Tim Vieira needs no introduction. Known to the general Portuguese public from his participation in Shark Tank Portugal, he is an entrepreneur and investor with a positive outlook on life.

The son of Portuguese parents, Timothy Vieira was born in South Africa and has also lived in Angola. Today, he has investments in Angola, Mozambique, Ghana, and Portugal in various sectors, including startups. Curently leading Brave Generation Academy, Tim describes in this interview how innovation and entrepreneurship, hand in hand, can help transform the world.

Why did you decide to leave South Africa and choose Portugal to live and invest in?

I think this is easy to answer. I really like people. The Portuguese are authentic, and I like authentic people. We’re here in the center of the world.

We’re six hours from New York, with direct flights to Africa, and two hours from Paris, for example. In my opinion, the country’s geographical position is the best in the world for doing business and investing.

On the other hand, the diversity of the country, its culture, and the incredible mix of people define an identity that is a great advantage at all levels, welcoming different colors, accents, and ways of being, which ultimately become a hallmark of what it means to be Portuguese.

Portugal has far more positives than negatives
When we talk about investment, I think it’s a bit complicated at the moment; there isn’t the stability investors need to trust and invest more in the country. Things always change suddenly. It’s still a great country to invest in, but it could be better.

What makes me live and invest here is the desire to look toward the future with a plan, a vision, and a mission. Overall, Portugal has far more positives than negatives.

Entrepreneurship in Portugal: Potential and Challenges

Lisbon was named as the European capital of innovation in 2023. Is Portugal already an example for the world, or is there still much to evolve?

I think it's good to be an example. We've had several success stories, many unicorns, and many startups that started here. In a natural process, they end up receiving foreign investment and eventually make the leap to internationalization. But there is still much to improve.

I don’t think the entrepreneurial ecosystem is robust yet. On the contrary, it shows some weaknesses, and only by making structural changes can we inspire more confidence in our entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem. If we change the mindset and regulatory processes, everything would be much simpler. That alone would transform the existing startup culture.

One option I believe in, for example, would be the allocation of Golden Visas for startup investors. However, this would be part of a global vision, which the State doesn’t seem to have at the moment. It’s not clear where they want to go. Sometimes, the State acts as a barrier rather than a partner, which doesn’t help this ecosystem. In my opinion, the State should be a driving force for this innovation and change, playing a part in the solution, not the problem.

Brave Generation Academy: Shaping the New Generation of Entrepreneurs

How did Brave Generation Academy come about, and what are the trends you foresee for the future of education in Portugal and worldwide?

It all started when I realized there was a problem in education. Many children don’t succeed in traditional schools because they don’t fit the current educational system, which lacks personalization and fails to recognize individual differences.

We need to think globally, and education should be more relevant to today’s world. Once I saw this was possible, I developed a plan with a new educational model to encourage the success of each child. This approach makes it easier to discover talents, sparks greater interest in children, and ignites their passion and purpose.

We made small changes that make a big difference. For example, BGA doesn’t have holidays—it’s open year-round. Students of different ages are in the same class to encourage the exchange of experiences, and other methods motivate them to be better every day. Teachers play two roles: teaching and motivating, while respecting each child’s pace.

All of this is integrated into their environment and experience. We’ve already established our hubs/schools in places where this model was previously impossible. We’re in Tábua, Fundão, and other locations, decentralizing access and providing the opportunity for children to study while being happy.

BGA is already present on 5 continents. What are the next steps, and what is your expansion plan?

Portugal is a great case study and was our laboratory. We have 40 hubs with over a thousand children studying. It’s not an easy market; there are many laws that involve and limit education. However, our constitution gives parents the freedom to choose their children’s education. Based on that, we provided this choice to parents, always adhering to Portuguese legislation.

When we started to internationalize, we found it easier because this school model is already accepted in many countries. Some even promote these new teaching methods.

We want to help create a more qualified and courageous generation that makes things happen.
When I say Portugal was our laboratory, it’s because the challenges here made us better and stronger. We’re in nine countries now, soon entering three more. Starting in Portugal toughened us up because we learned a lot, especially with innovation as our foundation.

Our future plans include delivering this model to traditional schools to start a transformation through a more complete educational ecosystem. I believe the big leap will be having a BGA hub in every traditional school.

We want to help create a more qualified and courageous generation that makes things happen—a Brave generation!

Overcoming the Talent Drain and Leveraging Growth

The talent drain is a problem the country has been facing. How would Tim Vieira manage to form a new generation of professionals and entrepreneurs in a country with existential obstacles like high rents, low wages, and few incentives?

Structural transformations are needed. Portugal is a small country. With a well-structured and implemented plan, I believe we could change this scenario.

We need to leverage the country’s advantages. We can retain talent here that will contribute to the social and economic fabric if they start to foresee a future with less complex and more actionable policies. Innovation in the management of the country is also necessary!

Economic and intergenerational inequality is characterized by youth unemployment. How can we guide the new generations in this reality?

I think if young people don’t have the right skills, which are necessary to face the job market, there won’t be jobs for them. Again, it’s a structural issue, and we would need to make major transformations, implement new models, attract more investment, and increase the country’s capacity to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem, thereby generating more jobs.

We need to stay ahead of crises, anticipate them, as if we were riding a wave
Tax issues, legislation, and other factors related to job creation need to be rethought structurally to generate more employment. We’ve been somewhat adrift, relying on luck. We cannot afford this luxury. We need to stay ahead of crises, anticipate them, as if we were riding a wave. If we’re not ahead of it, we’ll be crushed.

The Value of Brand Portugal

When you travel the world for your projects, what is the perception people have of our country?

When I arrive in a country and say I’m from Portugal, I’m always well-received. People always remember Ronaldo, the waves of Nazaré, and pastéis de nata. But they also talk a lot about several characteristics of our country that are increasingly recognized internationally. We have great products under the Marca Portugal (Portugal Brand), and Portugal itself is a strong brand. It’s a great advantage to be Portuguese, and a significant advantage that we are recognized for our innovation, which is one of our key skills.

Markets really like us.

You recently stated that Portugal could be a "Unicorn Country" if it were managed like a company. What steps would you take to make this happen?

Obviously, a country is not a company—it's a parallel. But we could start with the management equation. We need to have the right people managing. More management with competencies, more targeted and well-applied investments. Focus on results, not just on pure politics.

Take healthcare, education, and transportation as examples—let's look to the private sector to make public management profitable and self-sufficient. After all, the largest shareholders of this "company" are the Portuguese people.

What is Tim's dream for Portugal?

My dream is that Portugal doesn’t rob the future of our young people and that the country is led by serious individuals. And when I say young people, I’m talking about people up to 70 years old! We are living longer and longer.

We have everything we need to celebrate the talents of the Portuguese. The less we celebrate these talents, the more demotivated people will become. We shouldn’t punish those who have talent.

When a country celebrates its talents, it receives enthusiasm in return, which reflects in everything—productivity, success, and prosperity. My dream is to be able to look to the future in this way and help build it.

What makes Tim Vieira happy?

Being surrounded by people. I like people. People I can collaborate with on projects, people who are creative and motivate me to come to work every day and continue to make some positive impact on the world. That’s what truly makes me happy!