Terra Next: new accelerator for bioeconomy startups and SMEs

Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, together with CDP Venture Capital and Cariplo Factory, has created Terra Next, an acceleration programme for innovative startups and SMEs in the bioeconomy sector, strategic to Italy – it accounts for 12% of GDP, with significant employment and social impacts – and at the heart of the European Union's inclusive economic development measures.

Terra Next was created to boost the growth of innovative, young Italian companies, which must be able to offer sustainable solutions to the challenges the world is facing in order to become national and international champions in the energy transition.

The Terra Next programme has a duration of 3 years and each year will see the launch of a 12-week acceleration programme to be based in Naples, dedicated to selected startups (up to 30 over the 3 years): mentorship, training and networking activities are planned, among others, with the aim of increasing entrepreneurial skills and creating synergies with industrial players.

The project is part of the numerous activities that Intesa Sanpaolo is promoting in Southern Italy with institutions, incubators and businesses to create added value for the entire community. Thanks to Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, the Group company dedicated to innovation, new skills and know-how will continue to be transferred to customers, thus encouraging the creation of new strategic assets in various sectors.

The initiative is to involve institutional and scientific partners such as Fondazione con il Sud, Federico II University of Naples, Campania Digital Innovation Hub and S.R.M. - Studi e Ricerche per il Mezzogiorno, as well as leading corporate partners such as Pastificio Garofalo (core partner), Getra Group and Nestlé (partner), Novamont (tech partner), Aristea and Selepack (members), which will provide their know-how and expertise for the development of the startups acceleration programmes.