Sogrape Challenges Students to Reinvent the Wine Industry

The Portuguese wine company, Sogrape, will hold the Sogrape Impact Hack competition on September 19 which challenges students to present ideas and solutions that can reinvent the wine industry.

Sogrape Wines is a family-owned company focused on the production of quality wines, innovation, and the development of Portuguese brands. Even though it is family-owned, it is the biggest Portuguese wine company and has a strong international presence.

Taking place at Caves Ferreirinha in Vila Nova de Gaia, the Sogrape Impact Hack competition is a testament to the company’s commitment to innovation. Participants will have 12 hours to transform ideas into concrete solutions, leveraging innovative approaches in two key areas – direct to consumer and wine tourism.

The goal is for students to create innovative solutions that enable them to reinvent the wine industry by contributing to the construction of a more impactful and sustainable sector that is focused on attracting consumers, creating products, and implementing sustainable practices.

Participants can apply until September 11, and Sogrape will award the best three projects with 1,500, 1,000, and 500 euros, respectively. Winners will also have the opportunity to build and implement their projects within the company’s group, which holds several well-known wine brands, such as Mateus Rosé, Barca Velha, Esteva, Sandekan, and Porto Ferreira.

Sogrape was founded in 1942 by Fernando Van Zeller Guedes and is now managed by Fernando Cunha Guedes, a member of the third generation of the founding family. It has a  presence in more than 120 markets globally and owns more than 1,600 acres of vineyard distributed between Portugal, Spain, Chile, Argentina, and New Zealand. Last year’s edition of the Impact Hack competition had more than 100 participants.