2–3 July 2026  ·  DOMA Portugal  ·  12 of 50 spots left

Not a conference.
Not a retreat.
An opening.

1.5 days in nature, 30 minutes from Lisbon — away from the screen, the schedule, and the version of yourself you perform for everyone else.

Workshops, walks, good food, and space to be still. You leave with one practice, one person to check in with on Day 7, and a question still working on you.

Request a spot €215  ·  non-profit · all sessions, dinner & lunch included
Participants from Shilling VC· Indico Capital Partners· Semapa Next· Unicorn Factory Lisbon· Startup Portugal· Casa do Impacto
🤝
100% non-profit. Pausa takes nothing.

Every euro covers venue and meals — nothing more. Pausa Open exists so you can feel the methodology before deciding whether the Pausa Reset is for you. No upsell. No sales pitch. Just the experience.

What You Take Home

Three things.
All of them usable on Monday.

🧪
One practice
A single tool that fits your nervous system — tested during the event
🤝
One person
Someone from the group to check in with on Day 7
One question
Still working on you. That's intentional.

"I scaled to 45 people across two locations in under two years. Then I hit the wall — hard. What I needed then didn't exist. Pausa Open is how we give founders a first taste — without asking them to commit to anything."

Yaro  ·  Founder, Pausa

The Setting

DOMA Portugal —
30 minutes from Lisbon.

Forest. Clean air. Silence. A private estate where the environment does half the work — so you don't have to manufacture calm from nothing.

DOMA Portugal estate DOMA Portugal gardens DOMA Portugal outdoor space DOMA Portugal interior DOMA Portugal garden firepit

Overnight accommodation optional — discount code available via yaro@pausa.pt

The Programme

One thread.
Two days. Real results on Monday.

Not a collection of talks. One coherent journey through the Pausa methodology — simplified, but genuine. You leave knowing one thing about yourself you didn't know before, and one thing to do about it.

Day 1  ·  Thursday 2 July  ·  See It
14:00
ArrivalDOMA welcome, tea, settle in.
15:00
Opening Circle & The Energy Map Your first honest snapshot across four dimensions of vitality — done privately, on paper.
Yaro · 60 min
16:00
The Nervous System Why your scores are what they are. Two tools you can use tonight.
Steven Ebbers · 60 min
17:00
Free TimePool, steam, walk, silence. Nothing scheduled.
18:00
DinnerLong, unhurried, phones away. Buddy pairing before dessert — your check-in partner for Day 7.
19:30
Sleep Two or three specific things to try tonight.
Marco · 30 min
20:00
Free TimeFire, conversation, or rest.
Day 2  ·  Friday 3 July  ·  Be & Begin
09:00
Morning Movement Return from Lisbon, check-in, optional movement in nature.
Marcooptional
10:00
The Session Awareness deepening — one energy drain you name, your 7-day experiment.
Zuzanna · 90 min
11:30
Lunch
12:30
Nature WalkMoving after food. Silent, then paired.
13:30
Behaviour Design One tiny habit targeting your named drain. Your buddy checks in on Day 7.
Marco · 45 min
14:15
Coffee & Open ConversationsThe Pausa team stays. No pitch.
15:00
Departures
The Facilitators

People you come for.
Experience that earns your trust.

Marco Moutinho
Marco Moutinho
Wellbeing Director, Jerónimo Martins · Co-Author, Pausa

Built the reference corporate wellbeing programme inside Jerónimo Martins — 60+ weekly activities, hundreds of employees monthly. Wellbeing Awards 2024 People's Choice. Global case study, Portuguese Chamber of Commerce.

🎓 MSc Exercise & Health, FMH · Yale Happiness · MAT, FRC, Functional Nutrition 🏗️ Holmes Place Switzerland · CEDAR/Technical University Lisbon (8 yrs) · Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Zuzanna van den Wouwer
Zuzanna van den Wouwer
Wellbeing Psychologist & Facilitator, Pausa

Organisational psychologist who has guided leaders across Belgium and Portugal to see their own patterns — the beliefs quietly running the show. Insights Discovery Licensed Practitioner.

🎓 MSc Occupational & Org. Psychology, KU Leuven · Master General Management, Vlerick 🔵 Insights Discovery · Certified Coach · Advanced Yoga & Meditation Practitioner
Steven Ebbers
Steven Ebbers
Clinical Psychologist · Somatic Coach & Breathwork Facilitator, Pausa

Mind, body, nervous system. A decade in the London startup world, former professional athlete, private practice in Lisbon. Lived knowledge of high-performance pressure — and what it costs when left unmanaged.

🎓 BSc & MSc Clinical Psychology · ICF Accredited Coach (ACC) 🌬️ Breathwork Facilitator, 400hr · Cranio-Sacral Therapist, 600hr · Former professional athlete
Yaro
Yaro
Founder, Pausa

Built from zero to 45 people across two locations in under two years — then hit the wall. What he needed in that moment didn't exist. Pausa is what he needed then. He doesn't offer theory. He offers what he needed and couldn't find.

Who It's For

50 founders & leaders.
12 spots remaining.

This is not a networking event. But the people you meet here tend to matter.

Shilling VC Indico Capital Partners Semapa Next Unicorn Factory Lisbon Startup Portugal Casa do Impacto
01
Founders & CEOs who feel the weight of it but haven't named it Something is off. You're not sure what. You need space to find out.
02
People who want evidence-based — not motivational You're not here for pep talks. You're here for something honest and practical.
03
Anyone curious about Pausa before committing to the Reset This is exactly what Pausa Open is for. Experience it first.
04
Leaders who need a genuine break from city and noise And something real to bring back.
The Pausa Ecosystem

Pausa Open is just the beginning.

If the Open resonates, here's what comes next.

You are here
Pausa Open

1.5 days. A first taste of the methodology — workshops, nature, and space to slow down. Non-profit.

Go deeper
Pausa Sprint

6-week science-based wellbeing programme for teams and organisations. Full data, group facilitation, designed habits.

Learn more →
Go deeper
Pausa Reset

3-day digital detox in nature + 3-month community integration. Expert-led. For leaders ready for real change.

Learn more →
Who's in the Room

50 founders and leaders.
Curated, not random.

Participants come from Portugal's leading startup and investment ecosystems. The group is kept small by design — so the conversations are real.

Unicorn Factory Lisbon
Startup Portugal
Casa do Impacto
Shilling VC
Indico Capital Partners
Semapa Next

Every request is reviewed. We confirm within 48 hours. hello@pausa.pt

2–3 July 2026  ·  DOMA, Portugal

Non-profit event
215
incl. VAT · 12 spots remaining
All sessions & materials Day 1 dinner (DOMA Chef) Day 2 lunch Coffee, tea & snacks throughout Accommodation — optional, separate

🏠 Staying overnight? We have a group discount code with DOMA. Write to yaro@pausa.pt and we'll send it over.

Request a spot →

We review every request and confirm within 48h. Questions? hello@pausa.pt

Partners & Sponsors

A small number of
partner spots available.

We are opening a small number of partner spots for brands that care about founder health and long-term performance — wellbeing, sleep, movement, nutrition, tools for leaders.

Be in the room with 50 curated founders & leaders over 1.5 days.
Contribute to a non-profit, science-based wellbeing event for the business ecosystem.
Co-create meaningful touchpoints — product sampling, a short activation, or a hosted micro-session — that add real value to attendees.
Become a partner →

Email yaro@pausa.pt · subject line: Pausa Open – Partner