fornecedores Inovadores (Innovative Suppliers Network – CCRFI), this initiative forms part of the broader “Acelerar a Economia” (Accelerate the Economy) program and is designed to bring together key players in the industrial and research ecosystem to create collaborative innovation consortia.

According to the official dispatch published in the Diário da República, the goal of this new network is to develop and supply medium to high-tech goods and services to major industrial production hubs in Portugal. The consortia will be led by large, strategically important companies, referred to as “nuclear companies,” and will include the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Small MidCaps, and research and development centers. This structure is intended to promote meaningful collaboration between larger industrial players and smaller, innovative entities that can bring agility, creativity, and technical expertise to the table.

In its first stage, the government will identify and select these anchor companies through an open and competitive process. Priority will be given to companies operating within specialized industrial clusters, which are integrated into global value chains and demonstrate a strong export orientation. Once the selection is complete, calls for proposals will be issued under the Portugal 2030 (PT2030) framework to finance the projects developed by the innovation consortia.

The overarching aim is to stimulate the modernization of Portuguese industry and improve its competitiveness in international markets by fostering the creation of new, value-added solutions tailored to global industrial demand. The government sees this as a unique opportunity to take advantage of current shifts in global supply chains and the renewed focus on reindustrialization within the European Union, which gained momentum in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

By enabling coordinated action between leading companies, SMEs, and research institutions, the government expects this initiative to function as a catalyst for technological development and economic resilience. It also represents a significant step toward aligning industrial strategy with innovation policy, ensuring that public support for R&D translates into concrete industrial applications and market opportunities.

The CCRFI will be overseen by the president of the Management Commission of the Innovation and Digital Transition Program (COMPETE 2030) and will include nine representatives from key national institutions such as AICEP, IAPMEI, ANI, Turismo de Portugal, and the Regional Development Commissions (CCDR). The network will also be able to consult or involve other public or private entities when relevant, allowing for a flexible and inclusive approach to supporting and monitoring investment projects.

Through this initiative, the Portuguese Government is taking a decisive step to strengthen the national industrial fabric, encourage innovation-driven growth, and ensure that Portuguese companies are well positioned to compete in a rapidly evolving global economy. The Innovative Suppliers Network reflects a long-term commitment to strategic industrial development, based on collaboration, technology, and sustainable competitiveness.

Author

Paulo Lopes is a multi-talent Portuguese citizen who made his Master of Economics in Switzerland and studied law at Lusófona in Lisbon - CEO of Casaiberia in Lisbon and Algarve.

Paulo Lopes