AED Cluster Portugal took part in the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 with an institutional stand representing Portugal from 20 to 24 July, as part of the Cross Borders project, funded by Compete 2030 and the ERDF.
This participation was attended by 19 organisations and 35 representatives from the national ecosystem, including, amongst others, Infinite Foundry, AVP, OGMA, EEA Aircraft and Maintenance, ELIOT, Beyond Vision, QSR, Almadesign, CM Ponte Sor, LUZA Group, GMV, Hypermetal, Cobalto, Vesam, LusoSpace and AvanceeSoftware.
The AED Cluster Portugal’s presence at the fair provided an opportunity to engage with various international stakeholders, helping to showcase the sector’s current image and dynamism.
In the area adjacent to the institutional stand, the Aeronext Programme (LUS-222), Eliot, AVP, Infinite Foundry, Beyond Vision and OGMA were also present.
Also of note was the Portugal Networking Reception, held at the Portugal stand – an initiative institutionally supported by AICEP – which brought together representatives from industry, national organisations and international partners. The session featured speeches by José Neves, president of AED Cluster Portugal; Nuno Brito, Portugal’s ambassador to the United Kingdom; Marcos Perestrello, president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly; and Alexandra Ferreira Leite, director and economic and trade adviser at AICEP Portugal Global. As part of his visit to the Portuguese delegation, the Director-General of DGAPDN, Dr António Baptista, was also in attendance.
Portugal’s presence at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 demonstrated, once again, the capability and competitiveness of Portuguese companies in international markets. Throughout the event, valuable opportunities were created for developing new partnerships, identifying potential clients and strengthening strategic contacts in a global context.
In addition to promoting their expertise and solutions to decision-makers and leading organisations in the aeronautical, space and defence sectors, the participating companies gained privileged access to the latest industry developments and the trends that will shape the future of these markets.
The overall assessment of Portugal’s participation is therefore extremely positive, reflecting the contribution of this type of initiative to the internationalisation of the national business community, to raising its profile abroad, and to the creation of new opportunities for growth and innovation.
