San Paolo Intesa Start-Up Initiative - Call for FoodTech Startups

Intesa Sanpaolo is seeking new technology startups in the Food & Beverage industry for the 2017 edition of its international acceleration platform StartUp Initiative.

Examples of target applications include Industry 4.0 and IoT innovative technologies for

• AGRICULTURE & FARMING (Precision Ag, Characterization of Soil, Drones, Sensoristics, Harvesting & Destemming, Vertical Farming, Hydro/Aero/Aqua-ponics)
• MACHINERY & APPLIANCES (Connected Machines, Automation & Robotics, Smart Cooking, Embedded devices & IoT, 3D Printing)
• SAFETY & SECURITY (Diagnostics, Quality, Preservatives & Additives, Traceability, Innovative Active Packaging)
• NUTRITION & SUSTAINABILITY (Ingredients, Nutraceutics, Functional Foods, Eating Disorders & Special Diets, Seeds & Feeds, Waste Management, Biodiversity)
• USER EXPERIENCE (Web & Apps, Order & Mobile Payment Services, Big Data, Distribution & Delivery, Marketing, Social Fooding)

Interested startups can apply by submitting a business plan or executive summary of their project via our online application form no later than March 24, 2017. Applications will be reviewed and screened along five key drivers: team and advisors; addressable market; product and development stage; barriers to entry and traction; economics.

Participating startups will go through a coaching and selection process made available at no charge by key industry players and qualified coaches. The most promising teams will have a chance to pitch their project to a wide audience of financial and corporate investors, significantly improving their fund raising and business development reach. The program is structured as follows:

• Apr 08-09 – Boot Camp (Turin): admitted startups will receive two full days of training delivered by experienced angel investors from California.

• Apr 20 – Deal Line-Up (Milan): trained startups will pitch to a panel of experts (industry players, investors and researchers), who will provide structured feedback and select the finalists, which will move forward with the program.

• May 10 – Investor Arena Meeting (Milan): the startups selected at the Deal Line-Up will have 10 minutes to pitch their project to a broad audience of around 150 investors, corporations and players of the innovation ecosystem. The Arena will be hosted by Seeds&Chips @TUTTOFOOD, a reference exhibition for FoodTech and Internet of Food which attracts the most innovative startups and relevant ecosystem stakeholders from all over Italy.

We remind you that there is no charge to participate in the program. Selected companies will need to cover their own travel and accommodation. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!

StartUp Initiative Team - www.startupinitiative.com - startup@intesasanpaolo.com