Techstars Transformative World Turin: from smart cities to technologies for an evolving world

The first edition of Techstars Transformative World Torino, which represents the evolution of previous programs on smart mobility and smart cities, concluded with a demoday on May 16 at OGR in Turin.

In an exciting event, the 12 finalist startups were able to make their pitch in front of an audience of more than 500 people in presence and remotely, telling their technologies and business prospects to investors, program partners, institutions, companies, press and stakeholders of the Turin innovation ecosystem.

In four editions, the Techstars program has raised $100 million in investment for the startups involved, created more than 600 jobs, signed 80 Proof of Concept agreements with Italian principals, and obtained 3 exits.

The high participation and the results obtained confirm on the one hand the vibrancy of the Italian innovative entrepreneurial system, and on the other hand the value for the territory of the collaboration between partners Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Compagnia di San Paolo and Fondazione CRT, which has allowed the Turin ecosystem to grow as an innovation hub, attracting talent, fostering collaborations with local companies and creating new jobs. So far, four foreign startups have chosen Turin as the city to settle and grow, opening a branch under Italian law to give continuity to the synergies established with the area.

February 19 was the kick-off day for the new class of Techstars Transformative World Torino. Twelve startups selected from more than 300 applications from all over the world best interpret the program's new mission: to shape tomorrow's world through life-enhancing technologies. In other words, the program's ambition is to find solutions that, in addition to being "Smart," have what it takes to make positive impacts.

The initiative led by Techstars is now a mature reality for the Turin ecosystem and confirms the value of collaboration between partners to enable innovative realities to reach important milestones: more than 85 million euros in funding so far, more than 550 jobs created, more than 70 Proof of Concept agreements with Italian clients, 2 exits.

But let's look in detail at the 2024 startups, including as many as 6 from Italy.

G2Q Computing

(Milan, Italy)

Advanced hybrid quantum software to solve complex real-world problems.

Impact AI 

(Vienna, Austria)

Modular platform with no-code tools that can assess directly the performance and business impact of LLM based applications developments. 

SylloTips

(Rome, Italy)

All-in-one knowledge sharing platform that leverages artificial intelligence to optimize and enhance knowledge and companies’ internal processes. 

Shion

(Vienna, Austria)

Active echo and noise canceling system with purpose-built hardware for noise reduction. 

Plain

(Berlin, Germany)

Interior design solution that provides everything necessary for a space setup - floor plan, furniture selection, and implementation support.

Nubo

(Milan, Italy)

Network of coworking spaces that takes advantage of underutilized urban spaces.

 Bestie Bite

(Rome, Italy)

Peer-to-peer community for discovering and reviewing restaurants.

Trainizi

(Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)

Microlearning platform that trains, engages, and retains deskless workers.

Reviway

(Reggio Emilia, Italy)

Integrated solution to detect defects and repair road surfaces in an innovative and cost-effective way.

Intuos

(L'Aquila, Italy)

Service platform that combines vertical software, IoT devices, and AI-based data models to increase the efficiency of operational processes, aircraft monitoring, and flight safety.

Vision Anchor

(Ljubljana, Slovenia)

The world’s first smart anchoring system that tracks the anchor and sends a data feed to the boat. 

Voovo

(Budapest, Hungary)

Educational platform that helps students absorb high volumes of information quickly by creating the fastest and easiest way to make digital flashcards

Applications for the next edition of the now historic program will be open until November 29th, which from this year expands its horizons and becomes Techstars Transformative World Turin.

This evolution allows to invest in and support companies that are not only shaping the future of mobility and urban living but also those that are creating a lasting change in the world of tomorrow

The program, which confirms the partners of previous editions and which will start in February 2024, seeks applications in the following verticals:

Decarbonization/Net Zero/Circular Economy, Health & Safety, AI Technologies & Advanced Computing, Digital Asset Creator Communities, Exponential Intelligence or AI 2.0, Quantum Computing, Cyber Security, Ambient Experience, Hyperautomation.

The final Demo Day of the 2023 edition of the Torino Cities of the Future Techstars Accelerator program took place with great success in the main hall of the OGR in Turin on May 11th 2023, in front of an audience of over 400 people. This year, 10 startups from all over the world were selected out of a total of 326 applications: Empethy, Heloola, Pack, Tutornow and Wibo from Italy, Intuitivo and Preflet from Portugal, Automatika Robotics from France, Sirius from the Netherlands and Sorair from the UK. During the acceleration period, startups worked hard to develop their innovative technologies covering different areas of the Smart City, including mobility, decarbonization, energy efficiency, EdTech, social responsibility and individual well-being.

Torino Cities of the Future Techstars Accelerator represents an important opportunity for startup growth and innovative technology matching. Thanks to this program, many innovative realities have been brought to Turin over the years, about 60 of which have also started collaborations with the municipality and local businesses. The profuse commitment has brought immediate benefits, including the establishment of 6 startups in Italy and the creation of about 500 new jobs in the last 4 years. The acceleration program, launched in 2020, has contributed significantly to the growth of the innovation ecosystem not only in Turin, but also at a national level, thanks to the positive synergies with the three corporate partners Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo and Fondazione CRT.

