Paulo Andrez
| Paulo Andrez | |
|---|---|
 Paulo Andrez at an event.jpg Andrez in 2024 | |
| Born | Lisbon, Portugal |
| 🎓 Alma mater | NOVA University Lisbon (MBA) |
| 💼 Occupation | Businessman. Author. Business Angel |
| 🏢 Organization | Co-founder of DNA Cascais |
| Known for | President of the European Business Angels Network (2012–2014). President Emeritus of the EBAN. Shareholder of Novabase |
| Notable work | Zero Risk Startup (2024) |
| Title | President Emeritus, European Business Angels Network |
| 🌐 Website | pauloandrez |
Paulo Andrez is a Portuguese businessman, angel investor, speaker, and author. He is the author of Zero Risk Startup, published by Forbes Books in the United States and subsequently translated and published in several countries.[1][2]
He is also President Emeritus of the European Business Angels Network (EBAN), having served as its president from 2012 to 2014.
In 2024, he received the EBAN Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the European angel investment ecosystem. Andrez was a shareholder and member of the Board of Directors of Novabase when the company completed its initial public offering (IPO) on the Lisbon Stock Exchange in 2000. He later became active in angel investing and entrepreneurship development in Europe.
He also co-organised the first World Business Angels Congress in Beijing in 2009.
He has advised European governments and institutions on entrepreneurship, innovation and early-stage investment policies, including expert missions organised by the European Commission. He also contributed to the European Innovation Council report Realising the Deep-Tech Entrepreneurial Talent of Europe.
He co-founded DNA Cascais, a Portuguese business incubator established to support entrepreneurship and startup creation.
Andrez is a frequent speaker at international entrepreneurship and technology events, including the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, SXSW (Austin, Sydney and London), LEAP, EU-Startups Summit, Supernova, TechArena, Techfest and Techsauce. He has also contributed articles and commentary on entrepreneurship and innovation to publications including Entrepreneur.com and Science|Business.
Early life and education
Paulo Andrez was born in Lisbon, Portugal.[3][4]
His father is a native of Monchique in the Algarve, where his parents settled in Alvor, and Andrez has maintained strong ties to the region throughout his life.[3]
He earned a degree in Informatics Engineering[5] and later an MBA,[6] both from NOVA University Lisbon.
Career
While still a university student, Andrez founded a company that exported construction and gardening materials to the United Kingdom.[citation needed] He later co-founded a computer training business and an information technology services company supplying specialised personnel to banks and insurance companies.
The latter business became part of Novabase, a Portuguese information technology services company. Andrez was a shareholder[7] and member of the company's Board of Directors[8] when Novabase completed its initial public offering on the Lisbon Stock Exchange (Euronext Lisbon) in July 2000, which at the time made it one of Portugal's largest IT providers. He remained a shareholder until 2006 (Andrez sold his stake).[9]
Following his exit from Novabase, Andrez became active as an angel investor and entrepreneurship advocate. In 2007, he co-founded DNA Cascais,[10][11][12] a business incubator established in partnership with the Municipality of Cascais to support entrepreneurship and startup creation.
He was also involved in the creation of the National Federation of Business Angels Associations (FNABA) in Portugal and served on its board between 2006 and 2017.[13][14]
Angel investing and entrepreneurship
Andrez became active in angel investing in the early 2000s. Among the companies in which Andrez has invested is Sword Health,[15] which later achieved unicorn status.
In 2012, he was elected President of the European Business Angels Network (EBAN), serving until 2014.[16] During his tenure, he participated in initiatives aimed at strengthening early-stage investment and entrepreneurship across Europe, including the development and promotion of the Start-up Investors Manifesto.[17] Following the completion of his term as EBAN President, he was appointed President Emeritus of the organisation.[18]
As a board member of FNABA, Andrez participated in a task force that supported the Portuguese Government in the design of Portugal's first public co-investment scheme for business angels. The programme was launched with €40 million of public funding and was subsequently described as one of the leading public co-investment schemes in Europe.[19]
In 2012, United Resins, an investment in which Andrez participated, received EBAN's Deal of the Year award. In 2007, Andrez chaired the World Business Angels Leaders Forum in Estoril, where participants agreed to establish the World Business Angels Association (WBAA).[20] The organisation subsequently held its first World Business Angels Congress in Beijing in 2009.
Public policy activities
Andrez has advised governments, public institutions and international organisations on entrepreneurship, innovation and early-stage investment policies.
In 2016, he was invited by the European Commission to chair expert missions supporting the governments of Slovakia[21] and Romania[22] in the development of policies related to university spin-offs, incubators, accelerators, business angel investment and venture capital.
He served on the European Innovation Council expert group that authored the report Realising the Deep-Tech Entrepreneurial Talent of Europe, which examined barriers and policy measures to strengthen Europe's deep-tech entrepreneurship ecosystem.[23]
He serves on the Advisory Board of the European Startup Nations Alliance,[24] which supports cooperation among European startup ecosystems and the implementation of the EU Startup Nations Standard.
