3 social start-ups win 2011 Italian Round of Global Social Venture Competition

The seventh national edition of the Intesa Sanpaolo Start-Up Initiative was organized in conjunction with the Italian Round of the Global Social Venture Competition, the international contest born in Berkeley Unversity and hosted for Italy by ALTIS Cattolica and Associazione San Michele Valore Impresa.

A panel of industry experts and judges selected three projects among the 11 start-ups taking part in the final Investor Arena Meeting on February 28. The winners gained access to ALTIS' Executive Master for SMEs and Competitiveness at reduced rates.

Roby Wheelchair -developers of an innovative wheelchair addon which provides disabled people with a complete sensor array and intelligent path detection system, granting unprecedented indoor mobility and independence- won the first prize, earning a 100% discount for the SME Master. The Roby Wheelchair team also secured the "Best Milan Area Startup" prize, consisting of a one-year membership at The Hub Milano.

The second and third prize (respectively 75% and 50% discounts for the SME Master) went to Ecclesial Movies, a network for the production and distribution of low-cost religious films in Nigeria; and to DolceInCarcere, who provide social rehabilitation for prison inmates by involving them in the production of cakes and pastry products.