What ACEPI does

ACEPI (Associação da Economia Digital / legal name Associação do Comércio Eletrónico e da Publicidade Interativa) is a private non-profit industry association founded in 2000 and headquartered in Porto, Portugal. It aggregates the principal stakeholders of Portugal's digital economy — online retailers, e-marketplaces, banks, payment providers, internet service providers, online media, telecoms operators, and public institutions — into a single advocacy, research, certification, and events platform. Membership spans six pricing tiers from €20/year (students) to €1,200/year (large enterprises and multinationals), with public institutions joining on equivalent schedules and associations on reciprocal arrangements.

ACEPI's core offerings are events and industry programs rather than technology products. Flagship assets include the Portugal Digital Summit (2,000+ professionals, 150+ speakers, October 22-23, 2025 at the Lisbon Congress Centre, co-organized with GoingNext), Portugal Digital Cyber eXperience (8 parallel stages focused on cybersecurity and digital resilience), Dia das Compras na NET (a 24-hour online shopping promotion), and Prémios Navegantes XXI (digital economy awards across 10 categories). The Selo Confio trust seal provides consumer-facing certification for Portuguese online stores. ACEPI additionally operates the Acelerar o Norte initiative — a PRR/NextGenerationEU-funded consortium with CCP, AEP, and AHRESP — that deploys 16 digital accelerators and approximately 40 field technicians across Northern Portugal's 8 sub-regions to support digitalization of micro, small, and medium enterprises, distributing €5M+ in vouchers to 4,500 companies.

Revenue is generated through tiered membership dues, Selo Confio certification and directory listing fees, and event sponsorships from Master Sponsor DPD Portugal, Principal Sponsor ifthenpay, and enterprise contributors including Salesforce, NTT DATA, Google, SIBS, Sovos, UNICRE, and Auchan. In October 2025 ACEPI launched the Smart Matchmaking App developed with Augusta Labs using AI agents for professional networking. It publishes the annual Estudo da Economia Digital (digital economy studies since 2009), operates a weekly Thursday newsletter, and maintains an online business directory alongside active social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X). The association holds institutional membership in Ecommerce Europe and MMA, giving it reach into European digital commerce policy.

Name

ACEPI

Legal name

ACEPI - Associação do Comércio Eletrónico e da Publicidade Interativa

Website

https://acepi.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ACEPI (Associação da Economia Digital) is a Portuguese non-profit industry association that aggregates Portugal's digital economy — retailers, banks, payment providers, telecoms, public institutions — through tiered membership, flagship events, the Selo Confio trust seal, and PRR-funded SME digitalization programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisboa

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: ACEPI generates revenue through annual membership fees from six categories of members: Micro-Enterprise (€120/year), Small Enterprise (€240/year), Medium Enterprise (€600/year), Large Enterprise/Multinational (€1,200/year), Individual (€60/year), and Student (€20/year). Institutions and associations have reciprocal or equivalent fee arrangements. These fees fund the association's studies, events, and digital economy advocacy activities.
2. Directory and Certification Fees: The Selo Confio trust certification and the ACEPI business directory are offered to qualifying online businesses, creating a secondary revenue stream from companies seeking the association's quality endorsement.
3. Event Sponsorship and Participation Fees: The Portugal Digital Summit, Portugal Digital Cyber eXperience, Prémios Navegantes XXI, and Dia das Compras na NET generate revenue through sponsor tiers (Master, Principal, Institutional) and participant fees, with brands like DPD, ifthenpay, Google, SIBS, DPD, and Auchan actively sponsoring events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ACEPI is a Portuguese non-profit industry association that aggregates the most important players in the country's digital economy. It organizes flagship events (Portugal Digital Summit, Portugal Digital Cyber eXperience, Prémios Navegantes XXI, Dia das Compras na NET), runs the Selo Confio trust certification for online stores, and operates the Acelerar o Norte digital acceleration program funded by the PRR. The association also produces annual Digital Economy studies, operates the ACEPI business directory, and conducts training and research programs for the Portuguese digital economy.

