The UniCredit Start Lab, a business platform dedicated to innovative Italian high-tech startups and SMEs, has recognized five outstanding companies addressing critical contemporary issues such as extreme weather, blood shortages, aerospace energy production, and financial education for youth. This year, six corporate partners will support the finalists, and UniCredit has awarded €10,000 to the top startups in each category: Digital, Impact Innovation, Innovative Made in Italy, Clean Tech, and Life Science. The initiative highlights the significant role of young entrepreneurs and the increasing presence of female-led startups. Over 11 years, UniCredit has evaluated over 8,000 projects and supported more than 600 startups, reinforcing its commitment to fostering innovation and growth.
The UniCredit Start Lab, a platform aimed at fostering the growth of innovative Italian high-tech startups and SMEs, has awarded five exceptional companies that tackle pressing contemporary issues such as extreme weather events, blood shortages, aerospace energy production, and financial education for the youth.
This initiative, which has been running for 11 years, has seen UniCredit evaluate over 8,000 entrepreneurial projects and support more than 600 startups, demonstrating the bank's commitment to nurturing new-generation tech companies as catalysts for regional and community development.
This year's edition features six corporate partners—Barilla, Cisco, Fincantieri, Granarolo, Jakala, and Iren—each of whom will support at least one finalist by providing mentors and facilities.
UniCredit has awarded €10,000 to the top startups in each of the five categories: Digital, Impact Innovation, Innovative Made in Italy, Clean Tech, and Life Science.
In the Life Science category, the top prize went to ExoLab Italia from Abruzzo.
The Clean Tech & Industrial category was led by Milan-based Eoliann, whose CEO and co-founder, Roberto Carnicelli, aged 29, explained that their startup focuses on predicting extreme weather events using satellite data and artificial intelligence.
They collaborate with various sectors, including finance, energy infrastructure, and transportation.
A special mention in the same category was given to Astradyne, which develops deployable structures for the aerospace industry using an innovative technology called FRET (Flexible, Reinforced Electronics with Textile). Co-founder and president Davide Vittori highlighted their work on next-generation solar panels for satellites and terrestrial infrastructures, emphasizing the support ecosystem provided by UniCredit Start Lab.
The Innovative Made in Italy category was won by Turin-based Restworld, while the Digital category saw Florence-based Equixly take the top spot.
In the Impact Innovation category, the winner was Rome-based Starting Finance, which boasts over 1.3 million users and 36 university clubs across major Italian universities.
CFO Ruggero Limberti, aged 30, noted the persistent issue of financial illiteracy among youth and their mission to provide accessible, high-quality financial education.
A special mention in this category was awarded to Rosso, a startup aiming to address the blood shortage in Italy.
Notably, nearly one in five startups (19%) is female-led, and this proportion rises to 36% among those selected for Start Lab.
Remo Taricani, deputy head of UniCredit Italia, emphasized the transformative period the Italian innovation ecosystem is undergoing and reaffirmed the bank's dedication to supporting tech companies as enablers of growth and development.
All 59 companies involved in the Start Lab project will gain access to specific services and opportunities provided by the UniCredit Start Lab business platform, further enhancing their potential for innovation and growth.