top of page

Protechting 9.0
Terms and Conditions

SECTION ONE: CONDITIONS OF APPLICATION

1.1 Objectives and Definition

Protechting is a dynamic open innovation program collaboratively led by Fosun Foundation, Fidelidade Innovation & Ventures, Hospital da Luz Learning Health, La Positiva and powered by FabStart - Fábrica de Startups. The program is designed to support high-potential startups in the insurance, healthtech and sustainability sectors, as well as tech enablers - startups with emerging technologies that can be adapted to these industries. ​

 

Over several weeks, Protechting engages these startups in a structured innovation journey, assisting them in developing and piloting their solutions in collaboration with program partners.

 

The objectives outlined for this program are designed to ensure that the program delivers maximum value to both the participating startups and the Program partners, Fosun Foundation, Fidelidade Innovation & Ventures, Hospital da Luz Learning Health and La Positiva.

1.2 Eligibility Criteria

Participation in Protechting 9.0 requires submitting a startup application. To be eligible to apply for the Program, applicants must:

 

  • Be legally incorporated in any country and provide proof of registration if requested by the Protechting Team;

  • Have a validated product or Minimum Viable Product (MVP), beyond the idea stage;

  • Demonstrate sufficient maturity and capacity to engage with corporate business teams and explore potential pilot opportunities;

  • Offer a product or service relevant to at least one of the Program's announced challenges.

 

Note: Startups with business models based solely on consulting services are not eligible to participate in the Program.

1.3 Application and Selection Schedule

The Protechting Team will review applications meeting the minimum criteria outlined in these Terms and Conditions for potential participation in the Program. The Protechting Team will contact applicants if additional information or clarification is needed at any stage of the selection process. Based on the application materials, startups will be selected by the Protechting Team for participation in the Program.

 

The proposed schedule for the application and selection process is as follows:

 

. Applications open: November 9th, 2026

. Applications close: January 22nd, 2027

 

This schedule may be subject to alterations at the Protechting Team's discretion.

 

All references to application deadlines will follow the time zone indicated on the application platform.

1.4 Selection Criteria and Evaluation

The evaluation of applications includes the following criteria:

  1. Program Fit: Fit with the Program Partners' business challenges and priorities, and readiness to explore potential pilot collaborations;

  2. Business Model: Viable business model based on credible commercial and economic assumptions;

  3. Product: Clearly innovative or disruptive, differentiated from existing solutions, scalable, exhibits sustainable competitive advantage potential, and demonstrates sufficient maturity;

  4. Market: Large addressable market to facilitate significant sales growth;

  5. Team: Credible team, quality CVs, relevant qualifications and experience.

1.5 Notifications

You will be notified by email, using the email address provided when submitting your application, of any decision made with respect to your application promptly. There is no obligation for the Protechting Team to provide reasons for acceptance or rejection of applications.

1.6 Conflicts of Interest

You must identify and notify the Protechting Team of any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest that you have in relation to this application or your participation in the Program. If you fail to notify, or you are unable or unwilling to resolve the conflict as required by the Protechting Team, your application may be excluded from further consideration.

 

An existing commercial or legal relationship with a Program Member is not a conflict of interest, but you should include details of the relationship in your application.

1.7 Confidentiality

You agree to provide the Protechting Team with information about your assets, business or other affairs for the purpose of:

 

  • Applying to participate in the Program;

  • Allowing the Protechting Team to consider your application;

  • Allowing one or more Program Members to identify and start separate discussions about potential commercial or legal relationships between you and the Program Member (Agreed Purpose).

 

The Protechting Team agrees to keep all the information you provide for the Agreed Purpose confidential (Confidential Information). Confidential Information will not be disclosed to anyone without your consent or as otherwise expressly permitted in these Terms and Conditions. The Program Members agree to use the Confidential Information only for the Agreed Purpose.

 

The Protechting Team and Program Members may disclose the Confidential Information to their respective directors, employees and advisors for the Agreed Purpose, provided that such persons have first been made aware of the confidential nature of the Confidential Information and are subject to appropriate confidentiality obligations.

 

The obligations of confidentiality will continue for a period of 3 years from the closing time for applications.

1.8 Ownership and Use of Applications

Applicants retain ownership of their underlying intellectual property. Submission of an application authorises the Protechting Team and Program Members to retain, reproduce and share application materials as reasonably required to evaluate applications and administer the Program, subject to the confidentiality and data protection provisions of these Terms and Conditions.

