At first glance, it may seem like just another international ranking. In reality, it is much more than that.
We are talking about the digital maturity of the State. The ability to integrate technology into the design of public policies, use data strategically, offer simple and integrated public services, put citizens and companies at the centre of solutions and anticipate future needs with innovation.
In an increasingly competitive world in attracting talent and investment, the efficiency of public administration has become a critical economic factor.
The international investor no longer analyses only taxation or labour costs. It analyses licensing speed, administrative predictability, digital interoperability and quality of interaction with the State. A digitally efficient country reduces friction, speeds up decisions, and conveys confidence. Trust is capital.
This recognition by the OECD does not come in isolation. Portugal currently has 12 hubs and incubators among the 150 best in Europe, according to the Financial Times. Unicorn Factory, Lispolis and Fintech House are among the best ranked. This means that the entrepreneurial ecosystem is not only vibrant but also structured and internationally recognised.
The consolidation of technological hubs, the focus on data, the digitalisation of public services and the creation of tools such as InvestPorto’s chatbot show an increasingly integrated approach. Investment promotion is no longer just institutional. It has become digital, data-driven, and investor-centric.
There is also a deeper strategic dimension. Projects such as the Amazon Space Hub, which connects Oeiras, CEiiA and Brazilian institutions to develop space technology focused on environmental protection, show that Portugal is not only digitising processes. It is positioning itself in global knowledge chains with high added value.
Companies such as Natixis, which continues to expand in Porto with thousands of employees, or the creation of Stadler Digital Labs in Coimbra, reinforce this narrative. The country is capturing advanced engineering operations, critical software and complex systems. This is not a short-term investment. It is structural positioning.
What all this has in common is the connection between the digital state, the technological ecosystem and the attraction of capital.
Real estate, naturally, is impacted by this transformation. New generation offices, urban hubs, residences for skilled talent and logistics infrastructure become part of the same system. The quality of the territory depends on the institutional quality.
Portugal is demonstrating that administrative modernisation is not just internal reform. It is an economic policy.
In a European context where many countries face heavy bureaucracy and digital fragmentation, this development is a real competitive advantage.
The State is no longer just a regulator. It is becoming a strategic enabler.
And that, in the knowledge economy, makes all the difference.