BRAINR lands €1.5M from Portugal Ventures in Leiria funding push
What's the deal? BRAINR raised €1.5 million in an early-stage round led by Portugal VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the venture arm of state-backed Banco Português de FomentoDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (BPF). The deal was made through the Call Leiria Crescimento programme, part of a broader €2.7 million investment across three Leiria startups.
Why now? The round follows Portugal Ventures' push to channel venture capital into specific regions, with the Leiria Crescimento fund financed by Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
Who else got funded? Sound ParticlesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → received €1 million through the same call, while NutrivalleyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → secured €250,000 via Call Leiria Recuperar, an initiative created to support companies hit by extreme weather events in the region.
By the numbers: Since its 2024 launch, the Call Leiria Crescimento has drawn 133 applications, representing more than €90 million in requested capital. The fund runs in partnership with regional bodies CIMRL, NERLEI CCI, and Startup Leiria.
The signal: The modest cheque sizes reflect a deliberate strategy: using public venture capital to decentralise investment beyond Lisbon and Porto, back deeptech and digital startups, and reinforce agrifood value chains. It marks continuity in Portugal Ventures' role as a reference public investor.
Read more: Portugal Global
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
