The Católica Porto Teen Academy once again opened its doors to a new generation of young entrepreneurs. From 7 to 11 July, around 90 secondary school students participated in the 14th edition of the Young Enterprise course, a unique academic experience that allowed them to immerse themselves in university life and apply key concepts in management, economics, and strategy.
Organised since 2012 by Católica Porto Business School, this initiative has become a “teen” itself and continues to grow in relevance and popularity. This year, on the first day, students were able to choose the focus of their Young Enterprise project. They opted to create and manage a business in the local accommodation sector, guided by mentors who are themselves undergraduate students at the School.
A week to learn, decide and launch ideas
The programme was carefully designed to strike a balance between theory, practice and moments of social interaction. The first day was marked by team-building activities, the formation of working groups and the design of the business model, with sessions on Strategy, Consumer Behaviour and the dynamic “Consultants in Action”, which continued throughout the week.
For many students, this was also an opportunity to clarify doubts about their academic future. Some arrived undecided about which degree to pursue and left feeling more certain about choosing Management or Economics, inspired by the close contact with the professors and the practical approach to the topics covered.
On the second day, team spirit was reinforced through lively “Jogos Sem Fronteiras” (Team Challenges). This was followed by sessions on Financing, Recruitment and Selection and Economic Outlook. On the fourth day, the “Let’s Talk About Business” panel featured insights from managers and entrepreneurs who are Alumni and current students of Católica Porto Business School: Mafalda Andrade, António Ribeiro and Bruno Duarte.
The grand finale
On the final day, the students presented their business ideas in a final pitch, receiving valuable feedback from the jury. The Closing Ceremony recognised the best performances in the categories of “Best Group Presentation” and “Best Individual Performance”, with the participation of the School’s dean, João Pinto, the associate dean for Undergraduate Studies, Helena Correia, João Novais, the professor responsible for the Teen Academy, and the School’s head of Marketing and Communications, Sofia Graça.
The closing moment was made even more special with a celebratory cocktail and a surprise performance by the Tuna Académica, creating memories that the participants will carry with them as they continue their journey with Católica Porto Business School close to heart.
Internationally recognised quality education
Católica Porto Business School is internationally recognised for the excellence of its programmes: it is the only business school in Northern Portugal with the Triple Crown Accreditation (EQUIS, AMBA and AACSB) and is ranked among the Financial Times Top 100 European Business Schools.
Its Undergraduate programmes in Management, Economics, and the Double Degree in Law and Management stand out for an employability rate close to 100% at graduation - reinforcing the School’s commitment to preparing the leaders and entrepreneurs of the future.
