Terms & Conditions

1. About the Program

1.1. AUDACIOUS is Mota-Engil’s Open Innovation Program, powered by MEXT and delivered with the support of Beta-i Collaborative Innovation.

1.2. The promoter of the Program is MOTA-ENGIL NEXT, S.A., a public limited liability company with registered office at Rua do Rego Lameiro, no. 38, 4300-454 Porto, Portugal, registered with the Commercial Registry Office under company and tax registration number 514767243.

1.3. The entity identified in paragraph 1.2 is referred to as the “Promoter”. Any other Mota-Engil group entity participating in the assessment, selection or development of collaboration opportunities under the Program may be referred to as a “Participating Mota-Engil Entity”, ” for the purposes of these terms only and solely to the extent of their respective involvement in the Program.

1.4. The Program Manager is Beta-i Collaborative Innovation, registered with the Commercial Registry Office under the sole company and tax number 514075228, with registered office at Edifício Atrium Saldanha, Praça Duque de Saldanha, no. 1, 2nd floor, 1050-094 Lisbon, Portugal.

1.5. Any reference to “we”, “us” or “our” in these terms is a reference to the Program Manager and the Promoter, unless otherwise stated.

1.6. The Program Manager and the Promoter are separate entities working together to deliver the Program. Nothing in these terms is intended to create or imply any partnership, joint venture, agency, employment, fiduciary or other relationship between them, or to authorize either party to bind or assume obligations on behalf of the other, except where expressly agreed in writing.

2. Eligibility

2.1. The Program is open worldwide to startups, scaleups and innovative technology providers with solutions relevant to one or more of the Program’s challenge areas.

2.2. If you apply on behalf of a company, partnership or other entity, you must be authorised to submit the application on its behalf. By submitting an application, you confirm that you have the appropriate authorisation and authority to bind that entity to these terms. Any reference to “you” is to the entity named in the application form.

2.3. You must not be an employee of the Program Manager or the Promoter who is involved in the Program’s selection process, a Program mentor, or otherwise directly involved in the design, delivery or promotion of the Program.

2.4. You may submit or be involved in more than one application, provided that each application is substantially different. If we consider two or more applications to be too similar, we may ask you to choose which application should proceed or may decide, at our discretion, not to consider one or more of those applications.

3. Applications

3.1. Our computer systems are the official timekeeping device for the Program.

3.2. Applications will remain open until 25 September 2026 at 23:59 (Portugal time). The Promoter reserves the right to extend the application period. Any extension will be communicated through the Program’s official channels. We strongly recommend submitting your application in good time to avoid missing the deadline because of technical problems or other issues. The Promoter and the Program Manager will not be responsible for any failure to submit an application before the deadline resulting from technical problems, connectivity issues or other circumstances outside their reasonable control.

3.3. We reserve the right, at our discretion, to consider applications submitted after the closing date or started but not submitted by that date. We are under no obligation to do so.

3.4. Applications must be submitted through the F6S application service. Your creation and use of an F6S account is separately governed by the F6S Terms of Service, the F6S Privacy Policy and the F6S Cookie Policy. Personal data processed by the Promoter and the Program Manager in connection with the Program is described in the AUDACIOUS Privacy Policy referred to in paragraph 6.5.

3.5. You must read the application form carefully, complete all required sections appropriately and follow the instructions provided. You are responsible for ensuring that your application is complete and successfully submitted before the applicable deadline.

3.6. The application form must be completed in English. If any information is translated from another language, you are responsible for the accuracy of the translation.

3.7. We may reject any application that we consider inappropriate or ineligible, including where:

• the application is not completed in accordance with the application form instructions;
• the application is not completed in English;
• the application duplicates or is materially similar to another application;
• you have not properly identified the entity on whose behalf you are applying;
• submitted content does not comply, or may not comply, with your responsibilities under section 5;
• the solution does not fit the Program’s challenge areas, does not appear sufficiently mature for the Program journey, or would not reasonably benefit from participation;
• you do not meet the eligibility requirements in section 2; or
• the application contains information that is materially inaccurate, incomplete or misleading, or we are unable to verify information that is material to the assessment of the application.

4. Assessment and participation

4.1. Eligible applications will be assessed by the Promoter, participating Mota-Engil business representatives and the Program Manager against the Program’s approved evaluation criteria:

• Product – maturity of the product or solution and readiness for implementation;
• Market – scalability of the business model across different markets and Mota-Engil business units;
• Impact – potential impact of the solution on Mota-Engil’s operations;
• Team – experience, capabilities and readiness of the team to work closely with Mota-Engil and implement a potential pilot project;
• Overall Fit – overall assessment of the attractiveness and suitability of the applicant and its solution for collaboration with Mota-Engil.

The assessment and selection process may also consider the information available during due diligence and the overall suitability of the applicant and proposed solution for the Program.

