Fondazione CRT, OGR Torino, and Microsoft, in collaboration with TOP-IX, ISI Foundation, Ashoka, Impact Hub, and The Data Appeal Company (which will directly contribute to Data Club this year), present the second edition of Impact Deal, a European data-driven acceleration program for businesses with social and environmental impact.
The call for applications is open from March 16 to April 26.
In 2022, thanks to specific training, mentorship from domain experts, national and international visibility opportunities, and access to exclusive datasets, selected companies were able to develop innovative solutions focused on generating measurable positive impact. The contribution of Data Club – a group of companies and organizations, public and private entities – is fundamental in this regard, which in addition to TIM, Banca Sella, Fondazione Snam, and the City of Turin, will add The Data Appeal Company, BioEnerys, and Wind Tre for the 2023 edition.
During the six months of the program, Impact Deal works to accelerate projects focused on the application of data science, the growth of entrepreneurial activities with social and environmental purposes in alignment with the sustainable development goals defined by the United Nations (SDGs). By facilitating the meeting between corporations, traditional investors, impact companies, mentors, and experts in data science, the program encourages initiatives that combine economic, social, and environmental sustainability, allowing the development of specialized professional figures through a transfer of skills focused on access and use of data for long-term impact.
The first edition of the program received 40 applications from impact enterprises from 8 countries operating in different sectors: Smart Environment, Smart Cities, IoT, Logistic/Supply Chain, Digital Consciousness, Human Resources Services, Open Innovation, AI, Cultural Heritage, Food, Health, Medical Care, Agriculture, Augmented Mobility, Vehicles, and Energy solutions. 12 companies participated in the first phase, of which 7 were Italian and 5 were foreign (from the UK, Denmark, Portugal, and Switzerland). Among them, Alba Robot, The Newsroom, Pinbike, Virtuosis, Wiseair, Open Impact, and Aroundrs were selected for phase 2 of the program, obtaining numerous visibility opportunities and achieving excellent results both during the course and in the following months.
The ‘magnificent’ seven, after Impact Deal
Alba Robot: After more than six months of experimentation with CTE NEXT, Alba Robot is testing its outdoor technology. They participated once again in GITEX GLOBAL in Dubai and were included in Marktechpost.com’s top list of the best Italian AI development startups. Alba Robot is one of the 100 startups selected worldwide to compete in the final of the Entrepreneurship World Cup.
Aroundrs has launched and completed, together with Banca Etica, a crowdfunding campaign. Aroundrs also won the “Premio Innovazione Toscana” for startups that have stood out in the last 24 months. Aroundrs has been featured on Forbes as a startup potentially able to revolutionize the world of packaging. Aroundrs is among the winners of the #Greener call, launched by LVenture Group and Meta in collaboration with Legambiente and Gruppo Giovani Imprenditori Confcommercio to select innovative solutions capable of accelerating the #ecologicaltransition of companies and SMEs.
Open Impact has developed a collaboration with the Global Thinking Foundation. Open Impact has joined the Innovation Community of MuseoSpace Foundation and is a partner of the new II level Master in Impact Strategy and Management at the University of Milan-Bicocca. Open Impact has launched the OI Academy to offer companies and organizations the opportunity to deepen specific aspects of impact measurement and is among the beneficiaries of the Smart & Start Italia program, which provides incentives to support the birth and development of innovative startups.
Pin Bike has received the Smart City Expo World Congress Mobility Awards, qualifying as a finalist of the 2022 edition. Pin Bike also won the TIM SmartCity Challenge with the Osservatorio Bikeconomy Award. Pin Bike has completed, as coordinator, the Bicification Project with the support of ENEA, EEN, and EIT Urban Mobility. Finally, the company brought its experience to the round table for the presentation of the MOST project, the National Center for sustainable mobility financed with PNRR funds 2023-2025. Pin Bike then launched the REACTIVITY Project aimed at defining a platform that certifies with data the use of all sustainable urban transport means.
The Newsroom won the “Best startup in Portugal started by a woman” award and was selected in the WSA Shortlist 2022 as a finalist in the “Government & Citizen Engagement” category. The Newsroom was also selected as one of the 50 companies to participate in the Seeds of Change Program. Finally, the company participated in Web Summit as an Impact Startup and was among the companies that participated in the EVPA Conference as alumni of the Social Innovation Tournament initiative promoted by the European Investment Bank Institute.
Virtuosis was chosen by Kickstart Innovation as one of the 43 most innovative and fast-growing startups among over 1200 candidates worldwide. It was also admitted to the CES2023 event. They led the Swiss delegation of the most innovative startups in a roadshow in Silicon Valley, to present the projects to VCs, expand the network and accelerate the expansion towards the US market.
Wiseair is the first Italian startup to take part in the Smart Cities accelerator program URBAN-X. The venture investing platform Doorway announces that it has raised €200,000 from 24 investors to support the bridge round of €300,000, expiring on December 31, 2023, for the greentech startup Wiseair.