Product overview

ACEPI (Associação da Economia Digital) is a digital economy association founded in 2000, not a traditional product company. Its offerings consist of industry initiatives, events, and services: Portugal Digital Summit is the flagship annual conference on digital transformation; Dia das Compras na NET is a 24-hour online shopping event; Prémios Navegantes XXI recognizes digital leaders; and Selo Confio provides a trust certification for online businesses. The Acelerar o Norte initiative provides digital vouchers to SMEs in northern Portugal. Additional offerings include the Economia Digital Talks Club webinar series, the Comércio Digital training program (2018-2023), annual Digital Economy studies, and an ACEPI Directory for business promotion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Portugal Digital Summit The largest digital economy and transformation event in Portugal, organized by ACEPI in partnership with GoingNext. Features approximately 150 national and international speakers, over 2,000 visitors, and 1,500+ m2 of exhibition space, focusing on AI impact on economy and society.
• Dia das Compras na NET 24-hour online shopping promotion initiative supporting digital commerce in Portugal. Aggregates the best websites and online stores from major brands operating in Portugal in a generalized promotion and discount campaign with urgency messaging.
• Prémios ACEPI Navegantes XXI Major initiative to recognize excellence in digital economy and society in Portugal. Awards ceremony honoring professionals who distinguish themselves in digital fields, valuing merit, innovation, leadership, and sector impact across 10 categories.
• Portugal Digital Cyber eXperience Cybersecurity-focused event bringing together leaders and decision-makers who define strategy, risk, and trust in organizations. Features 8 parallel stages focused on critical security and digital resilience axes.
• Selo Confio (Trust Seal) Digital certification program promoting and developing national digital commerce. A quality, credibility, and transparency certification assigned to different digital commerce entities, serving as a guarantee for consumers purchasing products and services online.
• Acelerar o Norte Digital acceleration project for northern Portugal, creating 16 Digital Commerce Accelerators. Provides free diagnostic tools, consulting support, and vouchers up to €2,000 for digital services for micro, small, and medium enterprises in the commerce, personal services, and hospitality sectors.
• Estudo da Economia Digital (Digital Economy Study) Annual comprehensive study analyzing Digital Economy indicators in Portugal, evaluating the country's digital maturity. Published studies available from 2009-2025.
• Diretório ACEPI (ACEPI Business Directory) Business directory allowing companies to register and promote their online stores and businesses. Features detailed profiles of digital commerce entities, categorized by industry including retail, food, electronics, travel, and more.
• ACEPI Weekly Newsletter Weekly newsletter distributed every Thursday via email, covering national and international digital economy news, legal/tax updates, funding opportunities, AI, e-commerce, payments, logistics, regulation, and emerging technologies for the Portuguese digital ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,500 companies received €5M+ in digital vouchers through Acelerar o Norte, with 16 digital accelerators and 40 field technicians supporting digital transformation across Northern Portugal
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• GoingNextcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2025GoingNext co-organizes the Portugal Digital Summit with ACEPI, the largest digital economy event in Portugal. GoingNext contributes event production expertise and audience development for the summit, which draws 2,000+ professionals and 150+ speakers annually.
• Augusta LabscoreTechnology or Integration · 22 October 2025ACEPI partnered with Augusta Labs to develop and launch a smart matchmaking app using AI agents at the Portugal Digital Summit 2025. The app facilitates professional networking among event participants using artificial intelligence.
• DPD PortugalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDPD Portugal is the Master Sponsor of ACEPI events, including the Portugal Digital Summit and Dia das Compras na NET. DPD contributes financial sponsorship and in-kind support (e.g., logistics expertise for e-commerce webinars), and participates as a panel speaker in ACEPI events.
• ifthenpaymajorGTM or Marketing Partnerifthenpay is the Principal Sponsor of ACEPI. As a payment infrastructure provider specializing in Multibanco, PayShop, and other Portuguese payment methods, ifthenpay sponsors ACEPI events to reach the association's network of online merchants and digital commerce businesses.
• DNS (Asssociação DNS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDNS is an Institutional Partner of ACEPI, supporting the association's digital economy mission.
• Ecommerce EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACEPI is a member of Ecommerce Europe, the European federation for digital commerce. This membership extends ACEPI's reach to European digital commerce standards, policy advocacy, and cross-border best practices, and positions ACEPI as Portugal's representative in European e-commerce discussions.
• arbitrareminorOthersarbitrare is listed as a member of ACEPI, providing alternative dispute resolution services for the digital commerce ecosystem.
• CCP (Confederação do Comércio e Serviços de Portugal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCP leads the Acelerar o Norte consortium, with ACEPI as co-promoter alongside AEP and AHRESP. CCP represents commerce and services businesses nationwide and is the primary consortium leader for this PRR-funded digital acceleration initiative covering Northern Portugal's 8 sub-regions.
• AEP (Associação Empresarial de Portugal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAEP is a co-promoter of the Acelerar o Norte consortium alongside ACEPI, CCP, and AHRESP. AEP contributes its national business association network to support digital transformation outreach for SMEs in Northern Portugal.
• AHRESP (Associação da Hotelaria, Restauração e Similares de Portugal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHRESP is a co-promoter of the Acelerar o Norte consortium, bringing its hospitality and restaurant sector members into the digital acceleration program targeting Northern Portugal's commerce, services, and hospitality businesses.
• feverminorGTM or Marketing Partnerfever is listed as a partner of ACEPI, contributing to the association's digital commerce ecosystem.
• MMA (Mobile Marketing Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACEPI is a member of the MMA, participating in international mobile marketing standards and best practice sharing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Retail Federation (NRF): The largest retail industry association in the US, famous for its annual Big Show conference. Comparable to ACEPI in convener role and event-driven model, but operating at vastly larger scale and covering general retail rather than strictly digital commerce.
• DigitalEurope: Brussels-based trade association representing the broader European digital technology industry. Compared with ACEPI, DigitalEurope operates at a much larger scale and across all digital technology segments, not just digital commerce. Useful as a benchmark for what ACEPI could evolve into at EU level.
• Eurocommerce: European federation representing the retail and wholesale sector. While ACEPI has a digital commerce focus, Eurocommerce covers the broader commerce value chain — including physical retail — and has a larger policy footprint. Comparable as a European-level commerce association, but with a broader scope.

