Why Portugal Has Become the Number One Destination in the Tourism and Real Estate Market

A Country That Successfully Combined Lifestyle, Tourism and Investment

Over the past two decades, Portugal has transformed itself from one of Europe's most underrated destinations into one of the world's most desirable places to visit, invest and live. Once known primarily for its beaches and historic cities, the country has become a global benchmark for sustainable tourism, luxury hospitality, lifestyle migration and real estate investment.

Today, Portugal is attracting not only millions of tourists, but also entrepreneurs, retirees, digital professionals, international students and institutional investors. The country's success is no accident—it is the result of long-term investment in infrastructure, safety, quality of life and tourism development.

Tourism Is One of Portugal's Economic Engines

Tourism has become one of Portugal's most important industries. According to Turismo de Portugal:

• Tourism contributes approximately 9.5% of Portugal's GDP.
• Portugal generated €29.1 billion in tourism revenue in 2025.
• The country welcomed 32.5 million visitors in 2025, including 19.7 million international guests.
• Tourism revenue increased by 5% compared with the previous year.

These figures demonstrate that Portugal is no longer simply a holiday destination—it has become a major international tourism economy.

For the first time in African history! 12-Year-Old South African MiniBoss Student Makes History as Startup World Cup Champion in Switzerland

Davos, Switzerland – South Africa is celebrating a historic achievement after 12-year-old Lubanzi Dube, a MiniBoss Business School Johannesburg student and founder of SolEase, was crowned in the SIFE MiniBoss League at the Startup World Cup Championship, held during Global Business Week in Davos, Switzerland.

Lubanzi's victory marks a significant milestone for South African youth entrepreneurship, with Team South Africa becoming the first South African team to win the Startup World Cup Championship in the SIFE MiniBoss League. Competing against outstanding young entrepreneurs from countries around the world, Lubanzi impressed the international judging panel with SolEase—an innovative business developing orthotic insoles and supportive footwear for people living with flat feet.

Inspired by his own personal experience, Lubanzi transformed a challenge into an entrepreneurial opportunity, demonstrating how innovation often begins by solving problems close to home.

His success is a testament to the power of purpose-driven entrepreneurship. Rather than simply creating a product, Lubanzi built a business focused on improving lives while addressing a growing healthcare need through practical, accessible innovation.

Developed through MiniBoss Business School Johannesburg, Lubanzi has spent the past 5 months learning entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation through hands-on business education lead by Wendy Silinyana. The programme equips young people with the knowledge and practical experience to identify opportunities, build sustainable businesses and confidently compete on international platforms.

The championship victory reflects not only Lubanzi's dedication and resilience, but also the growing capability of South Africa's young entrepreneurs to compete alongside the very best in the world.

"This achievement demonstrates what becomes possible when young people are trusted with real opportunities to innovate and lead," said Wendy Silinyana, Director of MiniBoss Business School Johannesburg. "Lubanzi has shown that age is not a limitation to creating meaningful solutions with global relevance. His success is an inspiration to young innovators across South Africa and the African continent."

As SolEase continues its journey, the international recognition gained through the Startup World Cup Championship is expected to open new opportunities for collaboration, market expansion and future growth.

Lubanzi Dube's remarkable achievement is more than a personal victory—it is a proud moment for South Africa and a powerful reminder that the country's next generation of entrepreneurs is already shaping the future through innovation, courage and determination.

From Johannesburg to Davos, Lubanzi Dube has shown the world that South African innovation knows no age limits, and that the future of entrepreneurship is already here.

Seven-Year-Old World Champion: Bohdan Lohvin Wins SAGE League at the Startup World Cup Championship

Davos, Switzerland — At just seven years old, Bohdan Lohvin from Slovakia has achieved what many only dream of. At the Startup World Cup Championship 2026, held at the prestigious Congress Centre Davos, Bohdan was crowned World Champion in the Social Projects League, capturing the hearts of both the international jury and the audience.

Before presenting his startup, Bohdan introduced himself with a simple yet deeply meaningful sentence:

"I have a mission—to help children and parents understand each other."

Those words perfectly reflected the vision behind his award-winning project, Mood Battery—an innovative social startup designed to strengthen family communication by helping children and parents better express, understand, and manage their emotions.

