UCBM and Marzotto Venture Accelerator, a new Call4Projects is underway

Up to 10 million euros in services and loans for a new sustainable and circular economy

December 3, 2020 – After the great success of "Covid-19 Challenge", theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma e Marzotto Venture Accelerator kick off the "CIRCULAR 4 RECOVERY", the new Call for Projects dedicated to the circular economy.

This time the innovators are called to propose projects aimed at create new eco-friendly models of production and consumption capable of avoiding the consumption of non-renewable resources, of support circular transformation processes of companies and to encourage the transition to a more sustainable economy from an environmental and social point of view. Research spin-offs, startups and innovative SMEs will have to conceive and create entrepreneurial projects aimed at the development of technologies, digital solutions and innovative services in 5 "Key Focus Areas": Circular Bioeconomy, Circular Water Economy, Circular Energy Economy, New Circular Life Cycles, Circular City & Land.

The ambitious initiative sees the collaborationnor of Enel, leader in the field of Open Innovation always at the forefront of innovation and sustainability issues, which confirms its adhesion to the partnership with Marzotto Venture Accelerator, promoting the challenge on its global crowdsourcing platform openinnovability.com®. As part of the collaboration, Enel will evaluate the startups selected by Marzotto Venture Accelerator e UCBM for the development of possible collaborations, concrete support in the testing phase and in the development of the idea. 

The Call provides for the selection of 20 projects, which will be chosen in line with the challenges proposed for the 5 Key Focus Areas and will access a Pre-Acceleration Program of up to 12 weeks, aimed at validating technological solutions and business models through a coaching and provision of "tailor-made" services.

At the conclusion of the pre-acceleration phase, up to a maximum of 12 projects will be selected for the final Acceleration Programme, lasting between 24 and 10 weeks, which will have the opportunity to access up to 10 million euros in equity investment allocated by the Accelerator and the rich offer of facilities made available by the organizers and Corporate Partners of the Call.

In fact, national and international groups of the caliber of are added to the list of Corporate Partners of the initiative ACEA, Ferrara reclamation, Cisco, Italian State Railways, IBM e Maire Tecnimont, who will evaluate and support, with a view to open innovation, the best technological and entrepreneurial development projects among those presented.

“The time has come to develop a new culture, a vision capable of generating circular methods and practices that build new junctions and connections between sectors and production chains, – explains the Rector UCBM, Raffaele Calabrò - mobilizing all the creative energies available to our country. Startups, researchers and the best innovative forces from all over the world will be able to access the resources of our University which, with this initiative, confirms its proximity to the world of innovation and its support for the promotion and development of innovative ideas based on the enhancement of the ethical culture of sustainable development".

Roberto Guida, CEO of Marzotto Venture Accelerator, explains that"The great success of the Covid-19 Challenge prompted us to replicate the Call4Ideas multiplayer formula. Thanks to this innovative solution it is possible to multiply cross-fertilization opportunities, giving life to an original and effective Open Co-Innovation model. The skills made available by primary players such as ACEA, Bonifiche Ferraresi, Cisco, ENEL, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, IBM and Maire TecnimontIn fact, they will allow us to synergistically support the most innovative projects on the Circular Economy and thus contribute to a more sustainable future”.

>> To participate in the "Circular 4 Recovery" Call, by the deadline of 31 January 2021, it is necessary to fill in the form published on the Marzotto Venture Accelerator website, on the page http://www.marzottoventure.com/circular4recovery.