1.9 Intellectual Property

You grant each Program Member a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to copy, adapt or modify the material contained in your application for the purposes of:

 

  • Evaluating and clarifying your application;

  • If selected, your participation in the Program; and

  • A Program Member considering potential commercial or legal relationships between you and the Program Member outside the scope of the Program.

 

You acknowledge that the management and protection of your intellectual property is your sole responsibility, both during the application phase and, if selected, during your participation in the Program. 

 

No ownership of your pre-existing intellectual property is transferred through application or participation in the Program. Any intellectual property rights arising from pilot development or other commercial collaborations will be subject to separate agreements between the relevant parties.

SECTION TWO: CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM

2.1 Benefits for Selected Startups

Selected startups will have the opportunity to participate in Protechting 9.0 and work closely with Program Members to explore potential business collaborations and pilot development opportunities.

The Program provides selected startups with access to:

  • Business Matching: Opportunities to connect and work directly with Program Members and their business teams to explore potential collaborations;

  • Working Sessions and Mentoring: Practical support, specialised mentoring and guidance to prepare startups for corporate collaboration and pilot development;

  • Protechting Connect Experience: A multi-day experience in Lisbon, bringing together startups, Program Members and the innovation ecosystem through business meetings, networking and public presentation opportunities;

  • Pilot Funding Opportunities: Access to a shared funding pool of €100,000 for the development of selected pilots, subject to evaluation and approval by the relevant Program Members;

  • International Opportunities: The possibility of being selected for the China Roadshow, providing access to Fosun's business and innovation ecosystem and potential opportunities in the Chinese market.

During or after the Program, participating startups may also have the opportunity to establish commercial relationships or receive strategic investment from one or more Program Members.

Participation in the Program does not guarantee the development or implementation of a pilot, funding, investment or any commercial agreement. Any such opportunities will be subject to separate assessment, negotiation and agreement with the relevant Program Members.

2.2 Participant Commitments

If selected to participate in the Program, you must:

  • Consent to the use of your startup's name and approved non-confidential information for the promotion and communication of the Program;

  • Provide the Protechting Team and Program Members with relevant and accurate information about your startup, products and solutions, when requested;

  • Commit to participating in the relevant Program activities, including working sessions, mentoring, business meetings and events, according to the communicated schedule and participation requirements;

  • Share relevant information on the progress and results of collaborations developed through the Program, both during and after participation.

2.3 Program Structure

a) Applications and Onboarding

 

  • Teams must demonstrate their commitment, as well as the experience, technical and management skills necessary to develop their business with Program Members.

  • Applications will only be considered by the Protechting Team following submission of the application form.

  • As part of the selection process, shortlisted startups may be invited to participate in interviews with the Protechting Team and/or relevant Program Members.

  • Selected startups may be required to complete onboarding documentation, including a Memorandum of Understanding, before participation is confirmed.

 

b) Working Sessions and Mentoring

  • Working sessions will consist of practical workshops, collaboration onboarding, program-fit pitch preparation, mentoring and other activities designed to prepare startups for collaboration with Program Members and the development of potential pilots.

  • Sessions may cover pilot proposals and budgets, corporate collaboration processes, pitch preparation, pilot negotiation and peer exchange.

  • Mentoring sessions will connect startups with experienced mentors according to their specific needs and areas of expertise.

  • Teams must dedicate sufficient time to participate in Program activities and progress their potential collaboration opportunities.

 

c) Protechting Connect Experience

The Protechting Connect Experience is a three-day in-person event in Lisbon, Portugal, designed to bring together participating startups, Program Members, Innovation Heroes and other relevant stakeholders through business matching, partner immersion, networking and public presentation activities.

Startups participating in the Matching Day will receive financial support to help cover travel and accommodation expenses.

Expense Support Details:

  1. Outside Europe Teams: A reimbursement of up to €1250 is available for teams traveling from outside Europe.

  2. European Teams: A reimbursement of up to €550 is available for teams traveling from outside Portugal.

  3. Portuguese Teams: A reimbursement of up to €150 is available for teams traveling from within Portugal.

Reimbursement Conditions:

  1. The reimbursement is offered per startup participating in the Matching Day.

  1. This financial support is solely for expenses related to attending the event in Lisbon.

  2. The reimbursement is non-transferable and can only be claimed by a member of the startup attending the Matching Day.

  3. Expenses exceeding the limits (€1250 for outside Europe teams, €550 for European teams and €150 for Portuguese teams) will not be covered and must be borne by the participant.