The originality of the idea, its practical social value, and Bohdan's confident presentation earned him the highest recognition among young entrepreneurs from around the world.

A Young Entrepreneur on the Global Stage

The Startup World Cup Championship brought together talented young innovators from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and beyond. Participants presented real startup projects, defended their business ideas before an international jury, and demonstrated creativity, entrepreneurial thinking, leadership, and problem-solving skills.

Although Bohdan was one of the youngest contestants, he stood out for his confidence, sincerity, and remarkable ability to explain complex ideas with simplicity and passion. His project was not only innovative—it addressed one of the most important challenges every family faces: communication.

A Journey of Continuous Growth

Bohdan is a second-grade student from Slovakia and has been studying at MiniBoss Business School for the past two years in an international online programme. From his very first lessons, he demonstrated exceptional curiosity, creativity, and an entrepreneurial mindset.

His mentor, Elena Günbeyi, immediately recognised his extraordinary potential.

"From the very beginning, I saw a child with limitless imagination, genuine curiosity, and an incredible ability to generate ideas. Watching Bohdan become a World Champion has been one of the proudest moments of my teaching career."

This victory did not come overnight.

In 2025, Bohdan represented Slovakia at the Startup World Cup Championship in the Maldives with his first startup, Magic Notebook, which received international recognition for its contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Instead of stopping there, Bohdan continued learning, developing new ideas, and transforming his entrepreneurial vision into real products.

Today, both Magic Notebook and Mood Battery are moving beyond the competition stage. Product sales have already begun, and discussions with retail partners are opening exciting opportunities for wider market distribution. Even more impressively, Bohdan is already developing his third startup for the coming academic year.

The Family Behind the Champion

Behind every successful young entrepreneur stands a family that believes in possibility.

Bohdan's mother, Yaroslava Lohvin, has supported every step of his entrepreneurial journey, encouraging his creativity and giving him the confidence to turn ideas into reality.

"Our role as parents is not to tell children what is impossible, but to help them discover what they are truly capable of achieving."

Her encouragement has helped Bohdan transform imagination into innovation and dreams into real-world impact.

As Bohdan proudly says:

"I have a mission—to help children and parents understand each other."

And judging by his remarkable achievements, this inspiring mission is only just beginning.

Startup World Cup Championship 2026 in Davos Showcased UN SDGs GOLD MEDALS 2026

While world leaders, investors, and business executives gathered in Davos to discuss the future of the global economy, another remarkable event captured international attention. 

The Startup World Cup Championship 2026 for Children and Youth proved that the entrepreneurs of tomorrow are not waiting for the future—they are already building it today.

United Nations Special Recognition

Entrepreneurship Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals

One of the Championship's greatest distinctions was its close alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This year, 17 outstanding projects received Special United Nations Awards, recognising innovative solutions that directly contribute to achieving the world's most important development priorities.

The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goal Awards

• No Poverty — GreenShare Global (Pakistan)
• Zero Hunger — Smart Snacks / GOAL CRASHERS (Turkmenistan)
• Good Health and Well-being — Dental Calm Box (Ukraine)
• Quality Education — Young Traders (Ukraine)
• Gender Equality — NeuroLead Educational (Poland)
• Clean Water and Sanitation — Ash Aura (Azerbaijan)
• Affordable and Clean Energy — Choco Bricks (Azerbaijan)
• Decent Work and Economic Growth — SkillSwap (United Kingdom)
• Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure — Beatrice Bridal Online (Ukraine)
• Reduced Inequalities — Uniquely Yours (South Africa)
• Sustainable Cities and Communities — Business Impulse™ (Kazakhstan)
• Responsible Consumption and Production — Scrabmylius (Kazakhstan)
• Climate Action — Silque (Azerbaijan)
• Life Below Water — Le Pass (Azerbaijan)
• Life on Land — Growkit / Green Roots (Turkmenistan)
• Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions — Two Sides (Ukraine)
• Partnerships for the Goals — Teens Club (Turkmenistan)

Each award symbolises far more than entrepreneurial excellence. It confirms that young innovators are already developing practical solutions aligned with humanity's shared global priorities and capable of creating measurable positive impact.

