SelectUSA Portugal Series - Coimbra

About

The U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy in Portugal continues its SelectUSA Portugal Roadshow Series - From Portugal to the United States: Turning Opportunity into Expansion. In partnership with the Instituto Pedro Nunes, we are excited to bring the second edition of this exclusive event to Coimbra on March 24, 2026, bringing together ambitious companies preparing to expand internationally.

This initiative designed to accelerate Portuguese companies’ journey to successful enter and growth in the U.S. market. Participants will explore opportunities in the United States, gain key market insights, connect with strategic advisors, and access the toolkit to invest and scale with confidence.

Participants will engage in expert-led discussions and curated networking opportunities featuring industry leaders and market specialists. Sessions will deliver practical, actionable insights on navigating the U.S. regulatory and business landscape, identifying sector trends, building market-entry strategies, and executing scalable expansion plans.

Whether you are assessing the U.S. market for the first time or preparing to deepen your presence, the SelectUSA Portugal Series provides the connections, expertise, and momentum to transform ambition into growth.

Agenda

Welcome and Registration

Participants arrive and check in, with time to network and connect informally before the program officially begins.

Start

9:30 AM

End

10:00 AM

Opening Remarks

Opening statements by João Gabriel Silva, President of IPN – Instituto Pedro Nunes, and the U.S. Ambassador to Portugal, John J. Arrigo (TBC). This session will establish the framework for the day, emphasize the value of U.S.–Portugal partnership, and outline the program’s main goals and priorities.

Start

10:00 AM

End

10:10 AM

Speakers

João Gabriel Silva

John J. Arrigo (to be confirmed)

U.S. Expansion Panel

A moderated panel of legal, strategic, and investment experts sharing practical guidance on entering and growing in the U.S., with a Q&A led by Youqing Ma, Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Embassy Lisbon.

Start

10:10 AM

End

11:10 AM

Speakers

Conor Kenny

Manuela Morais

Pedro Coutinho

Youqing Ma

Coffee Break

Start

11:10 AM

End

11:25 AM

Supporting Your U.S. Market Entry: The Role of SelectUSA

Presentation on how SelectUSA supports international companies expanding to the United States, including advisory services, market intelligence, and connections to U.S. state-level economic development organizations.

Start

11:25 AM

End

11:50 AM

Speakers

Pedro Ferreira

Coimbra Tech Experience in the U.S.

A 40-minute moderated panel featuring companies from Coimbra sharing real-world experiences of entering and operating in the U.S. market. Speakers will discuss challenges, lessons learned, growth strategies, and practical recommendations with Q&A led by Jorge Pimenta, Director of Innovation at Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN).

Start

11:50 AM

End

12:30 PM

Speakers

João Barreto

João Brito

Jorge Pimenta

Pedro Pinto

Closing & Acknowledgments

Official closing of the program.

Start

12:30 PM

End

12:35 PM

Networking Opportunity & Light Lunch

Start

12:35 PM

End

2:00 PM

1:1 Meeting Sessions

Start

2:00 PM

End

3:00 PM

Speakers

Conor Kenny

Director of Transatlantic Business @ Clark Hill

João Barreto

CEO @ Perceive3D

João Brito

Chief Operations Officer @ Critical Software

João Gabriel Silva

President of Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN)

John J. Arrigo (to be confirmed)

U.S. Ambassador to Portugal

Jorge Pimenta

Director for Innovation @ Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN)

Manuela Morais

Co-Chair - Immigration and Nationality Practice @ Stevens & Lee

Pedro Coutinho

General Partner @ Transatlantic Highway Ventures

Pedro Ferreira

Senior Commercial Advisor @ U.S. Embassy Portugal

Pedro Pinto

Co-Founder and Board Member @ Take The Wind

Youqing Ma

Commercial Counselor @ U.S. Embassy Portugal

SelectUSA Portugal Series - Coimbra

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