by “Bhout is a startup at the border between ‘gaming’ and fitness that brought the punching bag into the 21st century. It created the Bhout Bag with a combination of information derived from ‘computer vision’, sensors and artificial intelligence to recognize every movement. power, impact location, speed and help to improve technique,” describes Portugal Ventures, which has just entered the capital of this company.
“After extremely successful trials in the first Bhout Club in Lisbon, which became the most profitable club in Portugal, Bhout will soon be available at home, in companies, in hotels or in future Bhout Clubs,” announces the state-owned venture capital, which is part of the Banco Português de Fomento (BPF) group.
Bhout is one of six new startups invested by Portugal Ventures, the latest to join its portfolio in 2022, a year in which it made a total investment of €18.6 million in 42 companies, representing €8.8 million in 17 new start-ups and 9.8 million for capital support in 25 follow-on operations.
Throughout 2022, Portugal Ventures “received 308 dealflow opportunities with a requested amount of €77.6 million” and “carried out 15 co-investments, totaling €57.6 million, with its capital partners”, details , in a statement.
“2022 was very special for Portugal Ventures with the celebration of the 10th anniversary, as well as the recognition by our colleagues – Associação Investors Portugal – as the “Early Stage” Investor of the year. every day with our portfolio and always with the aim of , together with the “founders”, to continue to contribute knowledge and “expertise”, for the development of their projects and their business development”, emphasizes Rui Ferreira, president of GMP’s venture capital.
“We confidently enter 2023, where we will continue our mission to strengthen the national business ecosystem,” promises Rui Ferreira.
Together with Bhout, Cell4Food, GoWise, Kendir Studios, Topo tents and Unlock Boutique Hotels they form the group of new startups invested by Portugal Ventures.
According to the state venture capital, Cell4Food “is a driving force of cellular agriculture in Portugal, aiming to create a business network to lead the cell-based protein production market in the next decade”, with a mission “to contribute to the democratization of access to new proteins and fibers for cellular agriculture production’
GovWise “is a data science company, with professionals with more than 30 years of accumulated experience in “GovTech” and aims to “create economic and social value in public bodies and companies that work with the state, applying Artificial Intelligence to open data from of the public sector”, with the entry of Portugal Ventures into this particular startup taking place in co-investment with Beta Capital.
Kendir Studios “is an educational game studio that designs and develops innovative immersive educational solutions in the education market” and the solutions they develop “are unique and innovative, create momentum and bring fun and interaction to the way students and teachers apply knowledge “. guarantees Portugal Ventures, which also guarantees that this startup “is considered an R&D institution, having attracted global interest with its games.”
Topo Tents “focuses on exploring nature and collecting unique memories and ‘outdoor’ experiences through the rental of a roof top tent that can be installed on any car”, describes Portugal Ventures.
“With its economical, safe, practical and very comfortable solution, it promotes a lifestyle in permanent contact with nature and already has a network of Topo stations in Portugal (Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Chaves and Funchal), in Maputo and very soon in Madrid, Bilbao, Valencia and Barcelona,” reveals the state venture capital.
Finally, and as work progressed on February 9, Portugal Ventures also entered the capital of Unlock Boutique Hotels, which presents itself as “a hotel management company specializing in small and medium-sized hotels, between 20 and 120 rooms, with an exclusive character ».
Currently, the Unlock Boutique Hotels team ‘combines more than 40 years of ‘expertise’ and has 19 hotels in 11 destinations in its portfolio.
(The news was updated at 9:21)
