On Supporting the scientific Portuguese community in Nordic countries: SPOT Nordic. Q&A with Ana Catarina Silva and David Pereira de Castro.

Q1: SPOT Nordic was founded with the unique mission of showcasing the value of the Portuguese community in Nordic countries through scientific diplomacy. Can you elaborate on what scientific diplomacy means in practice for your organization, and how are you leveraging the expertise of Portuguese professionals and researchers to strengthen innovation ties between Portugal and the Nordic region? What specific initiatives or success stories best exemplify this diplomatic approach?

At SPOT Nordic, scientific diplomacy is one of the main pilars of our mission, it means using science as a strategic tool to strengthen relations between Portugal and the Nordic countries. In practice, this involves empowering the qualified Portuguese diaspora to act as major players for cross-border collaboration, advancing both research excellence and bilateral innovation.

We implement this vision through several key initiatives:

• Scientific Council: that actively supports the visibility of Portuguese science in the Nordic region and provides strategic input to foster scientific cooperation and recognition.
• LusoNordic Connect Program: Funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), this program establishes the Bolsa Nordic fellowship, a financial support for research visits and scientific internships by Portugal-based students and researchers in Nordic institutions. It currently offers two grants of €3,000 each for the development of joint projects with Nordic European countries (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland).
• Researcher’s Journal: A platform dedicated to showcasing the academic and scientific work of our members, reinforcing their contributions and promoting knowledge exchange within our community.

Through these initiatives, SPOT Nordic nurtures a dynamic network that not only strengthens Portugal’s scientific reputation abroad but also deepens innovation ties in key areas such as sustainability, digitalization, and health technology. Scientific diplomacy, for us, is not only a mission, it’s a movement.

A success example of LusoNordic Connect Program is the Nordic Grant given to Jade Müller is a MIT-Portugal PhD candidate at the Center for Industrial Ecology (CIE, ADAI-LAETA) at the University of Coimbra, where she focuses on developing and improving (environmental) life cycle assessment (LCA) approaches for emerging bioeconomy technologies. Her research integrates LCA with technical and socioeconomic indicators and multi-criteria decision analysis, aiming to support the development of more sustainable technologies. She was awarded the Nordic Grant 2024 to carry out the project “Supporting Sustainable Wastewater Nutrient Recovery through Prospective Life Cycle Assessment” during a research visit to the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Copenhagen, from November 2024 to January 2025. 

Q2: Ana, given your background as a Life Science Leader and MedTech & HealthTech Advisor, how is SPOT Nordic positioned to facilitate collaboration between Portugal’s emerging life sciences sector and the Nordic countries’ established strengths in healthcare innovation and digital health? What opportunities do you see for Portuguese professionals to contribute to and learn from the Nordic model of healthcare technology development?

 I view SPOT Nordic as a powerful platform to connect Portugal’s emerging life sciences sector with the Nordic countries’ well-established strengths in healthcare innovation and digital health. One of the initiatives we have envisioned under SPOT Nordic is the project “From Science to Industry.” This initiative aims to create an integrated platform that bridges scientific research with market applications, accelerating the transformation of ideas into scalable innovations.

The project’s objectives are:

• Foster Innovation: Facilitate knowledge transfer between academia and industry to strengthen research-driven entrepreneurship.
• Transform Ideas into Impact: Connect students, researchers, and startups with industrial stakeholders to bring scientific discoveries to market-ready solutions.
• Boost Competitiveness: Enable cross-border collaboration between Portugal and the Nordics, sharing the latest scientific and technological breakthroughs to drive sustainable growth.

This platform would provide:

• Incubation & Technical Support for early-stage projects
• Specialized Mentorship from experts within our network 
• Networking Opportunities through targeted events and strategic matchmaking
• Access to Funding via public and private programs
• Strategic Partnerships with industrial, academic, and institutional stakeholders

Nordic countries lead globally in digital health, AI diagnostics, and patient-centric care models, while Portugal is rapidly developing biotech clusters and healthtech startups. By leveraging SPOT Nordic’s network and members’ professional expertise in business development, product development, fundraising, market entry, and regulatory compliance, we are well positioned to:

• Facilitate business and academic matchmaking
• Encourage cross-border clinical research partnerships
• Promote health data interoperability, learning from the Nordic model

For Portuguese professionals, this represents not only an opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge innovation but also to gain access to advanced healthcare technology facilities and instrumentation. In turn, the Nordic ecosystem benefits from Portugal’s highly qualified talent pool, strong R&D capacity, and vibrant innovation environment.

