Trentino Startup Valley, the acceleration path for new business ideas promoted by Trentino Sviluppo and the Trentino Innovation Hub Foundation (HIT), is back. It is designed to offer startuppers, aspiring entrepreneurs and neo-entrepreneurs a programme of excellence characterised by personalised coaching, financial support (total prize money of 130,000 euro), work spaces, dedicated networks and access to specialist consultants, investors and business angels.

The programme - with a limited number of participants - consists of two phases, Bootstrap and Validation, for a total of 12 months.

Individuals and groups not yet established as a company and companies established in the 14 months preceding the date of issue of the award regulations are eligible to apply.

Deadline for applications: 9 January 2023

Apply to Trentino Startup Valley!

Trentino Startup Valley: a new formula

Trentino Startup Valley, which in just three years has supported more than 130 innovators in the start-up of their business idea, presents itself in a new guise. In fact, the format and the way in which the prizes will be awarded have changed. The prizes will be awarded at the end of the second phase to the top ten ranked teams and will be in cash, provided that the teams, in the meantime, have established themselves as a company.

Phase I: Bootstrap

The first phase of Trentino Startup Valley is called Bootstrap, it lasts four months and aims to provide startuppers with the skills they need to successfully deal with the market and investors. It consists of coaching with dedicated mentors and training on marketing strategies, communication fundamentals, building a business model and business plan.

Those enrolled in the programme can also participate free of charge in the Innovation Academy (Trentino Sviluppo) and Masterclass (HIT) training courses.

The classes of the Bootstrap phase will start between the end of January and the beginning of February 2023 and will take place in presence.

Phase II: Validation

Teams that successfully pass the Bootstrap will be admitted to the eight-month market validation phase. During this second step of the programme, called Validation, specialised coaching on:

• contracts
• company constitution
• cybersecurity
• GDPR compliance
• certifications
• team creation
• marketing
• finance

The Validation phase will conclude with the Validation Day, a public presentation of the projects using the 'pitch battle' format. Here, a panel of experts will draw up a merit ranking considering the degree of innovation or technological advancement of the idea, the soundness and sustainability of the proposed business, the expertise of the individuals and heterogeneity of the team's skills, and the maturation of the business idea since the start of the programme.

The prize money

The prizes, in cash, will be awarded by Trentino Sviluppo at the end of the Validation phase as follows 

• 35 thousand euro to the first classified
• 25 thousand euro to the second
• 20 thousand euro to the third
• 15 thousand euro to the fourth
• 10 thousand euro to the fifth
• 5 thousand euro from sixth to tenth place inclusive