Despite being the fourth largest economy in Europe, Italy has just recently begun to develop its startup environment. Yet, they are quickly expanding with concentrated efforts in developing a collaborative ecosystem that benefits and incentivizes all players in the Italian startup environment. With enormous prospects driven by increased access to technology, talent, funding, and startup development programs; there is no shortage of resources that startups can tap into to accelerate their growth in the market.
In this article, we have compiled a comprehensive list of all incubator and accelerator programs in Italy, along with a short overview of their programs to help you determine a suitable program. The incubators and accelerators in this list have been subdivided into applicability for startups in their 'ideation', 'launch', or 'growth' stages.
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FULL LIST OF STARTUP INCUBATORS AND ACCELERATORS IN ITALY
Ideation Stage Startup Incubators in Italy
Full list of ideation-stage startup incubators in Italy:
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Life Sciences
Dedicated to Life Sciences, Bio4Dreams is a certified incubator for innovative early-stage startups. They are dedicated to guiding exceptional entrepreneurs and innovators through the challenging process of starting a firm and assisting in improving the products of their scientific research through tailor-made incubation paths. They collaborate with innovation ecosystems and all subjects of the innovation chain to facilitate startups' integration into a larger national and worldwide network.
Who is it for: Aspiring entrepreneurs without an idea / Aspiring entrepreneurs with an idea and seeking cofounder
Need to have an idea: No
Focus: Sector Agnostic
CREA operates a Summer Academy throughout Europe that trains aspiring entrepreneurs on the fundamental of ICT, Creativity, and Entrepreneurship. Participants in the program will receive training and an understanding of what it takes to be an entrepreneur and establish a business. Throughout the two-week program, founders will be taken from idea to conceptualization and planning, and eventually the launch of a new startup. At the end of the program, a qualified panel will select the two best business ideas from each national program to compete in the CREA International Business Idea Challenge and present their project to investors.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Design Tech is Milan's first design-focused innovation cluster, where the design industry may intersect with technology. It acts as an innovation ecosystem that brings together a powerful cohort of innovators and industry experts for a design more linked with the future of life. They assist early-stage entrepreneurs that wish to expand and develop their businesses in the DesignTech space. They provide a living lab with dedicated facilities such as coworking and cofactory to facilitate the quick development of innovative circular and digitally connected design solutions.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: 5G & IoT, FinTech & InsurTech, Sustainability and SDGs, Proptech
Named as the best accelerator and incubator in Italy according to Dealroom, Digital Magics is a leading provider of startup development programs. Digital Magics have collaborated with prominent specialists, corporations, and investors to establish Italian centers for the development, testing, and delivery of software technology solutions to their target market. With the objective of reaching €100 million in Portfolio target value by 2025, they are focused on expanding their acceleration programs to launch between 20 to 25 initiatives on high-potential areas.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Deep Tech, High Tech
PoliHub provides a comprehensive program at each stage of your startup's life cycle. They provide incubation services that include mentorship and individualized meetings to help you plan your fundamental business strategies; including developing your business plan, strategy, pitch, organization, and fundraising ideas. For teams who are planning to launch or are already in the market, they offer acceleration programs that will explore topics such as problem validation and customer discovery, product and market development, intellectual property, scalability, go-to-market strategies, product roadmaps, and fundraising methods.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Fashion, Food, Design, Art & Culture, Travel & Tourism, Cosmetiques
With the objective of transforming exceptional Italian products into powerful worldwide brands, Italian Brand Factory provides incubation and acceleration programs, as well as funding to businesses at various stages of development. The incubation program helps entrepreneurs realize their company ideas, while the accelerator supports operating teams in improving their business models and gaining market traction. Aside from capital, they provide other necessary resources for scaling, including mentorship, strategic advisory, industry know-how, and access to markets.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: FoodTech
