Intesa Sanpaolo Start-Up Initiative - Global Social Venture Competition

Milan, Italy - February 27, 2014

Ventures with social and environmental impact

Intesa Sanpaolo and Banca Prossima are pleased to announce the upcoming Start-Up Initiative / Global Social Venture Competition organized in collaboration with ALTIS Cattolica, Associazione Prospera, Italeaf and u-Start. The event will take place on Thursday, February 27 2014, starting 9.00AM in Milan (Palazzo Besana, Piazza Belgioioso 1).

The day will focus on innovative technologies and projects with high social impact, offering several opportunities for all players who care about corporate social responsibility and the business sustainability of social projects. After a training and selection phase by experts and angel investors, the best startup will get access to the final round of the Global Social Venture Competition at the University of Berkeley, California, competing with startups coming from all over the world. 

The main language of the event will be English; a translation service will be available to and from Italian.

For more information or to register for participation, you can write to startup@intesasanpaolo.com

 

The partners

Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy’s leading bank, is engaged in fostering R&D and in accelerating Innovation processes. In particular, we run the Start-Up Initiative, an international acceleration platform which selects promising high-tech startups, coaches them and connects them with financial and corporate investors. Since its inception in 2009, the program has developed a strong track record: 62 investment forums in 8 countries (IT, UK, US, FR, DE, ES, IL, RU) across 5 technologies (Digital & Mobile, Cleantech, Biotech & Healthcare, Nanotech & Materials, Social Ventures), matching 450 startups and growing companies with thousands of investors, corporations and players of the innovation ecosystem.

Banca Prossima (part of Intesa Sanpaolo Group) is a bank aimed at creating social value by supporting the best not-for-profit initiatives in fields such as: providing services to people; spreading culture and education; promoting and protecting environment and art; providing access to credit and job opportunities.

Alta Scuola Impresa e Società (High Institute for Entrepreneurship and Society, or ALTIS) was founded in 2005 within Milan’s Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, with the aim of promoting - through research, training, projects and relationships with businesses - the spread of a culture of responsible management.

Associazione Prospera is a free association of managers, professionals and faculty who voluntarily offer their experience to foster innovation and support young entrepreneurs via tutorship and mentorship activities.

Italeaf is the startupper company of T.E.R.N.I. Research group, supporting and maintaining enterprise creation in the fields of green economy and sustainable industry. Italeaf aims to add value through construction, consolidation and development of a “green industry italian center”, a place of community and convergence for entrepreneurs, start-ups, spin-offs, mentors, investors, advisors, consultants and partners.

U-Start  is a global boutique advisory firm offering services targeted at facilitating the matching and cross-border investments amongst a select group of international investors (Angels, VC funds, family offices, corporate offices and wealth management institutions mostly based in Europe) and early stage companies in Southern and Eastern Europe, Africa and Latin America.