The Industrial Portugal Gateway (IPG) is a new Iberian cluster promoted by Luso Defense Group, which aims to attract productive investment, technology and qualified employment to Portalegre, bringing national and international companies closer to the defense, security and dual-use technologies industry. The project will be publicly presented on September 25, at NERPOR's facilities in Portalegre, at an event that will include companies, municipalities, business associations, investors and Portuguese and Spanish entities.
The CEO of Luso Defense Group, Mafalda Colaço Marques, explained that the goal is not only to attract a single industrial unit, but rather to develop an ecosystem capable of hosting multiple projects, integrate companies already established in the region into new supply chains, promote vocational training and create connections between industry, institutions, knowledge centers and technology partners. Portalegre was chosen due to its territorial availability, lower pressure on installation costs and proximity to the Spanish border, allowing a truly Iberian logic with connection to Badajoz and Extremadura.
The cluster serves as a single coordination point for companies that want to invest in Portugal, solving the problem of fragmented processes and interlocutors. The support covers everything from initial project evaluation and location selection to licensing, financing, recruitment and supplier identification. Mafalda Marques stated that there are already contacts and discussions with national and international companies from European and non-European markets, in different technological areas, although she did not reveal which companies are involved.
At the same September 25 event, the Iberian Defense Expo (IDE) will be presented, a new international trade fair dedicated to defense, security and dual-use technologies, scheduled for 2027. The IDE model combines business exhibition, conferences, B2B and B2G meetings, official delegations and demonstrations. NERPOR serves as the territorial partner of IPG, ensuring that the arrival of new industrial units also creates opportunities for companies already established in the region.