FoodTech Acceleration Platform is defining the future of foodtech in Italy by delivering end-to-end innovation projects throughout the whole food value chain. They assist creative entrepreneurs and startups in their development journeys, helping them convert ideas into real businesses and driving their growth. With their FoodTech expertise, proven methodology, and track record, they can help you stay ahead of trends, identify crucial partners and players, and turbocharge your innovation. They also facilitate collaboration between companies and startups to design and develop tangible projects and proof of concepts.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Health & Sustainability, Physics & Mathematics, AgriFood, Medicine, Human & Social Sciences, Computer Science, Veterinary Medicine, Natural & Applied Sciences
The UNIMI Foundation is the University of Milan's hub for research and innovation that focuses its efforts on life sciences and environmental sustainability. Leveraging the wealth of knowledge and discoveries from the University of Milan and its research partners, they support knowledge transfer from the academic to the business sphere. The UNIMI Foundation has created bespoke incubation routes to assist in the birth and growth of creative startups by offering dedicated workspace and facilities as well as team support services. They also organize various programs such as Seed4Innovation and Student Innovation Labs designed to identify and accelerate the development of research-driven ideas and promote their industrial or commercial application.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Metaverse, Retail for the Future, Social Impact, Data Analytics, Big Data, AI, Blockchain, IoT, Engineering, Drones, Virtual Reality & Metaverse, Smart Packaging, Cloud, Autonomous Vehicle, WEB 3.0.
dPixel is a venture incubator that assists firms, startups, and institutions in boosting their competitiveness via innovation and collaboration. Specializing in organizational innovation processes and startups' growth pathways, they link talents and businesses together to foster open innovation. They offer an incubation program for startups that involves mentoring, business meetings with corporate partners, and legal and tax support services.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Multiple Sectors
InnoVits is a free Italian accelerator that will help you launch your business in just 5 months. Through the InnoVits Gymnasium acceleration program, you will be guided in validating your business idea and pitching it to potential investors with the assistance of dedicated mentors, professional coaches, and market specialists. You will also participate in themed evening talks where specialists in Lean Startup, Business Modeling, Go To Market, Startup Financing, and Communication may share their knowledge.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Science and Technology
A spinoff from Fondazione Tecnologico Padano, PTP Science Park aims to promote scientific research and technology transfer in the agri-food, life sciences, and bioeconomy sectors. To encourage the formation and development of innovative companies, PTP Science Park manages a business incubator and accelerator, as well as develops various research programs and provides high-value-added services. Their technical incubator/accelerator, Alimenta, is targeted at firms creating high-technology products and services. ALIMENTA offers a dynamic and state-of-the-art environment to turn exceptional ideas into breakthrough businesses.
Launch Stage Startup Incubators and Accelerators in Italy
Full list of launch stage startup incubators and accelerators in Italy:
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Aerospace, AI, Blockchain, Circular Economy, CleanTech, Deep Tech, Drones, FinTech, Industrial, IT, MedTech, New Mobility
The Incubator of Politecnico di Torino provides consulting, training, and networking services to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to launch an innovative start-up with a strong technological foundation. I3P provides entrepreneurs with a complete growth path, from the design of the business model and the industrial strategy to mentoring the firm throughout its initial years. I3P also facilitates a partnership strategy with institutions for research, advanced training, technology transfer, fundraising, and internationalization.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team / Mature startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: InsurTech
Vittoria Hub organizes a call for ideas that employ technologies such as Predictive Analytics DLT Technologies, Web 3.0 paradigms, and the Productive Metaverse to predict the events or behaviors that may define new parametric or embedded policies. The Vittoria program provides a variety of services to selected startups at each of the program's three stages: Incubation to move ideas to the minimum viable product stage, Adoption to move MVPs to proofs-of-concept, and Acceleration to move from POC to first traction on national and international markets.
