Bocconi Donates 35,000 Euros to Support Outstanding Startups

Università Bocconi, in partnership with Citi Foundation, is looking to select, study, provide free training to and reward the most promising startups in Italy, those able to reach important objectives even in the early stages of their lifecycle. Through an international panel of 16 experts, the University will assign cash awards totaling 35,000 euros for the Bocconi Start-Up Day Award (www.startupday.unibocconi.eu/award). The Award also provides the opportunity to participate in management training courses and the drafting of an international case study edited by the SDA Bocconi School of Management. Registration is open through 7 September 2015 and the winners will be announced on 24 November.

All businesses that were established in Italy after 1 January 2010 are eligible to participate. The Award is divided into three categories:

One award to the best startup overall (participation of one member in a SDA Bocconi School of Management master dedicated to entrepreneurship; financial award of 15,000 euros; drafting of case study).

One award to the best startup in the field of social innovation (participation of one member in the SDA Bocconi Master in Management of Social Entrepreneurship and Not for Profit Organizations; financial award of 10,000 euros).

One award to the best millennial startup, chosen from the under 30 teams (participation of one member in the SDA Bocconi Master in Strategic and Entrepreneurial Management; financial award of 10,000 euros).

"New innovative businesses are the cornerstone of advanced economic development. When they are managed well, they uphold the financial success of the people who created them, they can be replicated in other geographical areas or other market segments and they highlight direct and indirect employment returns," says the Vice Rector for International Affairs and head of the initiative, Stefano Caselli. He describes the assessment criteria that will be used by the international panel: the business idea's innovativeness and objectives reached in three areas: feasibility and competitiveness (business model, financial-economic balance and profitability), scalability (replicability in various geographical areas and market segments) and employment repercussions.

Bocconi Start-Up Day is a Università Bocconi initiative aimed at promoting youth entrepreneurship. It has been created in partnership with Citi Foundation as well as the collaboration of Speed MI Up and the support of the SDA Bocconi School of Management, the Bocconi Alumni Association and Economia & Management and the media partnership of Corriere Innovazione. The international panel will include:

Renzo Arcoria, Country Officer Italia, Citi
Carlo Bronzini Vender, Founding Partner, CapM Advisors
Gabriele Cappellini, Managing Director, Fondo Italiano d'Investimento
Riccardo Donadon, Founder, H-Farm Ventures
Anna Gervasoni, General Director, AIFI
Giovanni Gorno Tempini, Managing Director, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti
Doerte Hoeppner, Chief Executive, EVCA
Alberto Meomartini, Vice President, Milan Chamber of Commerce, President, Speed MI Up
Gaetano Miccichè, General Director, Intesa SanPaolo
Gianni Franco Papa, Vice General Director, UniCredit
Bruno Pavesi, Chief Executive Officer, Università Bocconi
Alicia Robb, Senior Fellow, Kauffman Foundation
Fabio Sattin, President and Founding Member, Private Equity Partners
Fabiano Schivardi, Rodolfo Debenedetti Chair in Entrepreneurship, Università Bocconi
Massimo Sideri, Economics Journalist, Corriere della Sera
Andrea Sironi, Rector, Università Bocconi

7 September is also the deadline for applications to the Bocconi Start-Up Day's other initiative, the marketplace. It is open to students and alumni of Università Bocconi, SDA Bocconi School of Management or MISB Bocconi who would like to develop their own business idea and are in the planning or launch stages of their startup, as well as businesses incubated by Speed MI Up. Selected groups will be able to meet venture capitalists, business angels and private equity representatives and present their business plan (www.startupday.unibocconi.eu/mplace).


Citi Foundation

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com