Support to innovation and startups

Support for companies and start-ups embraces the development of their innovation processes, also through the promotion and support to business transformation and multidisciplinary research projects, key strategic levers for competitiveness in a constantly evolving market. 

UN SDGs SUPPORTED

Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center is the Group's company dedicated to frontier innovation across five main areas: research, startups, ecosystems, open innovation, and spreading of the culture of innovation. As the Group’s competence centre for the circular economy (CE), it supports SMEs/Corporates in their path towards sustainability, contributing to make the Intesa Sanpaolo Group the driving force of a more aware, inclusive and sustainable economy.

Neva SGR is the venture capital of the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, wholly owned by Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center. Through Neva SGR, Intesa Sanpaolo can provide venture capital to high-tech companies (in areas such as Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, AI, 5G, and Blockchain), acting as a financial vehicle for the hi-tech sector.

Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center (ISPIC) collaborates with leading research centers to conduct multidisciplinary applied research in fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), neuroscience and robotics. By promoting technology transfer and supporting spin-offs, ISPIC creates valuable intangible assets and intellectual property. At the end of 2025, 24 projects were ongoing in AI, neuroscience, and robotics, with 13 projects launched in 2025 and more than 40 since 2022.

ISPIC supports high-potential startups through non-financial services, such as acceleration programmes, and by connecting startups to venture capital funds. This support is enhanced by the Group’s subsidiary, Neva SGR. Two notable initiatives, realized with Banca dei Territori Division and Insurance Division include: 

• Up2Stars, promoted by the Banca dei Territori division, is built around four vertical pillars: new materials, robotics, design tech, and aerospace. In 2025, 10 startups were supported, bringing the total to 90 since 2022.
• In Action ESG Climate, promoted by the Insurance Division, aims to foster new solutions to tackle climate change and support the green transition through technological innovation and the development of new business models. Since 2022, a total of €1.75 million has been awarded, benefiting 11 startups.

ISPIC plays a key role in developing innovation ecosystems both locally and internationally, coordinating relationships with corporates, incubators, R&D centers, universities, and institutions. These partnerships facilitate the transfer of knowledge between academia and the financial sector, particularly enhancing innovation in green and high-tech industries. With reference to ecosystem initiatives, since 2019, over 270 startups were supported and enhanced, over 650 collaborations and proofs of concept were realised, more than €190m in capital was raised, and 1,150 new hires were made. ISPIC has launched Maritime Ventures, a three-year program focused on developing disruptive initiatives in the nautical and port sectors. ISPIC has also joined the Galaxia initiative, promoting technology transfer within the aerospace industry.

During 2025 a new partnership with ‘Bio4Dreams’, a certifiedItalian incubator, was signed to foster Life Science startups. Fondo SEI of Neva SGR involved with a commitment of investment of 1 million euro. Moreover, it was renewed the partnership agreement for ‘Italian LifeStyle’ acceleration programme supporting startups in digital solutions for tourism, fashion, food&wine and realised the first acceleration programme for 6 startups. It was signed a new collaboration agreement for the scaling up of startups previously accelerated in ‘Terra Next’ acceleration programme in Bioeconomy.

Dissemination of knowledge and culture of innovation through events and new training formats (e.g. positioning and match-making events, dissemination to retail and corporate clients and to high schools, universities and post-graduates). In 2025, ISPIC organized over 30 positioning and matchmaking events, with more than 19,000 participants.

In addition, ISPIC has published 19 innovation reports/publications (>65 since 2022) on technologies and trends in different fields (e.g. energy storage, decarbonization of the agri-food sector).

Training initiatives have been promoted to increase and share a digital culture and building a “green IT” in Italy through the Opening Future Portal that plays a crucial role in improving digital skills for SMEs, fintech companies, startups, and educational institutions.

The innovative transformation paths of companies also require financial support and Intesa Sanpaolo is active on this front both through its own financing solutions, such as NOVA+, and through agreements at European and national level to allow companies to access public incentives.