The Cozecare platform, co-founded by Francisco Martins, a student of the Degree in Computer Engineering and Computers at the Instituto Superior Técnico (Universidade de Lisboa), was designed to connect users with verified psychologists. The objective is to mitigate the feeling of emptiness and lack of support that patients frequently experience between appointments.
Through features such as daily check-ins, personalized exercises, and automatic speech transcriptions, Cozecare ensures closer and more effective monitoring. The idea arose from shared experiences with a colleague from the University of Minho, who noted the risks associated with deteriorating mental health when support is intermittent.
The technical knowledge acquired by Martins at Técnico was fundamental to the platform's robust development. "The technical knowledge I gained throughout the Computer Engineering course at Técnico was directly applied in the platform's development, allowing us to build it as solidly as possible from an engineering and product perspective," shared the student.
Cozecare has demonstrated its robustness with recent accolades. At the end of April, it was recognized by The Ventures Portugal 2026 in the Best Traction category, competing against over 600 projects. Additionally, it reached the finalist stage in the MIT 100k Portugal and Startup World Cup Portugal 2026 entrepreneurship programs, and received an honorable mention at the National Innovation Award 2026.
In just nine months, the platform has been validated by dozens of psychologists. The rate of adoption has been remarkable, with a recent average of four new professionals joining daily. Francisco Martins, who is now pursuing a Master's degree in Computer Engineering and Computers, indicated before the summer break that the platform already had 300 active psychologists by September, exceeding initial expectations. Cozecare also collaborates with various Portuguese universities on mental health initiatives and participated in Técnico's Bioengineering and Biomedical Week (JOB2BE).
