What Nova SBE does

Nova SBE is the business school of Universidade Nova de Lisboa, and the data here describe its VOICE Leadership Initiative — a research-backed certified training program launched on 25 October 2023 to modernize and increase the competitiveness of Portuguese SMEs through executive education and structured mentorship. The product is an 80-hour, 18-month curriculum covering six strategic areas (Business Management, Digitalization and Technology, People Management, Growth and Internationalization, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Operations), delivered as 48 hours in-person across Nova SBE campuses in Lisbon and Porto plus 32 hours of online asynchronous content, with an adjacent online content platform and a separate community portal for participants and mentors/trainers.

Underlying delivery infrastructure includes a Mentor and Trainer Bootcamp series (10 planned bootcamps), a Mentorship Certification Program, and three Nova SBE-led research studies — two on the impact of training and mentoring on SME competitiveness, and one on the energy transition's impact on SME performance, the latter supported by BPI and EDP. To date the program reports 100+ trainers, 450 certified mentors and 70 training classes across editions.

The business model is not commercial SaaS or fee-for-service training; it is a public-university-hosted, partner-funded research and capacity-building initiative. Revenue mechanics rest on contributions from 40+ founding and supporting partners — banks (Banco Montepio, BPI, Novo Banco, Santander, Crédito Agrícola, Bankinter), large corporates (Sonae, NOS, EDP, Microsoft, Schneider Electric, SIBS, PHC Software, Zeiss, BRP, AKT, Generali), and industry/business associations (CIP, IAPMEI, APED, GS1 Portugal, aicep) — plus founding media partners Expresso and Cofina. SME participants are selected through an application process (currently shown as closed), pricing is not publicly disclosed, and the explicit target is to positively impact 2% of Portuguese GDP by 2026. The customer base is Portuguese SME decision-makers; the funder base is a concentrated consortium of large Portuguese institutions.

Name

Nova SBE

Legal name

Nova School of Business and Economics

Website

https://voiceleadership.novasbe.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nova SBE's VOICE Leadership Initiative is a research-backed, partner-funded certified training and mentorship program that delivers an 80-hour, 18-month executive education curriculum to Portuguese SME decision-makers through Nova SBE campuses in Lisbon and Porto and an online platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Education

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Operational Excellence (OPEX) & Performance Management (KPI/OKR) (EDABAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Learning & Training Content Development (EDAGAKAC), Foundational PM & Delivery Methods (Waterfall/Agile/Hybrid) (EDABAHAA)

Keywords

• Executive education
• SME training programs
• Management certification
• Business mentorship
• Leadership development

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisboa

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. SME Management Training Program: Certified training program for SMEs with customized solutions or specific modules on strategic areas including Business Management, Digitalization and Technology, People Management, Growth and Internationalization, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Operations. The program is supported by a network of founding partners including banks, corporations, and industry associations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Nova SBE's VOICE Leadership Initiative delivers a certified management training and mentorship program for Portuguese SME decision-makers. The 80-hour curriculum runs over 18 months, combining 48 hours of in-person sessions in Lisbon or Porto with 32 hours of online asynchronous learning across six strategic areas: Business Management, Digitalization and Technology, People Management, Growth and Internationalization, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Operations. The program is complemented by a Mentorship Certification Program, Trainer and Mentor Bootcamps, and an exclusive online content platform for SMEs.

Product overview

Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative is a unified multi-component training platform for Portuguese SMEs, comprising: (1) the SME Management Training Program delivering certified 80-hour training over 18 months across six strategic areas; (2) the Mentorship Certification Program for preparing professional mentors; (3) the Trainer and Mentor Bootcamp; and (4) an Online SME Content Platform providing exclusive digital resources. The program aims to impact 2% of Portugal's GDP by 2026 and has reached 70 training classes with 450 mentors across two completed editions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VOICE Leadership Initiative: A research study and training program by Nova SBE aimed at increasing competitiveness of Portuguese SMEs through management education and mentorship certification.

