It is in the interior that the country plays itself out

We've long talked about the interior as a national priority. However, population settlement in low-density areas has been treated as a deferred structural problem—always important, never urgent. When a Portuguese company announces concrete measures to counter this trend, it's worth pausing and reflecting.

Sword Health, a startup born in Porto and now a global leader in digital health, has decided to implement an internal minimum wage of €1,300 for all its employees, regardless of location. Furthermore, those who choose to work remotely from within the country receive additional bonuses. This isn't just a symbolic gesture: it's a decision with an impact on people's wallets, lives, and, potentially, the region.

We are facing a strategic decision that combines social purpose with business vision. In a country where territorial asymmetries continue to push talent to the coast and abroad, this measure signals that there is a competitive future outside urban centers, provided the conditions are right.

Digital technology has this eminently transformative potential. It can break with excessive centralization and bring opportunities to areas where the state is slow to reach. But the solution isn't to insist on dependence on central government. The solution lies in creating an environment conducive to private initiative, where entrepreneurs and companies feel it's worth investing in the interior, as much as in any other part of the country.

For decades, public investment has focused on the same areas. The results are clear: the interior has lost population, services, and attractiveness. The institutional response has almost always been palliative, often more concerned with subsidization than with creating real conditions for sustainable growth.

All of this reflects a centralism that isn't just geographic, but also political and economic. Decisions, investments, incentives, and decision-making centers remain excessively concentrated. But this reality isn't inevitable. It can (and should) be countered with strategy and pragmatism.

A smart tax policy can make all the difference. Corporate income tax reductions for companies that set up in low-density areas, temporary exemptions from social security contributions (TSU), preferential access to European funds, or simplified licensing procedures are examples of measures that create real conditions to attract investment. It's not about creating exceptions—it's about leveling the playing field and recognizing the merit of those who take risks where it's harder to get started.

At the same time, it's crucial that municipalities in the interior be empowered to be active agents in this transformation. Creating competitive industrial zones, offering land with good connectivity, facilitating the establishment of companies, and working in partnership with universities and technology centers must be part of the equation. To achieve this, municipalities need resources, qualified staff, and the freedom to make decisions.

Sword Health doesn't expect the government to do everything. It assumes its role with responsibility and vision. It shows that things can be done differently and that the financial and social returns can be significant. If more companies follow this example, and if the government understands that its role is to facilitate, not hinder, then perhaps we can truly change the fate of the interior.

More than a local issue, the future of the interior is a test of our ability to think about the country as a whole. And it is increasingly in the interior that the country plays itself out.