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Last Published:
9 September 2026
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Imaginary Cloud has been recognised by 3,000+ Portuguese tech professionals as one of Portugal's best employers. No jury and no self-nominations, just peer validation, the kind that actually means something because it comes from people working in the industry.
It's a proud moment. Not because we came second (though we're grateful for the recognition). But because it tells us something we care about deeply is working: our approach to team, culture, and how we build.
Teamlyzer isn't your typical awards programme. It's a Portuguese platform where tech professionals anonymously rate the companies they work for or know well. Roughly 3,000 contributors vote each year, judging employers across categories like leadership, transparency, culture, and specialisms - engineering, HR, employer brand. The result? A ranking that reflects what practitioners actually think about working at a place, not what a panel of judges decides.
For startups, the criteria are specific: software houses with a maximum of 250 employees. We qualified, and among that cohort, professionals ranked us second.
Why does this matter? Because when your peers (people doing the same work you do) rate a company high, it's honest. There's no angle. These aren't CEOs voting for each other. They're developers, designers, operations folk saying: this company treats people well, invests in their growth, and does what it says it will.
Being recognised this way is confirmation that the practices we've invested in (the ones that matter to us) are actually resonating with the people we care most about: our team, our industry, and the talent we hope to attract.
Think of it like a mirror. You can say "we believe in X" until you're blue in the face. But when 3,000 tech professionals, unprompted and anonymous, say "yes, these people actually do X," that's real feedback. It's not marketing. It's proof of practice.
For job seekers, this recognition cuts through the noise. It means candidates can see we're not just talking about culture, but we're building it. We're hiring thoughtfully. We're investing in our team's growth. And we're transparent enough that people trust us enough to vote for us.
That matters. Especially in a market where professional are scarce and selective.
We've been at this for 15 years. Not because software development is easy. It isn't. But because we believe that how you build software depends entirely on who builds it.
When we started, we made a deliberate choice: we wouldn't chase the biggest projects or the flashiest tech. We'd chase the problems worth solving and the people worth solving them with. That meant being selective about clients, selective about tech, and very selective about hiring.
Fifteen years later, that approach has shaped everything we do. It means:
Hiring for fit, not just credentials. We look for people who care about the work - who get excited about solving problems, not just collecting titles. We'd rather have someone with curiosity and grit than a CV full of buzzwords.
Investing in growth. When someone joins IC, we give them time, space, and resources to develop. That might be internal mentoring, external training, or time to experiment with new tech. It's not a perk. It's central to how we operate.
Being transparent. Trust is a prerequisite for good work. We're honest about what we know, what we don't, and where we're heading. That includes salaries (fair and market-based), career paths (clear), and feedback (regular and real).
Working remote-friendly. We have offices in Portugal and the UK, but our team is distributed. Not because it's trendy, but because talent isn't geographically locked. Some of our best people work where it works for them, and we make that work.
Building for the long term. We don't hire-and-burn-out. We build relationships with our team. People stay at IC because they're valued and challenged, not because they're stuck.
None of this is revolutionary. It's not Silicon Valley disruption. It's just... doing what we think is right. And apparently, 3,000 Portuguese tech professionals agree.
This award is a proud moment for our team. But it's not the finish line. It's a checkpoint that tells us we're on the right path.
We're grateful to Teamlyzer's community for the validation. More than that, we're grateful to our team - the people who make IC a place worth voting for. They do the work. They embody the culture. They're the reason this recognition means anything.
If you're curious about joining a company that actually lives its values, take a look at our careers page. We're hiring. If you're a founder or enterprise leader looking for a software partner that invests in their team (because that means better software), let's talk.
The recognition is nice. But the real win is knowing we're building something that matters to the people who are part of it.
What makes Teamlyzer different from other workplace awards?
Teamlyzer is community-driven - around 3,000 Portuguese tech professionals vote anonymously each year. There's no jury, no self-nominations, and no payments. This makes it more authentic than traditional awards programmes because the rankings reflect what practitioners actually think about working at a place.
Why is Imaginary Cloud ranked among the best employers?
We're recognised for our commitment to culture, team quality, and transparent operations. The recognition reflects how we hire thoughtfully, invest in professional growth, maintain fair and transparent practices (salaries, career paths, feedback), support remote work, and build long-term relationships with our team. We're proud of this validation and take it as confirmation that we're building a workplace people actually want to be part of.
Is Imaginary Cloud hiring?
Yes. We're always looking for talented developers, designers, and operations professionals who align with our values and are excited about solving meaningful problems. Visit our careers page to explore open roles and learn more about working with us.
How do you actually build culture at a software company?
For us, it starts with selective hiring - we prioritise cultural fit alongside skill. We're transparent about salaries, career paths, and feedback. We invest in professional development because we want people to grow. We support remote work because talent isn't geographically locked. And we think long-term, building relationships with our team rather than burning them out. Culture isn't a perk added on top - it's central to how we operate.
Alexandra Mendes is a Senior Growth Specialist at Imaginary Cloud with 3+ years of experience writing about software development, AI, and digital transformation. After completing a frontend development course, Alexandra picked up some hands-on coding skills and now works closely with technical teams. Passionate about how new technologies shape business and society, Alexandra enjoys turning complex topics into clear, helpful content for decision-makers.
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