Portugal is increasingly becoming known as the place to be in Europe to start a business and that’s not merely because of the sunny weather and cool beaches. There is so much more to this strategic corner of Europe and that’s why we maintain a sharp focus on bringing the best of the best to our accelerators as a starting point for startups to establish themselves in Portugal.

In the most recent report - Doing Business 2015, - which evaluates 189 economies, Portugal is referenced in the top 25. This report assesses 11 areas in the life cycle of a business, factoring in such aspects as starting a business, getting electricity or obtaining credit. Precisely when it comes to starting a business, Portugal is ranked at number 10 which illustrates how easy it is for an entrepreneur to create a business in Lisbon or any other Portuguese city. It is easier than starting up in the UK or even in Germany. This is partly due to the low number of procedures (3 instead of the average 5 in OECD), days spent (2.5) in comparison to OECD (9.2), lower cost (only 2.3 in the same comparison) and the lack of minimum capital required.

There are other positive economic factors that contribute for the above mentioned ranking: Portugal has a current GDP growth of 0,9%, negative inflation of -0,3% with a historically low interest rate which benefits both national and international investment.

Recently one of the trendiest companies within the startup community - Zomato – chose to move its European operation to Lisbon as they found a unique enthusiasm for mobile apps and the ideal geographic location mainly due to the easy access to other European airports. The strong aviation network is actually one of the the reasons frequently pointed out as an important factor for conducting business in Lisbon, along with fair real estate prices (both home and office space), the average level english of the population, the strong entrepreneurial support (incubators and accelerators), investment and venture funding as well as the quality of life and culture of one of Europe´s most ancient countries.

The reduced labor costs and qualified human resources are also often denoted as key factors to developing a business here and that’s also why starting in Portugal is viewed as a strategic entrance into the European Market.

As one of the cheapest countries to live in, in Europe, whilst benefiting from the talent of young entrepreneurs, Portugal has been attracting more and more international investors, as well as becoming a country of interest for hosting top events and gatherings – yes, it’s true that we’re in the running to become the first country to host the Web Summit outside of Ireland.

Startups have plenty to consider when it comes to choosing how to start in Portugal depending on the stage they consider to be at. Participating in local accelerators is one of the best options as it gets entrepreneurs immediately connected to the community, backed up by relevant mentors and linked to the best entrepreneurship organizations.

One such example is Beta-i collaboration with Deloitte Digital in the creation of the first vertical accelerator in Portugal – Deloitte Digital Disruptors. Participating startups will have the unique opportunity to develop a business from an inexpensive, high life-quality city with access to high value clients from all over Europe, including Deloitte’s own network of clients. The two month acceleration program is specifically designed to accompany startups in implementing their solutions directly with big insurance industry players. There are over €100k in perks per team, free office space during the acceleration program and incubation right in Lisbon’s business center with no equity taken.

The first call for applications will close tomorrow and more info on the accelerator can be found at ddd-beta-i-pt.beta-i.pt.

This article was originally published at Fundacity, our supporters on the Deloitte Digital Disruptors’ promotion.