Through SPOT Nordic, we are building more than collaborations, we are cultivating an ecosystem where science, industry, and diaspora talent converge to deliver lasting healthcare innovations for both regions. 

Q3: Since your establishment in 2020, SPOT Nordic has focused on supporting Portuguese students, researchers, and academic graduates across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland. What are the key challenges these professionals face when integrating into Nordic academic and business environments, and how has your organization evolved its support mechanisms? What role do mentorship and networking play in your strategy for professional development?

Portuguese professionals and students face several challenges when integrating into Nordic academic and business environments, including cultural adaptation, limited initial networks, and navigating different institutional frameworks. Since its establishment in 2020, SPOT Nordic has addressed these challenges by evolving its support mechanisms to provide both practical tools and strategic opportunities for professional development.

One of our earliest initiatives was the creation of a “Student Handbook,” designed to guide newcomers through the practical and cultural aspects of settling in a Nordic country. This resource has been complemented by regular networking events that connect our members with universities, companies, and Portuguese embassies. These events serve both as integration platforms and as opportunities for long-term collaboration.

Mentorship and networking are central pillars of our development strategy. By fostering peer connections and linking experienced professionals with newcomers, we not only accelerate integration but also empower members to grow within their fields. Our expanding community, reflected by over 1,000 LinkedIn followers and rising engagement, demonstrates both the demand for and the success of these initiatives.

Furthermore, projects like the Scientific Council and the Student Handbook have positioned SPOT Nordic as a bridge between Portuguese talent and Nordic institutions, reinforcing our commitment to visibility, influence, and bilateral cooperation.

Q4: Your recent partnership with Quidgest demonstrates SPOT Nordic’s commitment to building business bridges between Portugal and the Nordic countries. How do you identify and develop strategic partnerships that align with your mission? What criteria do you use to evaluate potential collaborators, and how do these partnerships contribute to both professional development for your members and broader economic cooperation between regions?

When evaluating potential partners, we focus on:

• Mission Alignment with our goals in innovation, and diaspora support
• Mutual Value Creation for members and collaborators
• Commitment to Knowledge Transfer and Co-Development

These partnerships generate tangible outcomes such as research mobility, innovation commercialization, and access to bilateral funding opportunities. Through joint events, workshops, and grant programs, we are not only building bridges but also cultivating functional ecosystems that create lasting impact for both Portugal and the Nordic countries.

Q5: Looking toward the future, what is SPOT Nordic’s long-term vision for strengthening Portugal-Nordic relations in science, technology, and innovation? How do you see the role of Portuguese diaspora professionals evolving as both Portugal and the Nordic countries continue to advance in areas like digitalization, sustainability, and biotechnology? What legacy do you hope SPOT Nordic will create in fostering this unique cross-cultural collaboration?

Looking to the future, SPOT Nordic envisions a dynamic ecosystem that connects Portugal and the Nordic countries in strategic areas such as digitalization, sustainability, and biotechnology. The Portuguese diaspora is central to this vision, not only as contributors, but as architects of the next wave of collaboration.

Our priorities are to:

• Expand knowledge transfer pathways from academia to industry, ensuring that research translates into real-world impact.
• Build long-term strategic frameworks with institutions across both regions to foster enduring partnerships.
• Shape policy-level dialogues through scientific diplomacy, positioning Portuguese professionals as active voices in international decision-making.

The legacy we aspire to leave is a thriving, cross-cultural scientific community that transcends borders, one rooted in mutual respect, driven by innovation, and committed to sustainable development.

QX: Final Thoughts
Respondent: Ana Catarina Silva & David Pereira de Castro

We believe that science is not just about discovery, it’s about connections. SPOT Nordic invites all stakeholders, researchers, institutions, companies, and policymakers, to join us in building a future where collaboration is the catalyst for global solutions.

For more about our work, visit SPOT Nordic LinkedIn or our website.

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Ana Catarina Silva is a MedTech and Life Sciences executive with over 15 years of experience leading innovation, product development, and regulatory strategy across diagnostics and digital health. She currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at Cell2Bio AB in Sweden and as Vice-President of SPOT Nordic, an organization promoting collaboration and innovation among Portuguese professionals in the Nordic countries. Ana has played a key role in bringing several CE-marked diagnostic products to market and is passionate about translating scientific advances into accessible, patient-centered healthcare solutions.

David Pereira de Castro is President of SPOT Nordic.

PhD researcher at the Department of Organization at Copenhagen Business School, with focus on International Political Economy, Global Finance, and how large multinational corporations operate.