Who is it for: Early startup with a tea
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Social and Cultural Innovation, Education and Lifelong Learning, Welfare, Agrifood, Blue Economy, Sustainable Fashion, Circular Economy, Sustainable Finance
a|cube is a certified incubator and accelerator of ideas and startups with high social, cultural, and environmental value. They are dedicated to stimulating and supporting the formation and growth of impactful enterprises that generate positive and long-term change. For startups at the ideation and early stages, they provide support in the formation of service and product system design, prototyping and validation, and business modeling and economics. For early to late-stage startups, they assist with go-to-market and company growth strategies, as well as ensuring startups' investment preparedness.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: B2B SaaS, Fintech, Cyber, Sustainability, XR
Startup Wise Guys is a global accelerator for B2B startups. Founded in 2012, they have leveraged their extensive experience and financing to catapult hundreds of early-stage firms, with approximately 370 firms in their portfolio and 13 exits across Europe. They offer support programs for startups at various stages: Building for founders or teams just beginning to validate their MVP, Growing for teams building products and launching them to the market, and scaling for scale-ups looking to expand their market.
Who is it for: Aspiring entrepreneurs with an idea and seeking cofounder
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Consumer Mobile
Pushapp Lab is a startup studio that collaborates with the most talented entrepreneurs to create world-class mobile products and innovative enterprises. Though they work slightly differently than an accelerator, you may apply your business idea and receive EUR 25,000 in financing and 12 months of tailored mentoring to develop the next generation of consumer mobile enterprises.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Digital Manufacturing, Industry 4.0
The TH2 accelerator is designed for startups in the Digital Manufacturing and Industry 4,0 sectors who have displayed the prototype validity of their proposed solutions or have some market traction. They offer mentorship support led by industry experts and professional services that will assist in speeding startups' growth as well as investing directly in the early stages of their life cycle. They will also support startups in finding investors and gaining funding, industrial and commercial partnerships, and partnerships with university institutions.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Digital Tech, Sustainability
Using the expertise, knowledge, and resources of Bocconi, B4i accelerator supports the most creative ideas and entrepreneurs to grow and flourish. They will assist startups in developing and realizing their project's full potential through training, mentorship, coaching, networking opportunities, and capital investments. Their pre-acceleration is suitable for first-time entrepreneurs looking to turn their ideas into minimum viable products, whilst their acceleration programs are best for growing startups looking to move from prototype to product-market fit.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Hardware
As Italy's first hardware-focused startup accelerator, Industrio Ventures invests in and accelerators innovative companies operating in the most important areas of the Italian economy; including automotive and smart transportation, digital manufacturing, biotech, robotics, agritech, and environment. Through mentoring, capital provision, and access to Bocconi's vast network, they assist startups in identifying the best business model, validating a prototype, preparing the DFM, initiating the certification process, launching the product, and establishing a fundraising funnel.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Innovation Made in Italy (Agrifood, Fashion & Design, Nanotechnology, Robotics, Mechanics, Tourism), Digital, CleanTech, Life Science, Impact Innovation
The UniCredit Startup Lab is an initiative by UniCredit, an international banking corporation headquartered in Milan, which acts as a business platform for the most innovative startups. The program provides complete assistance to selected companies, working alongside teams at all phases of the company life cycle. As part of the program, startups may receive one-on-one meetings with the UniCredit Start Lab team to discuss their business concept, receive expert mentorship from their network, grants of EUR 10,000, assistance in banking, and a dedicated relationship manager.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Multiple Sectors
B Heroes is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage firms with strong scaling potential. Their B Heroes Accelerator program offers an acceleration route with B Heroes partners, specialized coaching, and B Holding investments totaling one million euros. They carefully select the most promising businesses and provide them with networking opportunities with mentors, partners, and executives from the top Italian corporations.
