Impact School

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the reason for this programme?

This programme emerged from the new strategy of the Ageas Foundation, aimed at increasing its social impact in the community. The Ageas Foundation joined Impact Hub Lisbon to implement the Impact School, whose objective is to promote social inclusion through employability.

During the process of creation, various institutions of the 3rd sector, partners of the Foundation, were heard: ACA (Associação Conversa Amiga); AMI; CAIS; CASA (Centro de Apoio aos Sem Abrigo); Centro Sagrada Família; Comunidade Vida e Paz; SAOM; Serve the City.

The programme, which involves various professionals of the Impact Hub Pilot Lisbon network and volunteers of the Ageas Foundation, takes place under the management and coordination of Impact Hub Lisbon.

What is the Impact Hub?

Impact Hub is a global network of innovation and development of projects aimed at transforming society. Impact Hub has more than 15 thousand members spread over 80 cities, forming the largest community of impact entrepreneurs at a worldwide level. From its foundation, in 2005, more than 1,200 startups have emerged and around 3,500 jobs created.

How is the programme developed in detail?

Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3

Phase 1
Selection of ideas: from the experience to the idea!

The programme begins with a maximum of 40 participants, with various professional and life experiences. This first phase focuses on behavioural training, motivation and capacity of resilience, with consideration of the current world of work, so as to help the participants to define their employability goal. The participants have access to a series of training sessions, workshops and lectures that enable developing the talent and experience of each one and converting this experience into ideas.
Phase 2
Training and Business model

The 20 ideas selected at the end of the first phase are deepened in this stage. The participants are followed-up through mentoring, aimed at capacity-building and evolving towards a business model or employability skills.

This phase involves training, weekly individual meetings, fortnightly mentoring and access to specialists in the relevant professional areas, in a programme based on the best practices of the Impact Hub, in which the 10 best projects move to the next phase.
Phase 3
Acceleration and Final Presentation

The participants develop and improve business skills (personal and technical) and work on the design of their employability goal. Each participant has access to a mentor and will be collaborating in network in the Impact Hub Lisbon facility.

Each participant will exhibit and present her/his business idea or employability goal to a group of invited companies, during a marketplace, aimed at promoting investment or the contracting of the services/products by the companies present.

What is the duration of the programme?

The programme takes place 3 days a week, 4 hours per day, where:

Phase 1: From the experience to the idea!
Phase 2: - Training and Business model
Phase 3: Acceleration and Final Presentation

How are the ideas selected?

For the selection of ideas, an assessment matrix is applied at the end of Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the programme. The criteria of analysis are related to Creativity, Motivation, Adequacy to the market, Sustainability and the Business model. The ideas are assessed by a multidisciplinary selection panel, composed of member of the Impact Hub, Ageas Foundation and partner institutions, among other bodies.

What are the specific objectives of the programme?

Identify and develop individual skills.
Promote self-knowledge, working strengths and weaknesses.
Increase the self-esteem and confidence of the individual.
Develop self-motivation and capacity of resilience.
Promote good practices and competencies related to active job-seeking, entrepreneurial attitude and tools to support the creation and development of one's own employment.
Reposition the relationship between the individual and the current labour market.

Can a company join this programme?

Any company or institution can join the Impact School as a trainer, mentor or coach of the participants, or as an investor in one of the final ideas or employer.