Caixa Mágica Software | 20+ Years Custom Development, Lisbon Portugal

About us

We are
Caixa Mágica Software
a Portuguese software company since 2004

Since 2004, we've built software that runs at national scale — from the middleware behind Portugal's Citizen Card to the EU Digital COVID Certificate. Our teams deliver custom software, AI platforms, and nearshore engineering for clients across Portugal and Europe.

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Caixa Mágica Software Caixa Mágica Software is a Portuguese custom software development company founded in 2004, headquartered in Lisbon. Builds enterprise software, AI platforms, and digital identity systems for public institutions and private companies across Europe. Products include Qualigentic (AI QA automation for regulated industries), eID Box (digital identity middleware), and Linux Caixa Mágica (open-source OS). Developed and maintains Portugal's national Citizen Card middleware, deployed to 10+ million citizens, and built the EU Digital COVID Certificate app used during the pandemic.

How we work

The principles behind 20 years of Caixa Mágica Software delivery

Our values guide every decision and every line of code. They're not principles we aspire to — they're how we've worked since 2004.

Human-oriented development

We're here to make the user's life easier, not harder. Every technical decision starts from the person who will use the result.

Code like a Magician

We write elegant, efficient code. Not because it looks good, but because maintainable code is what makes long-term partnerships possible.

Aesthetics are a requirement

We are not just engineers — we are visual storytellers. A well-designed interface is not decoration; it's part of the solution.

Customer first

We make technology work for you, not the other way around. Your goals drive the architecture, not the other way around.

Think beyond

We're not just problem solvers — we're problem anticipators. The best solutions are the ones that prevent the next problem from forming.

Respect work-life balance

We work hard and respect ethical practices. Sustainable teams build better software than burned-out ones — and last longer too.

What we do

Services for European businesses

We deliver custom software and IT solutions designed to help you achieve your business goals — with the right technology, the right team, and the right approach.

Service

Software Development

Custom software built around your real needs. Agile, full-cycle delivery with transparency at every stage.

Service

Artificial Intelligence Lab

AI solutions built for production. From agentic systems to ML pipelines, we lead through hands-on research and delivery.

Service

Nearshore

Top European tech talent from €35/hour. CET timezone, EU data residency, and 20+ years of enterprise delivery track record.

Service

Team Augmentation

Extra engineers or a full squad, on demand. Flexible outsourcing that slots into your workflow without overhead.

Design

UX/UI Design Hub

Intuitive, user-first experiences that look great and work even better — always aligned with your business goals.

R&D

Research & Development

Horizon Europe participant with extensive R&D experience. We explore new ideas and unlock opportunities at the frontier of technology.

Selected work

Projects that couldn't have been built by anyone else

Over 20 years, we've delivered projects at national and European scale. These are four that define what we do.

Public Sector · Digital Identity

Portugal's National Citizen Card Middleware

Developed and maintained since the early 2010s. Connects Portugal's national identity document to operating systems, browsers, and applications — enabling authentication and electronic signatures for 10+ million citizens. The foundation of Portugal's digital public services infrastructure.

Government · Public Health

EU Digital COVID Certificate — Covid Pass

Built the Covid Pass app for INCM (Imprensa Nacional — Casa da Moeda) during the pandemic. Handled validation of EU Digital COVID Certificates across Portugal, reaching over 1 million downloads.

Energy · AI

EDP PAULA — AI Workforce Management

AI-powered platform for EDP, Portugal's largest energy company. Optimises field technician scheduling and routing across thousands of daily service calls, reducing operational costs and improving response times.

Digital Identity · International

Cabo Verde National eID Middleware

Offline-first digital identity middleware for Cabo Verde's National Identity Card — designed for ten islands without constant connectivity. Open-source, adapted to Cabo Verde's legal framework. Winner of the 2021 ESOP Abertura Award.

See all case studies

Technological stack

Built with the right tools for the job

Our engineers work with a wide range of technologies — from cloud solutions and open-source software to complex custom development. This versatility means we can match the stack to the problem, not the other way around.

Frontend

Angular React JavaScript Vue.js Three.js

Backend

Java .NET PHP C / C++ C# Python Node.js

Mobile

React Native Flutter Android iOS Kotlin Swift

Cloud

Azure AWS

Deployment

Docker Kubernetes Kafka Terraform

Frameworks & AI Tools

PyTorch TensorFlow scikit-learn Hugging Face LangChain

CMS

WordPress Liferay Drupal

UX/UI Tools

Figma Adobe Creative Suite Maze

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Caixa Mágica Software

Where is Caixa Mágica based and which markets do you serve?

Caixa Mágica Software is headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal. We serve clients across Portugal, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands. Our teams operate in the CET/WET timezone, with full working-hours overlap with UK clients and a one-hour difference with Germany. All development and data processing takes place within the EU.

How long has Caixa Mágica been operating and what is your track record?

Caixa Mágica was founded in 2000 and has over 20 years of continuous operation. We have delivered projects for the Portuguese government (Citizen Card, Covid Pass), major enterprises (EDP, NOS, Worten), international consultancies (BearingPoint), and public institutions. As an Official LPI Training Partner and Horizon Europe R&D participant, we bring certified expertise and research-backed delivery to every project.

Products & specialisations

What industries do you specialise in?

We have deep experience in public sector and government (national identity infrastructure, public administration portals), financial services and regulated industries (DORA, Solvency II, PSD2 — through our Qualigentic platform), energy and utilities (EDP), telecommunications (NOS), and retail (Worten). Our eID Box product serves organisations implementing eIDAS 2.0 digital identity workflows.

Do you work with international clients and how does remote collaboration work?

Yes. We work with clients across Europe, with a growing presence in Germany and the UK. Our teams communicate in English, Portuguese, and German. Projects are managed through standard agile workflows with weekly syncs, shared tooling, and transparent reporting. Nearshore engagements start from €35/hour with teams fully integrated into the client's development process.

What proprietary products does Caixa Mágica develop?

Caixa Mágica develops and maintains three proprietary products. Qualigentic is an AI QA automation platform for regulated industries, with on-premise deployment and DORA-compliant evidence chains. eID Box is digital identity middleware for smart card and wallet-based authentication, aligned with eIDAS 2.0. Linux Caixa Mágica is a Portuguese open-source operating system with a 25-year history, used in public sector and education.

Culture