Who is it for: Aspiring entrepreneurs with an idea and seeking cofounder / Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Orange Economy, Creative and Culture
Startalia is a design-driven venture foundry with the purpose of making design the startup's guide to building sound business models that respond to people's true desires and needs, as well as the demands of private and public organizations. They incubate and accelerate design-driven enterprises that improve the way we live in a variety of ways, including at work, in relationships, and recreation while remaining mindful of people and the environment.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Personal Finance, Housing & Welfare, Data Ownership & Content Moderation, Servitization, Future of Travel, Future of Edtech
LUISS EnLabs is an acceleration program by LVenture Group that invests in teams utilizing technology to rebuild the present and construct the future. The 5-month acceleration program provides coaching from qualified advisers, business and fundraising assistance, and up to EUR 200,000 investments to boost startups to become market changers. Leveraging their internal teams and market experience, they provide founders with 360° assistance from application to exit to accelerate startup growth, product development, and KPIs.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Enry's Island is the first incubation and acceleration program located in both physical and metaverse space. They are a one-of-a-kind platform that provides comprehensive assistance and a wide range of services to assist businesses in growing and scaling up. Through their three layers of infrastructure, business, software, and space, they provide startups with all the resources and services needed to build their concepts, competencies, and capital. This includes a program that involves seed funding, mentorship, training, and events oriented toward fundraising efforts.
Who is it for: Aspiring entrepreneurs with an idea and seeking cofounder / Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Lab for Creative Thinking is an alternative business accelerator for pre-seed stage entrepreneurs. They provide startup advisory services, coaching, and a specialized business development program. They want to accompany you from start to finish, contributing from the earliest stages and assisting the startup's development up to the IPO stage. Creative Thinking Ventures, their investment arm, may also provide funding for the startup's establishment.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Social Impact
SocialFare is Italy's first center for social innovation. They aim to discover and support the creation of new solutions to modern social concerns through research, community involvement, capacity building, and co-design initiatives. They organize a 4-month accelerator program, during which they work hands-on with social impact entrepreneurs and startups to help them grow and become investment-ready. This covers activities such as product and service design, business modeling and impact assessment, and networking.
Who is it for: Aspiring entrepreneurs with an idea and seeking cofounder / Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Social, Environmental, or Cultural Impact
Get It! is a program that promotes the growth of companies with a social, environmental, or cultural impact from ideas to investments. Through the program, startup participants will have access to a value path focused on go-to-market and investment opportunities.
ESA Space Solutions
Who is it for: Aspiring entrepreneurs with an idea and seeking cofounder / Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Space Tech and Data, Multiple Sectors
ESA Space Solutions is the hub for innovative business ideas that are integrating space and space technology into commercial services for our daily lives. They assist European entrepreneurs in the development of businesses that use satellite applications and space technology and allow satellite data and technology to revolutionize companies. As part of the program, startups will receive personalized assistance, technical and commercial coaching, access to their network of partners, and up to EUR 2 million in equity-free funding.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: SportTech
Founded in 2016, Wylab is the first Italian incubator focused on start-ups developing breakthrough sports technology and solutions. With their significant industry expertise and network, they assist entrepreneurs in validating their business plans and product, as well as testing their market strength. Simultaneously, they work with Italian startups who are ready to expand internationally to verify their scalability and accelerate their growth.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Technology, Future Cities
Techstars is a reputable tech startup accelerator with operations all around the world. In Italy, they initiate the Torino Cities of the Future accelerator focused on solutions for smart, efficient, sustainable, and liveable cities. During the 3-month program, startups will be surrounded by top mentors and a vast network of corporate partners, investors, and alumni. Startups will also gain numerous opportunities, access, and resources for fundraising, knowledge-sharing, and workshops.