Publications
In 2024, Andrez authored Zero Risk Startup, a book on entrepreneurship and startup risk mitigation published by Forbes in USA, which became a best-seller in several countries.[25][26]
The book was subsequently translated and published internationally in several countries, including India,[27] Portugal,[28] Vietnam,[29], and Spain.[30]
Public speaking
Andrez is a frequent speaker on entrepreneurship, innovation, startup growth, and angel investing. He has delivered keynote speeches, workshops, and panel discussions at international conferences and events, including SXSW,[31][32] Techarena,[33] LEAP,[34] Supernova,[35] Techsauce Global Summit,[36][37][38] EU-Startups Summit,[39] NEXUS2050, Science|Business Network Annual Conference,[40] ESNA Forum, and TechFest Vietnam.[41]
Media contributions
Andrez has written opinion articles and commentary on entrepreneurship, innovation, startup growth and angel investing for publications including Entrepreneur.com,[42][43] Science|Business,[44] and Expresso.
Awards and recognition
In 2012, Andrez received the Best European Angel Investment prize for his investment in United Resins.[citation needed]
In 2014, he was appointed President Emeritus of the European Business Angels Network following his term as President.[45][46]
In 2024, he received the EBAN Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution to the European angel investment ecosystem.[47]
References
- ↑ Essential Algarve spoke with Paulo Andrez, the first Portuguese author publishing under the Forbes Books imprint
- ↑ "Paulo Andrez apresenta o best seller "Zero Risk Startup" em Albufeira". Sul Informação. June 28, 2024.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Almeida, Bruno Filipe (January 14, 2025). "Paulo Andrez: «Algarve tem enorme potencial de apoiar empresas a ter escala global»". Barlavento.
- ↑ Maio, Beatriz (December 1, 2024). "Essential Algarve spoke with Paulo Andrez, the first Portuguese author publishing under the Forbes Books imprint".
- ↑ Invited Speakers
- ↑ "DNA Cascais".
- ↑ Accionistas da Novabase vendem 9% do capital por 15,12 milhões (act)
- ↑ NOVABASE SOCIEDADE GESTORA DE PARTICIPAÇÕES SOCIAIS, S. A
- ↑ Quadros e accionistas vendem 13,8% da Novabase por 26,67 milhões
- ↑ 15 Anos DNA Cascais
- ↑ 6.º Fórum Mundial de Empreendedorismo em Singapura | DNA Cascais apresenta ecossistema empreendedor ao mundo
- ↑ Paulo Andrez, administrador da DNA Cascais eleito presidente da EBAN
- ↑ Transmissão de Testemunho na FNABA
- ↑ Financing High-Growth Firms
- ↑ Bestselling author Paulo Andrez joins the EU-Startups Summit 2026 on May 7-8 in Malta
- ↑ Paulo Andrez, administrador da DNA Cascais eleito presidente da EBAN
- ↑ Baybars Altuntas Notes
- ↑ European Business Angels Network
- ↑ 6ª Semana Nacional de Business Angels
- ↑ European Business Angels Network
- ↑ Boosting the Slovak start-up ecosystem: Progress assessment
- ↑ Start-ups, Scale-ups and Entrepreneurship in Romania
- ↑ Backing visionary entrepreneurs
- ↑ General Assembly Board
- ↑ "Albufeira: Paulo Andrez apresenta best seller "Zero Risk Startup"". June 29, 2024.
- ↑ "Paulo Andrez: "Uma ideia de negócio vale zero. O que tem valor é a sua execução"". Expresso. July 2, 2024.
- ↑ Zero Risk Startup
- ↑ Startup Risco Zero. O guia do empreendedor para reduzir os riscos da criação e do desenvolvimento de negócios
- ↑ Zero Risk Startup – Khởi nghiệp không rủi ro – Paulo Andrez
- ↑ Startup cero riesgo (Spanish Edition)
- ↑ Paulo Andrez
- ↑ 5 Must-Read Books from SXSW 2025
- ↑ Paulo Andrez. President Emeritus, European Business Angels Network
- ↑ Paulo Andrez
- ↑ Paulo Andrez
- ↑ Team, Techsauce. "Strategies for Startup Success – Risk Mitigation Tactics from Paulo Andrez". Techsauce.
- ↑ "TechArena 2025". Voxo Event.
- ↑ Carls, Weston (March 25, 2025). "5 Must-Read Books from SXSW".
- ↑ Bestselling author Paulo Andrez joins the EU-Startups Summit 2026 on May 7-8 in Malta
- ↑ Moment of truth
- ↑ The startup story - success and risks
- ↑ Selling Your Business? 6 Smart Tactics to Raise the Price in a Tough Market
- ↑ Top Lessons in Low-Risk Entrepreneurship
- ↑ Viewpoint: The missing pillar of EU’s start-up strategy is risk
- ↑ "De que precisam as novas empresas". Jornal Expresso.
- ↑ European Business Angels Network
- ↑ October 2024
External links
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