Direct peers

• European Digital SME Alliance: European federation representing small and medium digital enterprises. Has a similar SME-flavored digital economy mandate to ACEPI and operates membership, advocacy, and event programs analogous to Acelerar o Norte at EU level. A direct peer in terms of the SME digital transformation focus.
• IAB Europe: European-level federation of IAB chapters. Mirrors ACEPI's relationship with Ecommerce Europe: a continental body that aggregates national digital industry associations for policy advocacy and best-practice sharing. Comparable operating model but with a pan-European mandate.
• Mobile Marketing Association (MMA): Global industry association for mobile marketing. ACEPI is a member of MMA, and the two share the same organizational DNA: tiered corporate membership, flagship events, research studies, and standards-setting. Directly comparable in business model and revenue mix, though operating at a much larger global scale.
• Ecommerce Europe: Brussels-based federation representing the European digital commerce industry. ACEPI is a member of Ecommerce Europe, and the two share the same fundamental model — aggregating digital commerce stakeholders, conducting sector studies, and representing the industry to policymakers. The most direct comparator for ACEPI's advocacy and benchmarking role.
• IAB Portugal: Portuguese chapter of the Interactive Advertising Bureau. IAB Portugal is a member-based industry association for digital advertising and marketing, runs events, certifications, and policy work — closely mirroring ACEPI's structure with a narrower focus on advertising rather than digital commerce overall.
• APDC (Associação Portuguesa para o Desenvolvimento das Comunicações): Portuguese association for the development of communications, with a comparable national convener role for the digital and communications sector. Like ACEPI, APDC organizes flagship conferences, publishes industry studies, and serves as a bridge between operators and regulators — a direct analogue for ACEPI within Portugal's telecom and digital ecosystem.

Regional players

• AmCham Portugal (Câmara de Comércio Americana em Portugal): American Chamber of Commerce in Portugal. Comparable in operating model — member-based, events, networking, advocacy — but focused on US-Portugal business ties rather than digital commerce specifically. Illustrative of the broader Portuguese business association landscape.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/acepi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCue8BOxBguCpKK8iWv_UtEw
• Facebookpt-pt.facebook.com/pages/category/Community-Organization/ACEPI-295866729135
• LinkedInpt.linkedin.com/company/acepi-associacao-da-economia-digital
• Instagraminstagram.com/comerciodigitalacepi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ACEPI