Innovation District

Ecomondo, with a perspective of growing the physical and digital presence of innovative projects, consolidates its role as an incubator by reconfirming the Start-Up&Scale-Up area, with the aim of creating new business opportunities and promoting dialogue between the business world and young entrepreneurial realities.

Both a physical and virtual exhibition area, entirely reserved for innovative Start-Up and young Italian and international companies that offer technologies, services and solutions in the green and circular economy sectors for the ecological transition and new models of circular and regenerative economy.

In 2024, 20 start-ups will be selected, 3 of them the most innovative, will receive the Lorenzo Cagnoni Award for Green Innovation.

Start-Up&ScaleUp is a project of the Innovation District with Green Jobs and Lorenzo Cagnoni Award for Green Innovation.

 


 

 


 

 


 

GOALS OF THE INITIATIVE


  • To offer new entrepreneurial realities wide national and international visibility to create exchanges and share ideas: the perfect environment where tradition and innovation meet.
     

  • Create meeting opportunities between the companies present at the event and Start-Ups that by aptitude can foster product and/or service innovation.
     

  • To encourage the identification of the italian innovative system as a primary interlocutor in the product development of the green tech and circular economy sector nationally and internationally.
     

  • To give a voice to Italy's best innovators by collecting the testimonies of those who innovate and promotein terms development, culture and skills, the major issues of ecological transition.

WHO IT IS AIMED AT


Start-Ups and SMEs entered in the business register and in the special section of innovative Start-Ups (cf. Law of 18 December 2012, No. 221) that meet the following minimum requirements may apply to participate in the initiative:

  • technological lines of development consistent  with the themes of the Ecomondo event, in the areas of waste, integrated water cycle, Blue Economy, bioenergy and agriculture, circular and regenerative bio-economy, soil restoration and environmental monitoring and control;
     
  • have already completed at least the seed round or, alternatively, be active in the B2B market and have a client portfolio available;
     
  • have a language website and/or promotional materials in English.

THE CALL FOR APPLYING YOUR START-UP ENDED ON 13 JULY

ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE


Applications received that meet the requirements set out in the point above will be assessed by a committee, which will award a score for each of the following (the percentage weight of each criterion is indicated in brackets):

  • innovative content of the product or service (from 1 to 10) - (30%); 

  • cooperation and partnership - (20%); 

  • product or service already industrialised and ready for market - (30%)

  • coherence with the green tech, renewable energy, energy efficiency, electric mobility and urban sustainability sectors - (20%).

Subject to the requirements provided above, only the first 20 Start-Ups with the highest scores based on the assessment conducted according to the criteria set out in this expression of interest will be selected.

SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE SELECTED START-UPS


The initiative is free of charge for selected Start-Ups and includes all the services at the show listed below – excluding out-of-pocket expenses (travel, lodging, transportation, etc.) which must be borne by the participants. The Start-Up Area will be set up with an exhibition design designed to enhance interaction with the public and generate business opportunities.

The services provided are:

  • participation at the show, both physically and digitally;
  • inclusion in the show catalogue;
  • visibility on a dedicated web page on the Ecomondo website;
  • desk in the Start-Up area with stool and graphics;
  • access to the Business Meeting platform to book one-to-one meetings;
  • 1 free outdoor parking pass;
  • 2 accreditations for stand staff;
  • 50 free invitation cards;
  • access info point for reception and to provide information on Start-Ups in the area;
  • national and international media coverage and promotion services.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS


One's expression of interest must be sent no later than the deadline of 12 pm on Saturday, July 13, 2024 according to the procedure described above.

Italian Exhibition Group, after carrying out the formal checks on the applications and acquiring the qualitative assessments of the evaluation committee, will proceed to select - in consultation with ANGI, ART-ER and MAI FOUNDATION - the Start-Ups that will have free access to the area.

Following the conduct of the selection process, all subjects who have submitted an application will receive, by September 20, 2024, a communication -to the e-mail address indicated when submitting the expression of interest- about whether or not they have been selected for the initiative in question.

The selected subjects, within 2 days from the receipt of the aforementioned e-mail, will have to communicate to Italian Exhibition Group their definitive adhesion or their renunciation.

In case of definitive acceptance, they will have to send the application form and form with the Start-Up disclosure info.

In case one or more of the subjects among those found to be selected drop out, Italian Exhibition Group, again in consultation with ANGI, ART-ER and FONDAZIONE MAI, may proceed to select the additional subjects found to be eligible according to the ranking list formed.

NOMINATE YOUR START-UP

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE CONTACT US


Fabio Filipponi
 (+39) 0541 744488