Simão Carvalho || Branch Manager
ACE Development & Enginering || The Netherlands || 300 People
What problem does ACE solve? Can you tell us a bit about the solution you are developing?
ACE Development & Engineering supports companies that want to evolve technologically but lack the internal resources or technical expertise to do so. We transform complex technical challenges into innovative, functional and efficient engineering solutions.
What role does continuous innovation play in the development of your solutions?
Continuous innovation is the driving force behind everything ACE does. In a sector like engineering, where technology evolves rapidly, we believe it is not enough to keep up with change — it is essential to anticipate it. For this reason, innovation is not an isolated department, but a practice embedded across all stages of our solution development process.
Why did ACE choose Portugal to establish an Innovation Centre?
ACE Netherlands is a multicultural company that currently employs several Portuguese engineers. Over the years, some of these professionals — already with solid experience within ACE — expressed the desire to return to their home country.
At the same time, Portugal increasingly stood out as a highly attractive market: a country with excellent technical talent, leading universities and a rapidly growing technology ecosystem. We recognised a clear opportunity. Supporting the return of these team members, while acknowledging the strong potential of the Portuguese market, made expanding our presence to Portugal a natural decision.
How does the Innovation Centre in Portugal, based at UPTEC, contribute to the company’s global strategy?
ACE Porto, based at UPTEC, strengthens the company’s global strategy by connecting us to a strong innovation ecosystem and highly qualified talent. This presence allows us to develop more advanced technological solutions, support the Portuguese market, and, at the same time, reinforce our international network of knowledge and projects.
What factors do you attribute ACE’s success to?
The success of ACE Development & Engineering results from a combination of factors that together create a distinctive value proposition, namely:
multidisciplinary teams with expertise across multiple engineering fields; a culture of continuous innovation embedded in the company’s DNA; service flexibility tailored to our clients’ needs; close collaboration with clients, focused on building long-term relationships; and a strong commitment to quality.
If you had to give one piece of advice to someone starting a business or leading a team, what would it be?
If I had to give just one piece of advice, it would be to invest in the people who make up your team and create an environment where they can grow. I genuinely believe that when a team feels heard, valued and part of the solution, results come much more naturally.
January 21, 2026