The Startup World Cup Championship 2026 was far more than an international competition. It became a living laboratory of the future—a place where children's imagination met business discipline, where creativity merged with technology, and where entrepreneurship became a force for solving global challenges.

The level of professionalism displayed by participants surprised many experienced investors, educators, and business leaders attending the event. The projects demonstrated not only innovation but also market awareness, customer understanding, financial thinking, sustainability, and international scalability.

Many of these startups have genuine commercial potential and may evolve into globally recognised companies in the years ahead.

Building the Entrepreneurs the World Needs

Today's rapidly changing world demands a new generation of leaders—individuals capable of combining innovation with responsibility, technology with ethics, and business success with meaningful social impact.

The young entrepreneurs who stood on the stage in Davos demonstrated exactly these qualities. They are not waiting to inherit the future. They are designing it.

Their ideas prove that entrepreneurship is becoming one of the world's most powerful educational tools, preparing children and young adults to think independently, solve complex problems, create employment, improve communities, and contribute to sustainable global development.

The Future Has Already Begun

The Startup World Cup Championship 2026 sent a powerful message to governments, investors, educators, and business leaders around the world:

The next generation of entrepreneurs is already here. They are innovative. They are globally minded. They are socially responsible. And they are ready to build businesses that not only generate economic value but also improve lives, strengthen communities, and shape a more sustainable future for humanity.

As Davos looked toward the future, one thing became abundantly clear: The future of entrepreneurship is already in remarkably capable hands.

Startup World Cup Championship 2026 Davos: WINNERS

Startup World Cup Championship 2026 United Young Entrepreneurs from Around the World in Davos

9–17 July 2026 | Davos, Switzerland

The Startup World Cup Championship 2026 was successfully held in Davos, Switzerland, as part of Global Business Week 2026, bringing together children, young people and adults with a shared ambition to transform innovative ideas into real businesses.

The Championship became a powerful international platform for the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators and business leaders. It united participants who were not only dreaming about the future, but were actively creating it through entrepreneurship, technology, creativity and social innovation.

Young talents presented startup projects, developed entrepreneurial thinking, tested their ideas before an international audience and learned how to build sustainable companies capable of generating value, creating jobs, attracting investment and contributing to long-term economic growth.

Kateryna Lazor: Restoring Lives After the Trauma of War

At the World Woman Forum 2026, held during Global Business Week Davos, Kateryna Lazor, PhD and Founder of the charitable foundation Women’s Wings, presented a powerful message about healing, resilience, and the urgent need to support women whose lives have been profoundly affected by the war in Ukraine.

In her presentation, "Restoring Lives After the Trauma of War," she drew international attention to one of the most overlooked humanitarian challenges—the long-term recovery of women who have survived Russian captivity, torture, and violence, as well as the wives and mothers of fallen or missing Ukrainian defenders.

Kateryna Lazor explained that Women’s Wings was created to help these women rebuild their lives through comprehensive rehabilitation, combining psychological care, medical support, physical recovery, counselling, educational programmes, retreats, creative workshops, and social reintegration. Every rehabilitation journey is tailored to the individual, recognising that every woman carries her own story of loss, resilience, and hope.

The foundation also creates a supportive community where women can reconnect with others who share similar experiences, restore confidence, rediscover purpose, and regain the strength to move forward. At the heart of its philosophy is the belief that true rehabilitation is not only about overcoming trauma—it is about restoring dignity, hope, and the ability to dream again.

Addressing the international audience, Kateryna Lazor emphasized that as the war continues, the need for professional rehabilitation and long-term support continues to grow. She called on governments, philanthropic organizations, businesses, and individual donors to join this mission and help women rebuild their futures.

Concluding her presentation, she reminded participants that every act of compassion creates lasting impact:

"When we help one woman heal, we strengthen a family. When we strengthen a family, we strengthen a community. And when communities recover, nations become more resilient. Together, we can ensure that hope, dignity, and humanity are stronger than the consequences of war."

Her presentation highlighted one of the central messages of the World Woman Forum 2026: investing in the recovery of women is not only a humanitarian responsibility—it is an investment in the resilience, healing, and future of society itself.