With six editions completed, the Techstars program – supported by Fondazione CRT, Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, and Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo – has generated over 130 million dollars in investments in the accelerated startups, created more than 600 new jobs, established over 80 Proof of Concept agreements with Italian companies, and achieved 3 successful exits. It has provided a growth opportunity both for emerging startups and for the local area, contributing to the development of skills, qualified employment, and new connections among business, research, and institutions.

The Demo Day of the sixth edition of the Techstars Transformative World Torino acceleration program took place yesterday at OGR Torino, featuring 12 highly innovative startups selected from hundreds of applications from all continents. The event marked the culmination of an intensive three-month journey in which startups received mentorship, business model validation, and support in developing their entrepreneurial ideas.

During the Demo Day, startups had the opportunity to present the results achieved and share their technologies and business prospects with an audience of investors, partners, corporates, institutions, media, and ecosystem stakeholders. The solutions showcased ranged from Artificial Intelligence to Deep Tech, from the Future of Work to robotics, and innovations in health, creativity, and the environment – aligned with ESG, Net-Zero, and Circular Economy trajectories that guide the program’s investment thesis.

Launched in 2020 in Turin, with headquarters at OGR Tech – the innovation hub of OGR – the program initially focused on Smart Mobility (2020 and 2021 editions) and Cities of the Future (2022 and 2023). It has progressively expanded its scope into “Transformative World”, an accelerator dedicated to frontier technologies that offer concrete responses to today’s major economic, environmental, and social transitions. The program is run by Techstars with support from Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, and Fondazione CRT.

The initiative is part of a long-term strategy to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Turin, which gained further momentum at the end of 2023 with the signing of a memorandum of understanding among the partners. The goal: to attract talent, support the establishment of new enterprises, foster public-private collaborations, and consolidate Turin’s position among Europe’s most dynamic and attractive innovation hubs. This commitment contributed to the recent recognition by the European Commission, which named Turin the European Capital of Innovation 2024/2025, in acknowledgment of its pioneering approach to experimentation and transformation.

The numbers speak for themselves: 69 startups accelerated from 3 continents across six editions, with over 130 million dollars raised post-program, more than 600 new jobs created, 80+ Proof of Concept agreements with Italian companies, and 3 successful exits, made possible also thanks to the involvement of over 500 mentors. In addition, 4 international startups have chosen Turin to open a local office and strengthen their presence in Italy.

To date, the Techstars program has been a real growth platform for emerging startups and the local ecosystem, fostering skills development, qualified employment, and stronger ties among businesses, research, and institutions.

Startups from the 2025 class:

• AlterEcho (Copenhagen, Denmark) – Remote robotics for the lab of the future.

• Arbor Insight (Bolzano, Italy) – Digital innovation for the agriculture of tomorrow.

• Axem (Budapest, Hungary) – The coding assistant for regulated industries.

• BettaKnit (Prato, Italy) – DIY knitting for all generations.

• frnt (London, UK) – AI optimizing retail point-of-sale management.

• Granter.ai (Lisbon, Portugal) – The AI agent for accessing funding opportunities.

• Lemons in the Room (Florence, Italy) – An immersive experience that humanizes therapy.

• Litlyx (Rome, Italy) – The open-source platform for website analysis.

• MateriaIntel (Rome, Italy) – AI for real-time environmental tax management.

• Recrewty (Podgorica, Montenegro) – Personalized psychometric tests to hire top talent.

• spacebrains (Bratislava, Slovakia) – A platform for selecting STEM talent.

• Vocations (Novara, Italy) – Instant access to job opportunities for recruitment firms.

Statements from the partners:

“Over the past six years, Techstars has established itself as a true driver of innovation, reinforcing Turin’s international role as a hub of high-impact entrepreneurship and technological research,” said Anna Maria Poggi, President of Fondazione CRT. “We are proud to have supported this program from the start, together with Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, now an integral part of the innovation ecosystem based at OGR Tech, our ‘hub of the future’. This initiative creates real opportunities for the most innovative young enterprises. We will continue to invest in projects that combine innovation, social impact, sustainability, and vision, contributing to the region’s development and its positioning on global frontiers.”

“Intesa Sanpaolo embraced the challenge of innovation as a strategic lever for competitiveness and sustainability over ten years ago, by creating a dedicated company within the Group,” stated Paola Angeletti, President of Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center. “We have always supported the growth of international ecosystems that foster public-private dialogue, address major global challenges, and generate positive impacts for businesses and communities. This is the spirit with which we continue our commitment in Turin, where together with Techstars and local partners we have helped build a vibrant and attractive innovation ecosystem. What began as a pioneering challenge has now become a recognized international reality, enabling cross-pollination of skills for the benefit of both the territory and the country.”

“The Techstars program is a key component of our Foundation’s strategy to position Turin on the global map of innovation ecosystems,” declared Marco Gilli, President of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo. “The results achieved over six editions of the program speak not only to the recognized value of its portfolio but also to Turin’s capacity to attract and retain top entrepreneurial talent, integrating them into a rapidly evolving ecosystem. In line with our 2025–2028 Strategic Plan, our goal is to continue growing the Turin ecosystem with local impact and global alliances.”