Bocconi Partners with Plug and Play
Through the B4i - Bocconi for Innovation startup platform, Bocconi University announces its partnership with Plug and Play, the largest open innovation platform that brings together the best startups, leading international corporations and one of the most important venture capital funds, active globally with 30 offices in 16 countries. The aim is to collaborate in the development of initiatives and projects in innovation and corporate entrepreneurship.
Bocconi University and Plug and Play will work together to connect the B4i startups to the corporate and VC worlds, both in the Italian and Silicon Valley hubs, as well as in other innovation nodes around the world. But not only that: the partnership agreement calls for the co-creation of events, the collaboration of Milan's Bocconi University faculty to identify relevant trends in the field of technology and innovation, and financial support for students animated by a strong entrepreneurial spirit.
«We are happy to give the startups accelerated by B4i the opportunity to tap into Plug and Play's networking and work together to create new business opportunities, with a view to synergies and virtuous collaborations with all our partners, thereby confirming the international reputation and preparation of Bocconi University," says Markus Venzin, Bocconi Dean for Innovation.
«Having as partners the most important players in the world for the startup and innovation ecosystem, just as we are opening the second Bocconi for Innovation Startup Call fills us with pride.This represents a strategic asset to respond to the growing need for supporting entrepreneurship and the right business attitude, something we are finding widespread in the Italian Peninsula, as testified by the high number of applications received with our first call," adds Nico Valenti Gatto, Operating Director of B4i - Bocconi for innovation, also having in mind the top 5 startups accelerated by B4i: Doctors in Italy, Duing, Endelea, ViaMadeinItaly, Qi4M.
"In the innovation economy, universities are fundamental players, and in fact for years we have been collaborating with the best companies worldwide. Now that we are growing in Italy, our partnership with Bocconi University and B4i will give us an additional channel to find new ideas, technology and talent," comments Andrea Zorzetto, Plug and Play Italy Managing Partner.
"Innovation requires talent: in this perspective, the partnership with Bocconi University, one of the most prestigious Italian academic institutions, was born with the aim of strengthening our mission to be a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship. Our goal as Plug and Play Italy is threefold: to give B4i startups an injection of our Open Innovation platform, which has hubs all over the world; collaborate with the faculty on issues related to innovation; expose students to the concept of entrepreneurship, by supporting their most promising ideas,» says Arianna Elena Maschietto, Plug and Play Italy Corporate Partnership and Program Manager.
B4i - Bocconi for Innovation was born in 2019 as a platform having the triple role of pre-accelerator, business accelerator and development site for corporate entrepreneurship, i.e. entrepreneurship within companies. The objective of B4i is to attract the highest possible number of talented and ambitious entrepreneurs, by offering a mix of training and resources for the development of project and facilitating the business development opportunity for startups and large companies alike. B4i is constantly committed to nurturing a hub where entrepreneurship can grow, develop and deal with the market successfully.
The signing of the agreement with Plug and Play provide one more reason to apply for the 2nd Bocconi for Innovation Startup Call. It is open from 3 June to 19 July 2020: for the selected startups an investment of €30,000 each and a four-month acceleration process providing access to a network of services (legal, accounting, digital marketing and communication) and dedicated sessions with experts and mentors, such as Bocconi professors, Bocconi alumni from various continents and industries, and experienced professionals such as entrepreneurs, investors and C-levels in companies. In addition to this, startups will be able to develop commercial networks and sales channels to B2B customers and benefit from discounted services reserved to B4i and partners, including databases, cloud services, CRM, and much more. Finally, an ad hoc space has been set up on campus with modern offices that are shared with the other startups and program partners, and which can be used safely since they are in compliance with the health regulations and decrees for the management of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To participate in a Bocconi for Innovation Startup Call (there are two each year), startups must be characterized by teams of at least two people, in which at least one is either a Bocconi community member (student, alumnus, staff or faculty) or a student/alumnuns of the State University of Milan or of the Polytechnic University of Milan, or an Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) researcher. For applications and more information: https://www.b4i.unibocconi.it
The projects will be chosen based on the innovativeness of the business idea, the quality of the founding team, the ability to satisfy market needs, and relevance with the three areas of specialization of B4i - Bocconi for Innovation, namely: Digital Tech coordinated by Massimo Della Ragione, Sustainability supervised by Gabriella Lojacono, and Made in Italy led by Stefano Pogutz.