Not every tech start-up gets to have a 10th anniversary. But Elevenyellow did. And they knew how to celebrate it in a state-of-the-art company retreat in Lisbon.
25 people, 7 days, 100 candles.
Not every tech start-up gets to have a 10th anniversary. But Elevenyellow did. And they knew how to celebrate it in a state-of-the-art company retreat in Lisbon.
25 people, 7 days, 100 candles.
Elevenyellow isn’t a typical tech company. They’re a software laboratory for high-risk, high-reward ideas—a team of 25+ scattered across 15 countries, from Singapore to Chile, with a core hub in Spain and Portugal. And here’s an interesting fact —most people who join Elevenyellow never leave.
So, when it came time to celebrate their 10th anniversary and refresh the bonds of a remote team spread across the globe, they wanted a retreat where they could celebrate their decade of big wins and even bigger ideas.
Read in this company retreat case study how we made it happen:
The LáFora team took Elevenyellow just outside of Lisbon—right across the iconic Lisbon bridge.
Lisbon’s a buzzing hub, but with hotel prices spiking, the team knew they could give them the same vibe with a little extra luxury on the other side of the river.
The result was a beautiful venue by the river, with each team member getting their own high-quality single room, rooftop access with a swimming pool, and cosy work space.
Basically the feel of Lisbon just across the bridge, minus the heavy price tag (and just 30 minutes to the airport!).
During the week, the Elevenyellow team got into some fun but deep work: the future of the company, project presentations and ‘break my idea’ brainstorming sessions.
But when the weekend hit, they had some especially sporty plans:
An 8k running race over the Vasco da Gama bridge!
It was the perfect timing, with the run falling right during their retreat. They geared up in running kits and hit the bridge together. Not everyone was an athlete, but it didn’t matter. It wasn’t about the race—it was about the shared experience, the laughs, and about reaching the finish line together as a team.
The clearly more relaxing highlight was the final evening. As the book ‘The Power of Moments’ states, people remember the beginnings and endings most vividly, so the Lá Fora team made sure it was something truly special.
To make up for the calories spent running, our team invited a Napolitan pizza maker with a mobile oven to the Elevenyellow company hub, where their team got to enjoy freshly baked, handmade focaccia and pizzas under the stars. It was so delicious that it was hard for them to find space for the chocolate-banana pizza at the end…
To complete the experience, our team had organised some of the best local craft beers so they could raise a glass to celebrate.
To create a relaxed atmosphere for what’s next, the team had arrived early, and had decorated the hub with candles and lights. Then, the evening continued with a beautiful and homey concert, featuring a Portuguese guitar player whose melodic tones made everyone’s minds travel.
For Elevenyellow, this retreat wasn’t just about celebrating—it was about living their ethos of blending work with play. From running across the Vasco da Gama bridge to burning their fingers on fresh-out-of-the-oven pizza, every activity reflected their high-risk, high-reward company mentality.
For a company where “most people never leave,” this retreat served as a reminder of why they stay. Year after year, their retreats and hackathons continue to strengthen the bonds that keep this fully remote team so tight-knit.
As Olesia from Elevenyellow put it:
“I wish we had discovered Lá Fora sooner! Their team has been extremely helpful and went above and beyond to make sure Elevenyellow had a great venue and a wide variety of choices for team building activities in Lisbon. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with Lisa!”
Want to read more examples? Find Botto’s company retreat case study here!
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