The "Stay Funky" event, held today at the Milan Triennale, marked the close of the 2013 edition of "Working Capital", the project by Telecom Italia aimed at supporting the most promising business ventures in the areas of the digital age and new Internet frontiers.
In front of representatives of the Italian institutions, representatives of Expo Milano 2015, domestic and international investors, entrepreneurs, innovation leaders and the Digital Italian Agenda, the 15 business project winners of the Grants were presented, each awarded 25,000 Euros for their high innovative potential and business development.
The event was dedicated to Marco Zamperini, aka FunkyProfessor, one of the leading Internet experts in Italy and “honorary founder”of Working Capital since the first editions, who passed away a month ago. The title of the event is in his honour: “Stay Funky!”.
From every part of Italy and abroad, in particular from the world of universities and research, this year there have been more than 2,300 projects proposals, ready to move on to the development phase, and then become real businesses in different areas of the digital age: Internet, Digital Life, Mobile Evolution, Green.
The 15 winners awarded today have also had the opportunity to present their pitches in front of the leaders in Italian innovation, representatives of the main funds and incubators and international investors.
To discuss innovation and growth in Italy and in Europe, Anna Masera (La Stampa) has joined Gianluca Dettori (DPixel, Kauffman Fellow) in moderating the day which involved:
- Mariana Mazzucato, Professor of Economics and RM Phillips Chair in Science and Technology Policy, University of Sussex
- Alì Jafari, VP for DSO in EMEA, Twitter UK
- Gianmario Verona, MBA Director and TIM Chair in Market Innovation, SDA Bocconi
- Francesco Daveri, Economist and Professor of Political Economics, University of Parma
- Ferran Minguella
- Alessandro Fusacchia
- Domenico Arcuri
“Working Capital since 2009 to date has assessed nearly 6,000 business ideas, incubated and funded 19 start-ups , pre-incubated 36 start-ups, assigned 79 Grants. The year 2013 was also the year of the territorial establishment of Working Capital, with the opening of three incubators in Milan, Rome and Catania, three locations for new businesses to grow and to support the development of start-ups in the area. Places not only for networking but also for work, where ideas first originate, then develop, and finally become business”, pointed out Salvo Mizzi, Head of Working Capital at Telecom Italia.
“The WCAP 2013 edition has already accelerated 15 start-ups in Italy, 5 for each of the 3 structures. Today we announce the winners of the additional 15 Business Grants of 2013” added Salvo Mizzi.
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Working Capital is a program by Telecom Italia that has been driving since 2009 the Italian ecosystem of digital entrepreneurship by directly supporting best talent and facilitating the start-up and development of new businesses throughout the country, also thanks to the collaboration between startuppers and national and international investors in research on innovative business ideas. http://www.workingcapital.telecomitalia.it/
Milan, 13 November 2013
