Ana Marta Castro, Public Law Partner, took part as a speaker in the Defense Accelerator, a programme run by StartUp Leiria. The initiative is designed to train, connect and prepare startups and SMEs to enter the defence ecosystem, with capacity-building focused on the sector’s regulatory requirements.

As part of the programme, Ana Marta Castro spoke at the session ‘Entering the value chain: how to supply the Defence Sector’, dedicated to analysing practical strategies for integrating supply chains and procurement processes of large organisations and public entities.

In her intervention, she addressed the main regulatory challenges, best practice for qualification and accreditation, and the importance of strict compliance with the legal and operational requirements of the defence sector.

The session brought together different players in the ecosystem — including start-ups, integrators and institutional partners — for a practical, solutions-focused discussion. It also highlighted how Portuguese companies can take on a leading role in the defence sector, both in Portugal and internationally.