FORWARD FACTORY

Forward Factory is the Accelerator dedicated to startups developing digital manufacturing products or solutions.

The Program is managed by GELLIFY, an innovation platform that connects high-tech B2B start-ups with established companies to innovate their processes, products and business models, and involves the participation of leading corporate partners and investors such as Azimut Libera Impresa through Digitech Fund, Comer Industries, Angelini Industries, SCM Group, Vis Hydraulics and Poggipolini, Auxiell, in the dual role of investor and ecosystem enabler in the lean production sector, Industrio Ventures, accelerator specialised in hardware start-ups, and EIT Manufacturing, ecosystem of the main European manufacturing players, as ecosystem enabler.

With total assets under management of 8.64 million euro, of which 3.57 million euro for subsequent post-acceleration follow-ons, the Forward Factory program extends over a period of 3 years, involving around 10 start-ups each year, which will be able to access a process lasting 6 months aimed at consolidating their entry on the market.

The program is aimed at seed and early stage start-ups able to provide digital services to innovate manufacturing production processes through blockchain, AR, VR, industrial IoT, AI and big data, cyber security, cloud computing and digital robotics.

Forward Factory is based in Casalecchio di Reno (BO) at the GELLIFY Phygital Hub and can be followed by participating start-ups in hybrid mode: physical and digital.

The call for the selection of the first top 10 start-ups was open until 8 April on www.forwardfactory.io. 

The first batch will go from July to December 2022.