RAISE up: business models presented by teams during “Market Meets Research” event
On Wednesday, May 28, starting at 2:30 PM, the Sala Cuspide at the Genova Blue District hosted “Market Meets Research”, the third event of the second edition of the RAISE up mentorship program. The initiative was promoted by Spoke 5 of RAISE, with the support of PwC Italy and I3P – the Incubator of Politecnico di Torino.
The event aimed to strengthen the dialogue between the research world and the market, providing a concrete space for exchange between innovation teams and strategic stakeholders from the RAISE up community. The day marked a key milestone in the program, focused on supporting the enhancement of high-tech solutions and testing their economic sustainability and competitive positioning.
During the event, the 8 teams participating in the program’s second edition had the opportunity to present their business models and value enhancement strategies to a selected audience of investors, funds, and other actors from the RAISE up community.
The plenary sessions encouraged direct discussion on crucial aspects such as scalability, the robustness of growth strategies, and the commercial potential of the solutions presented.
Opening remarks and RAISE up program overview
The event opened with welcome remarks by Andrea Pagnin, Spoke Leader of Spoke 5, and Miriam Molinari, RAISE up Project Manager, who provided an overview of the mentorship program, highlighting its strategic role in bridging applied research with the business world.
A success story
One of the most impactful moments was the speech by Fabio Boi, CTO and Co-Founder of Corticale Srl, who shared his experience transitioning from research to business. His story provided practical insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by early-stage deep tech ventures, emphasizing the importance of mentorship in the technology transfer journey.
Spotlight on the teams
During the plenary session, moderated by Miriam Molinari, the teams presented their solutions to the audience, accompanied by open discussion moments. The Q&A sessions provided an opportunity to explore both the strengths and the critical aspects of the projects in greater depth.
Participation was by invitation only and reserved for a qualified audience, ensuring a high-level environment that facilitated the exchange of expertise and the creation of new professional relationships. This interaction gave the teams the opportunity to test their projects, refine their business models, and prepare for the program’s final phase.
The day concluded with a networking aperitif—an informal yet strategic moment to continue the conversations started during the presentations and explore potential project synergies.
“Events like this are fundamental. Especially for those facing their first entrepreneurial experience, it’s a new and stimulating situation: presenting their project and receiving honest, even critical feedback. It’s different from working only with a consultant, who remains a valuable support figure. Here, instead, participants are exposed to external viewpoints—opinions that can challenge their assumptions. And that’s exactly the value. The direct, hands-on experience makes all the difference: it enables learning, helps avoid future mistakes, and fosters an awareness that can’t be gained through a simple narrative. Some participants today probably realized there’s something they need to change in their projects. And maybe, if that same advice had come only from a consultant, they wouldn’t have grasped its full depth” – Enrico Ghia, Operations Manager I3P – Incubator of Politecnico di Torino
With this third event, RAISE up reaffirms its role as a reference point in the Italian tech transfer ecosystem, promoting the convergence of scientific innovation and the business world.
The journey will continue with the RAISE up Pitch Day, scheduled for July 23 in Genoa.
Register to participate at this link.
