Prime Minister: Turning knowledge into development

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said on Wednesday that Portugal must invest in science, innovation and knowledge to create wealth, strengthen competitiveness and promote economic and social development.

Opening the 1st Science and Innovation Meeting 2026, attended by more than 2,000 representatives from the scientific, academic, business and institutional communities, the Prime Minister delivered what he described as "a message of hope", expressing confidence in Portugal's ability to transform talent, knowledge and innovation into prosperity and progress.

"The country must be prepared to take risks, to research and to innovate," he said, adding that Portugal "must overcome the fear of failure, because only those who are not afraid to fail can truly succeed."

Science and innovation serving development

According to the Prime Minister, the creation of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation reflects the Government's commitment to a strategy that brings together education, science, innovation and business.

Its objective, he explained, is to support the development of talent from the earliest stages of education and create the conditions for knowledge to be transformed into innovation, skilled employment and economic growth.

This strategy includes strengthening higher education, enhancing vocational education and training, investing in research, and fostering closer cooperation between universities, research centres and businesses. Luís Montenegro stressed that only by creating wealth will Portugal be able to continue investing in knowledge and improving people's quality of life.

The Prime Minister also argued that tax policy should encourage investment and productivity. Lower taxes on labour and businesses, he said, help retain talent, foster innovation and create the conditions for higher wages.

He also highlighted the importance of a strong Public Administration for the country's development.

"Our investment in the Public Administration is an investment in the services provided to citizens, businesses and institutions," he said, arguing that a highly qualified Public Administration is essential to delivering better public services and strengthening Portugal's competitiveness.

Taking risks to innovate

In a speech centred on ambition and confidence, Luís Montenegro argued that Portugal must invest more in research, innovation and its capacity to transform knowledge into economic value.

"We are also prepared to take risks. Even if, from time to time, things do not go as planned, we will continue to take risks. For a very simple reason: if we encourage society to do so, we must be the first to lead by example," he said.

The Prime Minister also argued that strengthening strategic autonomy, reindustrialisation, artificial intelligence and scientific capacity will be decisive in addressing the challenges of the coming years.

He therefore called for Portugal to begin preparing high-quality projects for the European Union's next Multiannual Financial Framework, anticipating a new investment cycle focused on competitiveness, innovation and strategic autonomy.

Among the measures currently under way, Luís Montenegro highlighted the further development of the Science and Innovation Act, the regulation of the scientific career framework, the strengthening of the Agency for Research and Innovation (AI²), the creation of the University of Leiria Oeste and the Technical University of Porto, and continued investment in the higher education network.

The 1st Science and Innovation Meeting 2026 is taking place on 15 and 16 July at the Lisbon Congress Centre. The event marks the first major initiative organised by the Agency for Research and Innovation (AI²), bringing together researchers, higher education institutions, businesses, policymakers and other stakeholders from Portugal's science and technology ecosystem to promote collaboration and strengthen knowledge transfer to the economy.