Growth Stage Startup Accelerators in Italy
Full list of growth-stage startup accelerators in Italy:
Who is it for: Early startup with a team / Mature startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Aerospace, Agrifood tech, Circular economy & bio-economy, Digital & industry 4.0, Energy - cleantech, Fashion & Tourism, Media, Entertainment & gamification, Med tech - Healthcare, Smart mobility & smart city
The Intesa San Paolo Innovation Center is the innovation center for Futurethinkers and Changemakers. They provide acceleration programs that train and assist entrepreneurs in order to expedite their market entry, prepare them for pitching to investors, and increase their visibility for fundraising. These initiatives are run directly or in collaboration with the most significant national and international entities, opening up numerous opportunities for firms seeking new business, capital, and industrial collaborations.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: FashionTech
Startupbootcamp is Europe's premier startup accelerator, delivering vertical programs in various sectors. In Italy, the FashionTech program in Milan is organized with the mission to expand the FashionTech ecosystem across the world. Over the course of 3 months, startups will receive training and mentoring to develop world-class products, services, and companies. The program culminates with a Demo Day, during which businesses may present their creative ideas to hundreds of investors, partners, and mentors. They also conduct a specially tailored Growth program to assist expanding companies and scaleups in overcoming typical difficulties such as managing cash flow, improving market fit, and building the ideal team.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Multiple Sectors
TIM WCAP is an open innovation platform by TIM, Italy's leading group in the CT sector. The objective of TIM WCAP is to locate and integrate new solutions from startups in order to innovate the company's product range and solutions. At the forefront of digital innovations, selected companies will gain the opportunity to integrate their ideas with TIM's unique technological and commercial assets in order to conduct proofs-of-concept and eventually go to market. They organize Open Calls for various sectors in accordance with TIM's business needs.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Technology, Multiple Sectors
Nana Bianca is an innovation ecosystem committed to altering the digital fabric and constructing future companies engaged in the Metaverse and the Web 3.0 spectrum. Through their startup studio and acceleration initiatives, they assist founders in converting their innovative ideas into successful tech companies. Constantly on the lookout for new creative digital projects with significant development potential and technological curiosity, their acceleration program assists growing startups to develop their entrepreneurial reality, improve their market position, scale their operations, and reach their growth targets.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Fashion, Luxury, Retail
The Fashion Technology Accelerator is a global center that promotes digital and technological innovation in the fashion, luxury, and retail industries. They run a 6-month acceleration program for FashionTech entrepreneurs, granting them access to extensive knowledge in fashion technology, strategic alliances, and a specialized network of 30+ mentors in the fashion and technology sectors. The program will allow startups to grow their sales and increase their company valuation. In return for 10% equity, the program will offer startups EUR 60,000 in services and EUR 40,000 in cash.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team / Mature startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Medtech, Digital Health, Biopharma, Open banking, Insurtech, Open Insurance Smart Retail, Customer Experience Energy, Cleantech, Food Excellence, Agritech, Foodtech
Organized by G2, a peer-to-peer review platform for business software, the G2 Accelerator offers a series of Call 4 Innovations to encourage startups and scaleups growth. They provide advice and coaching services tailored to the unique needs of the startup/scale-up, with a particular emphasis on go-to-market strategy. They also promote potential open innovation collaboration with partner firms and provide access to a worldwide network of G2 partners that magnify prospects to drive growth.
Who is it for: Mature startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Retail
RetailHub is the first retail business accelerator. They uncover and study the finest retail startups and scaleups using their "Innovation Explorer" platform, their worldwide network and analyst team. They support entrepreneurs with their go-to-market strategy, allowing them to collaborate with companies searching for intelligent solutions to issues and slowdowns in their systems. Advisory classes, training, events, innovation tours, coworking, and a shop of the future are among the various activities available to its community.
Who is it for: Early startup with a team / Mature startup with a team
Need to have an idea: Yes
Focus: Sector Agnostic
Le Village is the innovation ecosystem of the Credit Agricole Group, the world's largest cooperative financial institution. They organize Call4Startup, which will offer selected companies access to a tailored assistance package aimed to aid businesses in attaining rapid development. Mentorship, seminars, funding assistance, internationalization assistance, and media exposure are provided to startups. Most crucially, they facilitate business matching opportunities with corporate partners in their ecosystem, as well as access to the Crédit Agricole Group's 14,000 client companies in Italy.
Closing Thoughts on Startup Incubators and Accelerators in Italy
There is still a lot to be done to leverage Italy's resources, talent, creativity, R&D capacity, and startup potential. Significant measures have been taken lately to boost the Italian startup ecosystem, including the establishment of national startup funds, innovation hubs and platforms, and world-class acceleration, incubation, and venture-building programs. With this support being made available to Italian enterprises, founders will have a much smoother path to growth in the Italian market.
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