João Almeida has a Master's Degree in Management and a Degree in Languages and Business Relations from the University of Aveiro. He is a PhD candidate in Business and Economics (University of Aveiro) and a Research Fellow of the research unit on Governance, Competitiveness and Public Policy (GOVCOPP) - University of Aveiro, with a PhD Scholarship funded by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT). He was part of the projects: "RESILIENT - Research Network on Resilient Communities"; "CeNTER - Community-led Networks for Territorial Innovation"; and "Entrepreneurial University: the case of higher education in Portugal and its impact on regional competitiveness". His research interests are related to entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurship ecosystems, innovation, local and regional development, and rural development. He is also a guest lecturer at the University of Maia, where he teaches Entrepreneurship. João Almeida is co-founder and coordinator of Rural Move, a non-profit organization promoting repopulation and investment in Portuguese rural areas. He is also a member of the Council for Reflection and Action on the Interior, of the Advisory Board of the COM.Estrela Incubator and part of the G100 Arte y Cultura group (a social innovation project in Spain).