  4. The program reserves the right to request additional documentation or clarification of expenses before processing the reimbursement.

  5. Participants must submit an invoice addressed to "FABSTART - Fábrica de Startups, SA" (Av. Marginal - Ed. Parque Oceano, Loja 8, 2780-337 Oeiras, VAT number: 510138110) along with proof of IBAN, within 10 days of the Matching Day to the email address talk@fabstart.pt

 

d) Pilot Development

Following the business matching process, participating startups may have the opportunity to develop pilot projects in collaboration with Program Members.

Protechting 9.0 includes a shared pilot funding pool of €100,000 to support selected pilot opportunities. Funding is not guaranteed for individual startups and will depend on the evaluation and approval of each pilot proposal by the relevant Program Members.

The scope, budget, responsibilities and implementation conditions of each pilot will be subject to separate negotiations and agreements between the relevant parties.

 

e) Internation Roadshow

 

The Roadshow to China is an opportunity for selected startups to explore business expansion and partnership possibilities in the Chinese market. This initiative aims to provide insights into market dynamics and facilitate connections with key stakeholders, including potential business partners, investors and industry representatives.

 

Participation in the Roadshow is by invitation only, following a selection process conducted by the Protechting Team. Startups participating in the 9th edition of Protechting will be eligible for selection, based on criteria including business potential, market readiness, internationalisation potential and relevance to the Chinese market.

 

At least five selected startups will receive financial support covering international flights, accommodation and transportation included in the official Roadshow program. Meals, personal expenses and additional travel arrangements are not included, unless otherwise expressly communicated, and will be the responsibility of participants.

 

Additional startups may be invited to participate under different financial conditions.

 

The Roadshow program, including its duration, locations, activities and meetings, may vary depending on the participating startups' sectors and business interests.

 

Further details regarding the selection process, travel arrangements and Roadshow schedule will be communicated to selected startups as the program progresses.

2.4 Termination and Variations

The Protechting Team reserves the right to terminate a Participant's involvement in the Program at its sole discretion:

  • If the Participant breaches these Terms and Conditions;

  • If the Participant engages in inappropriate (as determined by Program Members) or illegal behaviour, or is disruptive to overall group cohesion.

Participants will be given prior notice before they are excluded from the Program.

The Protechting Team may also terminate or make changes to the Program, in each case for any reason at any time. Participants will be given notice of such termination or changes.

2.5 Expenses, Risk and Liability

Participants acknowledge that their participation in the Program is at their own risk and are responsible for making appropriate arrangements for their participation.

 

Except for the financial support expressly provided under Section 2.3 or otherwise agreed in writing, Participants are responsible for their own travel, accommodation, meals, visas, insurance and other expenses associated with participation in the Program.

 

Participants may withdraw from the Program at any time, subject to any obligations separately agreed with Program Members.

 

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Program Members shall not be liable for any claims, losses or damages arising from participation in the Program, including personal injury, property damage, financial loss or other economic damages. Nothing in this clause excludes or limits liability where such exclusion or limitation is prohibited by applicable law, or for breaches of the confidentiality obligations set out in Section One.

SECTION THREE: DATA PROTECTION

Personal data supplied in connection with the application and participation will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection law and the program’s published Privacy and Cookie Policy. The applicable privacy notice should be consulted for the relevant controllers, purposes, lawful bases, recipients, retention periods and individual rights.

SECTION FOUR: DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

Unless the context requires otherwise, the following terms have the following meaning in these Terms and Conditions:

Program means Protechting 9.0.

Participant means a startup that has been selected by the Protechting Team and confirmed to participate in the Program.

Protechting Team means the persons responsible for administering and coordinating the Program.

Program Members mean:

  • Fidelidade

  • Fosun Foundation

  • Hospital da Luz Learning Health

  • La Positiva

  • Fábrica de Startups

Program Members may be described as "us", "we" or "our" throughout these Terms and Conditions.

Any program calendar, presentation or public communication is indicative unless it expressly establishes a binding term agreed in writing with the relevant party.

bottom of page