“The biggest difference I saw was how open and fast-moving the Silicon Valley networking culture is compared to Europe.”
Can you introduce yourself? Tell us your name, where you’re from, and a bit about your background.
My name is Vítor, I’m from Portugal, and I represent the University of Coimbra at ABC Silicon Valley.
I have a background in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, and I currently work in project management for innovation and entrepreneurship programs at my university.
How has your background shaped your experience here?
My background helps me mainly in project management and in understanding how teams work.
Here at ABC Silicon Valley, working with people from different countries and backgrounds was a very good exercise in communication and collaboration. It really helped me see how important it is to adapt to different working styles and cultures.
What did you learn from your role at the university compared to this experience?
In my role, we usually support students in developing business or project ideas.
From this program, one of the main things I will take back is the CO-STAR framework, which I didn’t know before and found very useful for helping students structure their ideas and business plans.
How did you experience Silicon Valley as a learning environment?
It was a great opportunity to learn from speakers and guests who have real experience at scale, especially in the United States.
The speed of networking and openness here is on a completely different level compared to Europe. People are generally more open to sharing experiences and helping others.
Would you recommend the program?
Yes, absolutely. There’s nothing like being on the ground, meeting people directly, and understanding how the ecosystem actually works. The visits and experiences we had were very insightful, and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who gets the opportunity.
