Expats in Tech Lunch | Carnival Edition
- Date
- 2026-02-13
- Location
- Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Host
- Unicorn Factory Lisboa
About this event
If you work in tech and call Lisbon home, this lunch is a simple way to turn a weekday into something genuinely useful. Expats in Tech Lunch | Carnival Edition brings together internationally minded people in tech for real conversation, new connections, and a social setting that feels easy to step into. Set during Carnival season, this edition adds a little extra energy to the usual lunch meetup format. Expect a relaxed in-person gathering where you can meet other expats, swap stories about work and life in Portugal, and leave with a few names you’ll actually want to keep in touch with. What Is This? This is an in-person community lunch for expats working in and around tech in Lisbon. It’s designed for people who want more than fast intros and business-card exchanges. The focus is on conversation: who you are, what you’re building, what kind of work you do, and how you’re finding your way in a new city and industry environment. The format is intentionally social and low-pressure. Rather than a formal conference setup or a tightly programmed panel event, this is a meetup built around shared time at lunch. That makes it easier to have longer, more natural discussions with people who understand both the opportunities and the oddities of building a career abroad. Because this is a Carnival Edition, the atmosphere is expected to feel especially lively and open. That doesn’t mean chaotic or overly structured around a theme; it simply gives the gathering a timely reason to bring people together and makes this lunch feel distinct from a standard networking event. Whether you’re newly arrived in Lisbon or have been here long enough to know the rhythms of the city, the event creates space to meet others at a similar intersection of tech, relocation, community, and social connection. What to Expect You can expect a lunchtime meetup that balances social ease with professional relevance. People will likely arrive with different goals: some looking for community, some hoping to expand their network, some curious about the Lisbon tech scene, and others just wanting a good conversation with people who share similar experiences. A typical flow for this kind of event may include: Arrival and informal mingling with time to settle in and meet a few people naturally Small-group conversations around work, roles, companies, projects, and life in Lisbon Lunch-based networking that feels more relaxed than an evening mixer or formal meetup Open social time to continue conversations, exchange contact details, and make future plans Because the setting is in person and centered around lunch, conversations tend to be more grounded and less performative. You’re more likely to discuss practical things like navigating the local tech ecosystem, finding collaborators, adjusting to work culture, or discovering communities worth staying connected to. This event also suits both extroverts and quieter attendees. If large networking events can feel transactional, a lunch format offers a more comfortable entry point. You can join one conversation at a time, move at your own pace, and still come away having met a meaningful cross-section of people. Why Attend For expats in tech, building the right local network can take time. This event helps shorten that process by bringing together people who already share a few important things: an interest in tech, experience living internationally, and a reason to be in Lisbon. That common ground makes introductions easier and conversations more useful from the start. There’s also real value in meeting people outside your immediate company or niche. You might talk with someone working in a different part of tech, someone who has already solved a relocation challenge you’re dealing with, or someone who knows communities, events, and opportunities you haven’t discovered yet. Attending can help you: Expand your circle beyond coworkers and existing friends Meet peers across tech roles and backgrounds Get a better feel for Lisbon’s international tech community Trade practical insights about work, relocation, and settling in Create warmer, more memorable connections than you usually get from online networking Most importantly, this is a chance to spend time with people who understand the specific mix of ambition, uncertainty, curiosity, and adaptation that often comes with being an expat in tech. That shared context matters. It changes the quality of conversation and makes connection happen faster. Practical Details This event takes place in person in Lisbon, Portugal on Friday, February 13 at 12:00 PM GMT. The midday timing makes it easy to fit into your day, whether you work remotely, freelance, are between meetings, or want to break up the week with something more social and energizing. As an in-person lunch meetup, the experience is best suited to people who want face-to-face interaction rather than passive attendance. Come ready to talk, listen, introduce yourself, and ask a few good questions. You do not need to treat it like a pitch session; showing up as yourself will go further here. A few useful ways to prepare: Bring a short introduction about what you do and what brought you to Lisbon Be ready to share what you’re working on or exploring in tech Leave space in your schedule so you don’t have to rush out immediately Plan to follow up with the people you genuinely connect with If you’ve been meaning to meet more people in Lisbon’s tech community, this is a practical, approachable place to start. If you’re already well connected, it’s a good opportunity to widen your circle with people who bring different perspectives and experiences to the table.
Who should attend
This is for you if you want your tech network in Lisbon to feel more human, more useful, and more local. - You’re an **expat living in Lisbon** and want to meet other people who understand the experience of building a life and career abroad. - You **work in tech or around tech** in any capacity, whether you’re technical, product-focused, operational, entrepreneurial, or community-minded. - You’re **new to the city** and want an easy in-person way to start making professional and social connections without the pressure of a formal industry event. - You’ve been in Lisbon for a while but want to **refresh your network** and meet people outside your company, startup, or usual circles. - You prefer **real conversation over transactional networking**, and a lunch setting feels more natural than a big evening mixer. - You’re curious about the **international tech community in Portugal** and want to hear how others are navigating work, relocation, opportunities, and day-to-day life here. If you’re looking for a room full of people with shared context, varied backgrounds, and a reason to connect beyond surface-level intros, you’ll likely feel at home here.