4.2. We may undertake reasonable due diligence on applicants, including verification of identity, company information, qualifications, claims made in the application and rights relating to the proposed solution. You must provide reasonable assistance as requested for this purpose. We may decide not to proceed where due diligence is incomplete or unsatisfactory or where information provided cannot be satisfactorily verified or where the applicant does not satisfy applicable compliance or integrity requirements. Any personal data obtained or verified for due diligence purposes will be processed in accordance with the AUDACIOUS Privacy Policy and applicable data protection law.

4.3. Selected applicants may be invited to an Online Pitch and, if subsequently selected, take part in the Pilot Design Sprint and Showcase. Invitations, schedules, participation instructions and any stage-specific requirements will be communicated separately. Selection at any stage does not guarantee progression to any subsequent stage of the Program.

4.4. Participation in the Program does not guarantee the implementation or financing of a pilot, procurement, investment, commercial agreement or any other future collaboration. Any such opportunity will depend on strategic alignment, technical and operational feasibility, due diligence, internal approvals and a separate written agreement between the relevant parties. No commitment, obligation or binding commercial relationship will arise unless and until such separate written agreement is duly executed by the relevant parties.

4.5. No application or participation fee is charged. Each applicant remains responsible for its own internal costs and expenses and any other costs incurred in connection with its application or participation in the Program unless otherwise agreed in writing.

4.6. The Program will include a Showcase, to be held in a hybrid format on a date to be confirmed in January 2027. The Top 10 selected startups will be invited to attend the Showcase in person, while those unable to attend may participate online. Each participant shall bear all of its own costs and expenses associated with in-person participation, including travel, accommodation, visas and insurance. The Promoter shall have no obligation to pay, contribute to or reimburse any such costs or expenses unless expressly agreed otherwise in writing.

5. Your responsibilities

5.1. You must submit your application and participate in the application process in good faith and in a professional and reputable manner.

5.2. You must not submit information or content that you know, or have reason to believe, is:

• fraudulent, false, inaccurate, misleading or materially incomplete;
• illegal, unlawful or in breach of any applicable law, regulation or guideline;
• defamatory or derogatory to any person;
• obscene, offensive, insulting or explicit;
• infringing of any person’s intellectual property, contractual, privacy, confidentiality or other rights;
• harmful or infected with malicious code;
• contains personal data that is not necessary for the application, including special categories of personal data or personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences, unless such information has been expressly requested and appropriate safeguards have been established; or
• likely to cause material damage to the reputation of the Program Manager, the Promoter or the Mota-Engil group if disclosed.

5.3. If you later become aware that submitted information or content may contravene paragraph 5.2, you must inform us promptly and, where appropriate, provide corrected or updated information or take any other reasonable action requested to address the issue.

5.4. To the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify the Program Manager and the Promoter against losses, damages, costs, claims or expenses arising directly from your breach of these terms or from information or content submitted by you, except to the extent caused by the default of the indemnified party.

5.5. Participants attending any in-person Program activity are responsible for their own conduct and for any loss of or damage to property caused by their acts or omissions. Participants must comply with any reasonable health, safety, security, venue and conduct requirements communicated in connection with the relevant activity. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Program Manager and the Promoter shall not be liable for loss of or damage to participants’ personal property, except where caused by their negligence or willful misconduct.

6. Confidentiality and personal data

6.1. You are not required or expected to include confidential information about your organisation, solution or business in the application form or in materials presented during the application and selection stages.

6.2. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, information provided during the application and selection process may be accessed, on a need-to-know basis, by the Program Manager, the Promoter, Participating Mota-Engil Entities, evaluators and authorised Program contributors, solely for the purposes of operating the Program, assessing applications and evaluating potential collaboration opportunities. Each recipient will be subject to confidentiality and data protection obligations appropriate to its role.

6.3. If you provide personal data relating to another individual, you must have the necessary authority and a valid legal basis to do so and must provide that individual with any data protection information required by applicable law. You must not submit special categories of personal data, personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences, or other unnecessary personal data unless appropriate safeguards have been agreed in advance.

6.4. We will not be bound by confidentiality notices or similar statements included unilaterally in submitted materials. If you believe it is necessary to disclose confidential information, contact us before disclosure so that the parties can determine whether a separate confidentiality agreement is appropriate. Any confidentiality obligations applicable to such information must be expressly agreed in writing in advance.

6.5. Personal data will be handled in accordance with the applicable privacy notice and legal obligations. Privacy Policy: privacy-policy.html.

7. Intellectual property and publicity

7.1. Nothing in these terms transfers ownership of your pre-existing intellectual property to us, or ownership of our intellectual property to you.

7.2. You must not use the names, logos, documentation or other intellectual property of the Program Manager, the Promoter, Mota-Engil, MEXT or the Program without prior written consent.

7.3. You grant the Program Manager and the Promoter a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the materials and intellectual property included in your application solely to operate the Program, assess your application and evaluate potential collaboration opportunities, including, where necessary, reproducing and sharing such materials with Participating Mota-Engil Entities, evaluators and authorised Program contributors on a need-to-know basis. You confirm that you have all rights and authorisations necessary to grant this license.

