AED Cluster Portugal is taking part in the World Aviation Festival 2026 as an Official Cluster Partner and, on 15 October, will host a workshop dedicated to Portugal’s position in the future of aviation, with a focus on Clean Aviation, Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO).
The World Aviation Festival takes place in Lisbon from 13 to 15 October and brings together representatives from airlines, airports, technology companies, service providers and institutional bodies, in a programme dedicated to technology and the transformation of the aviation sector.
As part of its partnership with Terrapinn, AED Cluster Portugal is featured on the event’s official programme with the workshop “Portugal in the Future Aviation Ecosystem: Clean Aviation, AAM & MRO”, which will take place on 15 October at 1.15 pm in Track 5.
The session aims to highlight the capabilities currently available in Portugal and encourage reflection on areas that are becoming increasingly important in the evolution of aviation, against a backdrop of decarbonisation, digitalisation, new air mobility solutions and the transformation of operation and maintenance models.
Capabilities and opportunities within the Portuguese ecosystem
The workshop will begin with the presentation “The Portuguese Aviation Ecosystem: Capabilities and Opportunities”, led by the Chair of AED Cluster Portugal, José Neves, and the Vice-Chair, José Rui Marcelino.
The presentation will provide an overview of the national aviation ecosystem, its industrial and research and development capabilities, its participation in European programmes, and opportunities for integration into global value chains.
This will be followed by the panel discussion “From Clean Skies to Connected Operations: The Convergence of Clean Aviation, AAM and MRO”, focusing on three key areas for the sector’s development: Clean Aviation, with an emphasis on decarbonisation and sustainability; Advanced Air Mobility, including the challenges associated with infrastructure, certification and operational readiness; and MRO, an area in which Portugal possesses expertise and industrial capacity.
The panel will feature Margarida Pinto, Advisor to the Board of Directors at ISQ; Pedro Mendes, COO at Beyond Vision; Veruska Dias, Chief Strategy Officer at Speedbird Aero; Nelson Vaz, Director of Business Development at TAP ME; and David Cruz, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors at MESA. The session will be moderated by José Neves, President of AED Cluster Portugal.
The session will conclude with a discussion on European projects and initiatives, as well as industrial opportunities, addressing areas for collaboration, technological needs and possibilities for companies to participate in pilot projects, demonstrators and supply chains.
Engagement with key international debates on the future of aviation
Participation in the World Aviation Festival provides an opportunity to strengthen the Portuguese ecosystem’s engagement with key international debates on the future of aviation, fostering dialogue between industry, research organisations, institutions and international partners.
This framework is in line with the mission of AED Cluster Portugal as the national cluster for the Aeronautics, Space and Defence industries, contributing to competitiveness, internationalisation and the integration of national capabilities into global value chains.
Members of AED Cluster Portugal are entitled to an exclusive 10 per cent discount on tickets for the World Aviation Festival 2026. Please contact the AED team to find out how to take advantage of this offer: marcia.campana@aedportugal.pt