The class of the 2023 edition of Torino Cities of the Future Techstars Accelerator started on 13 February, made up of 11 startups selected from 326 applications from all over Europe.

The innovative technologies belong to different verticals, in line with the expansion of the program to sectors no longer closely related to Smart Mobility.

This year we therefore find startups in the supply chain sector, such as the Dutch Sirius and the English Sorair, startups that offer solutions in the HR field, such as Wibo and Pak, both Italian, companies in the ed-tech field, such as Italian Tutornow and Portuguese Intuitivo. Two startups with proposals more related to Smart Mobility also entered the class: the French Automatika Robotics.

Then there are Heloola, an Italian company that deals with digital media, Emphety, a startup in the social responsibility sector and finally Preflet, a Portuguese company in the energy sector.

A quarter full of activities opens for startups, as usual at the OGR in Turin, which will culminate in the Demoday scheduled for May.

The fourth edition of the program features the highest number of Italian companies ever, with eight female founders.

According to data from the Italian Association of Private Equity and Venture Capital (AIFI), the Italian Venture Capital industry recorded a record year in 2022, with invested capital exceeding €1.8 billion: a 48% increase compared to the previous year. This growth can be attributed to the growing number of startups being founded in the country, as well as the growing interest from international investors.

The accelerator has been contributing for 3 years to the growth of the Turin and national innovation ecosystem, thanks also to the positive synergies with the partners Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Fondazione CRT and Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo.

Since 2020, Techstars has received over 1300 applications and has accelerated 36 startups. The capital raised by the startups exceeded $70 million and further rounds for some startups are currently under negotiation. We also recall that, due to its now recognized local roots, the accelerator has favored the development of 37 collaborations with Italian stakeholders, has promoted the establishment of 4 startups in the area and, thanks to the growth of the innovative realities that have participated in the program , there have been over 300 new resources hired.

Until 2 November 2022 it will be possible to apply for the new edition of Turin - Cities of the Future Techstars Accelerator, the program dedicated to the Smart City, now consolidated for Turin and its territory. Also this year innovative technologies are sought at an international level, which will be selected at the beginning of 2023. The start of the new class is scheduled for next February at the Turin OGR. All partners have been confirmed for the new edition: Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Compagnia di San Paolo and Fondazione CRT, always in collaboration with Techstars. An effective synergy that has been able in these very difficult years, now further complicated by the conflict and the energy crisis, to create interesting development prospects for the Turin ecosystem and attract startups from all over the world.

The closing event of the third edition of Torino – Cities of the Future Accelerator took place on 21st April. The initiative was promoted by Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Compagnia di San Paolo and Fondazione CRT together with the American Techstars accelerator. The Demo Day brought many guests to the OGR and and many connected remotely, to follow the final arena of the Torino – Cities of the future accelerator program.

The third edition involved a class made up of 12 predominantly European high potential startups on the acceleration track. There were three Italian companies chosen, all based in Torino, as further confirmation of its lively local ecosystem: Family+Happy, which has come up with a made to measure service for selecting certified babysitters; Strategic BIM, which proposes the digital and remote management of large buildings and Gymnasio, which has developed a technology for home fitness.  
Taking part together with the Italian contenders were the Swiss Hive Power and the French Voltaage, both with Italian teams, the Ukrainian teams Inputsoft  and Lawyerd!, the startups form UK Optimiz and Xworks Tech, Natix from Germany, NRGI.ai from Romania, the Hungarian Volteum, working in the energy, air transport, mobility and copyright management sectors. 

Since 2020, the accelerator, in presence again  at last and hosted in the OGR, kicked off in January 2022. Torino affirms itself as a city at the center of an ecosystem now internationally recognized as attractive for emerging technologies. Since 2020, the accelerator has brought 35 startups operating in the Smart Mobility sector form all over the world to Torino, so far raising over 50 million dollars in investments and getting more than 30 testing phases underway in Italy., with an overall growth of the staff of over 300 collaborators. In addition, 3 startups have established themselves on the national territory: one based in the USA and Turin, one in Germany and Milan and the last in Naples and Turin. Since 2022 the program has widened its scope, embracing  Smart City and including  fields such as  Smart City  and including  fields such as Industry 4.0, Agritech, Digital Health, Cultural Heritage, Energy and Sustainability. 

There are several reasons for this widening, coherent with the evolutionary trends which are sweeping through our cities. In fact, according to the United Nations, by 2050 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas: therefore these will have to find new solutions for traffic, housing, energy resources, infrastructure and quality of life. Overpopulation and the climate  emergency are forcing us to transform our cities into more livable, sustainable and inclusive environments.