7.4. The application form may include a separate and optional publicity consent checkbox. The checkbox will not be pre-selected, and refusal to provide consent will not affect the assessment of an application or participation in the Program. Where consent is provided, the Program Manager and the Promoter may use the applicant organisation’s name, logo, approved non-confidential description and participation status for the specific Program communication and promotional purposes identified when consent is requested.

7.5. Photography, filming or recording may take place during Program activities. Any use of a participant’s identifiable image or voice for external communications or promotional purposes will require that participant’s specific consent, collected through the application form or a separate event-specific consent process. Consent requests will be separate and specific to the relevant purposes and, where appropriate, the intended communication channels. Refusal or withdrawal of consent will not affect the assessment of the application or participation in the Program. Participants may withdraw consent for future use by contacting the Program, without affecting uses already lawfully made. Any recording required solely for the administration, assessment or documentation of the Program will be communicated in advance and handled in accordance with the applicable privacy notice.

7.6. Any intellectual property created jointly or developed in connection with a pilot or commercial collaboration will be governed by a separate written agreement. Participation in the Program does not create an exclusivity obligation unless expressly agreed in writing and does not, by itself, grant either party any rights in intellectual property developed by the other party outside the scope of such separate agreement.

8. Potential collaboration opportunities

8.1. Whether or not an application advances to a later Program stage, the Program Manager, the Promoter or a Participating Mota-Engil Entity may contact the applicant about a specific commercial, pilot or partnership opportunity directly connected with the application or proposed solution. This paragraph does not authorise unrelated marketing or communications concerning other programs, events or initiatives, which will only be sent where a separate legal basis exists. Any such contact or discussion is exploratory in nature and does not create any obligation to enter into a pilot, commercial arrangement, partnership or other collaboration.

8.2. The relevant provisions of these terms will continue to apply to preliminary discussions arising from your application unless and until the parties enter into a separate written agreement governing those discussions. Unless expressly stated otherwise in writing, such preliminary discussions are non-binding.

9. Liability

9.1. Subject to the remaining provisions of this section, the total aggregate liability of each of the Program Manager and the Promoter arising out of or in connection with these terms or the application process will not exceed EUR 1,000 per applicant and per entity.

9.2. To the extent permitted by law, neither the Program Manager nor the Promoter will be liable for incorrect information provided about the application process or Program in error, technical failures, failure to receive an application, unauthorised third-party intervention, or technical or human error in administering the application process, except where caused by its willful misconduct or gross negligence.

9.3. You should retain a copy of all information and documents submitted. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any security, data protection or liability obligation that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

9.4. Nothing in these terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

9.5. The liability of the Program Manager and the Promoter is several and not joint. Each is responsible only for its own acts, breaches and failures, and neither shall be liable for the acts, omissions, breaches or failures of the other.

9.6. By submitting an application, you acknowledge that these limitations and exclusions are reasonable in the circumstances, including no fee is charged to submit an application.

10. Contact and notices

10.1. Questions about the Program should be sent to [fernanda.alvarenga@beta-i.com and valter.gomes@beta-i.com].

10.2. Contractual notices must be sent to the Program Manager and/or the Promoter at the addresses specified in section 1, with a copy by email to [daniela.cabo@mota-engil.pt and teresa.graca@mota-engil.pt]. Each entity may receive notices only on its own behalf unless expressly authorised otherwise.

10.3. We will contact you using the details supplied in your application. You must notify us promptly if those details change.

11. General terms

11.1. We may modify, cancel or suspend the application process or any part of the Program at any time, including where fraudulent activity is suspected, a technical failure occurs, or an unexpected event or an event beyond our reasonable control affects the Program without giving rise to any right to compensation, reimbursement or other claim by an applicant, except where required by applicable law.

11.2. We may suspend or disqualify an applicant where reasonably necessary to protect the integrity or operation of the Program or our legitimate interests, or where we suspect that the applicant has breached these terms or acted in an inappropriate or unethical manner.

11.3. A failure to enforce any provision of these terms will not constitute a waiver of rights under that provision.

11.4. If any provision is invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in effect. The invalid or unenforceable provision may be replaced by an enforceable provision that reflects its intention as closely as reasonably possible.

11.5. These terms, together with the applicable privacy policy and any stage-specific terms expressly communicated in writing, constitute the terms applicable to the application process.

11.6. To ensure fairness, variations to these terms cannot be agreed with individual applicants unless formally documented and authorised by the relevant parties.

11.7. We may amend these terms on a general basis. Material changes applicable to existing applicants will be communicated, and applicants will be given a reasonable opportunity to withdraw if they no longer wish to proceed.

11.8. These terms and any associated non-contractual disputes or claims are governed by Portuguese law, and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Porto, Portugal, to the extent legally permitted.