TERRA NEXT

The call4startup for the 2023 edition of the program was launched on 19 January, which aims to select innovative companies in the Nutraceuticals, Circular & bio-materials and Regenerative Agriculture fields. The application phase will remain open until 26 February. Subsequently, the Terra Next evaluation commission - made up of promoters, advisory boards and corporate partners - will select up to 10 innovative startups and SMEs that will access the acceleration program, benefiting from an initial investment and a 3-month course based in Naples, at the San Giovanni a Teduccio Campus of the Federico II University.

The course will take place in the spring and, unlike the 2022 edition, has been conceived in a hybrid mode, with face-to-face operational and networking activities combined with remote learning, in order to guarantee startups and founders the necessary flexibility and support in their growth path.

The startups selected during the previous edition have followed a very interesting growth path, achieving important results.

Among them, we point out Relicta, the startup that has developed water-soluble and biodegradable plastic packaging obtained from processing waste from the fish industry, which has closed an investment round of 500 thousand euros by Scientifica Venture Capital, Terra Next and Vertis SGR, through the Venture 3 Technology Transfer fund.

The Terra next Demoday took place on 11 October in the prestigious setting of the Apple Academy, inside the university complex of San Giovanni a Teduccio in Naples. In front of a large audience in presence and streaming, the 8 startups made their pitches, presenting their innovative solution to investors and ecosystem companies.

The first edition had selected in June 8 innovative startups operating in the Nutraceuticals, Biobased Solutions and Regenerative Agriculture segments. During the Demoday, DND Biotech, Exo Lab Italia, FitNEes, Galatea Biotech, Iodo, Relicta, Sestre and Tomapaint, these are the names of the eight finalists, were able to demonstrate their maturity thanks to the acceleration received and illustrate their plans for the future.

The 8 innovative companies operating in the sectors of nutraceuticals, bio-based solutions and regenerative agriculture, starting from 20 June, have been participating in the first edition of Terra Next, the acceleration program for startups and innovative SMEs operating in the bioeconomy sector, that is taking place in the Naple's Campus S Giovanni Teduccio. During the Selection Day on May 27, the 10 finalist startups presented themselves to the arena of investors, promoters and partners. The call4startup was launched in February and in the space of a month and a half from the opening of the call it exceeded expectations, gathering over 120 candidate applications.  The technologies selected in the Selection Day range from bioremediation services to nanotechnological systems of delirery of plant active ingredients, from bioplastics to new bio-based materials for the most varied industrial fields.

Terra Next is part of the Rete Nazionale Acceleratori CDP, set up by CDP Venture Capital together with Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center and Cariplo Factory which manages the program. This synergy aims to grow a made in Italy sector already renowned for its excellences, which boasts a 2020 value of production of 317 billion euros in Italy. With an added value of 23.6 billion euros, in the South of Italy the Bioeconomy represents almost a quarter of the relative national figure and 6.7% of the total economy of the area, proving itself to be, therefore, a high intensity employment development sector.    

The aim of Terra Next is to accelerate business competences and create synergies with industrial players:  already signed up to the program are important Campania region and national companies such as Pastificio Garofalo, Nestlé, Novamont e Getra.  

With an initial budget of about 3.8 million euros allocated by the CDP Venture Capital Fondo Acceleratori as well as about 1.3 million allocated by Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center and its partners, Terra Next is designed on a 3-year timeline. Each year, a 12-week Naples-based acceleration track will be launched, during which the selected startups (up to 30 over the three years) will have the opportunity to grow via mentorship, training, networking and occasions for frontal in-depth analysis devoted to consolidation of the value proposition and of the business model, technical validation and solution prototyping, go-to-market support and fundraising.