Products and services

• Voice Leadership Initiative A comprehensive research-based training and mentorship program by Nova SBE targeting Portuguese SME decision-makers. The initiative provides certified business management education over 18 months (80 hours: 48 in-person in Lisbon/Porto, 32 online asynchronous) across six strategic areas: Business Management, Digitalization and Technology, People Management, Growth and Internationalization, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Operations.
• SME Management Training Program (Programa de Gestão para PME) Certified training program for SME decision-makers focused on modernization and competitiveness. Includes 80 hours of training over 18 months with in-person and online components, covering business management, digitalization, people management, growth, innovation, and operations topics. Targets owners and senior managers of Portuguese small and medium enterprises.
• Mentorship Certification Program (Programa de Certificação de Mentoria) Certification program for mentors and trainers preparing professionals to deliver training and mentorship across various business management themes supporting SME growth. Designed for managers and leaders who wish to put their professional or personal experience at the service of SME development.
• Trainer and Mentor Bootcamp (Bootcamp de Formadores e Mentores) Intensive bootcamp training preparing professionals to become trainers and mentors for SME management education. 10 bootcamps are conducted as part of the overall certification program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Target to positively impact 2% of national GDP by 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered founding, founding media partner, supporting and tech partner.

• aicep - Agência para o Investimento e Comércio Externo de PortugalfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative, supporting the modernization and competitiveness of Portuguese SMEs.
• AKTfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• APED - Associação Portuguesa de Empresas de DistribuiçãofoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• BRPfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• CIP - Conselho Empresarial de PortugalfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative, Portugal's business confederation.
• ImpresafoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• GS1 PortugalfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• IAPMEI - Agência para a Competitividade e InovaçãofoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative, supporting SME competitiveness and innovation.
• NOSfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• PHC SoftwarefoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• Schneider ElectricfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• SIBSfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• SonaefoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• ZeissfoundingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• EDP - Energias de Portugalfounding media partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding media partner and supporter of the energy transition impact study on SME performance. Contributing to the research study component of the initiative.
• MicrosoftsupportingTechnology or IntegrationNew partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative, providing technology expertise.
• BYLDtech partnerTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• Expressofounding media partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerFounding media partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative, providing ongoing media coverage and opinion platforms.
• Cofinafounding media partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerFounding media partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• GeneralisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• TabacoirasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• ANECRAsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.
• NERLEIsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew partner of the Nova SBE Voice Leadership Initiative.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EADA Business School Barcelona: Iberian business school (Barcelona) focused on executive education and management development for SMEs. Comparable in Iberian market footprint and SME/executive training emphasis, with bilingual EN/ES/PT scope relevant to Lusophone extension.
• Porto Business School: University of Porto's business school providing executive education in northern Portugal. Directly comparable geography (Porto is one of Nova SBE's training locations), faculty-led executive programs, and SME-focused offerings.
• ISEG Executive Education: Lisbon School of Economics & Management (Universidade de Lisboa) running executive and postgraduate programs. Same national market, similar academic-execution model, and a public university business school like Nova SBE.
• CATÓLICA-LISBON Executive Education: Top Portuguese business school running executive education programs for managers and executives. Closest comparable anchor — similar geography (Portugal, Lisbon), similar target audience (corporate and SME decision-makers), and overlapping management-development curriculum.
• AESE Business School: Lisbon-headquartered business school focused on executive education and SME leadership programs. Comparable in geography and target segment, with overlapping themes in management development for Portuguese and Lusophone markets.

Broad incumbents

• IE Business School Executive Education: Large Spanish business school offering broad executive education programs. Overlaps thematically with Nova SBE's management/leadership training but operates at greater scale and broader curricular scope across multiple industry verticals.
• IESE Business School: University of Navarra's global business school running premium executive education. Compares as a broader European incumbent delivering management development at scale, but at higher price points and broader audience than Nova SBE's SME-focused work.
• ESMT Berlin: European executive education provider with deep management and leadership programs. Comparable technology, business transformation and leadership modules; broader continental scope and more corporate-focused than SME-focused.
• INSEAD Executive Education: Globally leading business school offering executive education programs including leadership, digital transformation, and management. Comparable curriculum themes at far greater scale and price point; relevant as the international benchmark Nova SBE's offerings are benchmarked against.

Others

• Santander X (Banco Santander): Global free entrepreneurship and SME training platform from Santander (a founding partner of Nova SBE Voice). Comparable target audience (SME and entrepreneur training) and overlap in curriculum (digitalization, growth, management), though delivered as a self-serve global platform rather than a certified live program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nova-sbe-voice-leadership

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Nova SBE