Naples, 25 May 2023 – Today saw the kick-off of the selection of the seven start-ups that will take part in the second edition of Terra Next, the acceleration programme for innovative start-ups and SMEs operating in the bioeconomy sector, part of the CDP National Accelerators Network, an organisation present throughout Italy with the aim of supporting the growth of start-ups specialising in markets with the most potential.

The start-ups in question, having passed an initial selection by the Terra Next evaluation committee (made up of promoters, an advisory board and corporate partners), will benefit from an initial investment of over 750,000 euro and will take part in a three-month course starting today based in Naples at the San Giovanni a Teduccio Campus of the Federico II University in Naples, during which they will have the opportunity to grow through mentorship, training, networking and in-person sessions dedicated to the consolidation of the value proposition and business model, technical validation and prototyping of solutions, and go-to-market support and fundraising. Furthermore, the best teams will have access to additional investments of around 1 million euro, already set aside by the promoters.

Selected from 137 Italian and international candidates, the start-ups developed eco-sustainable solutions to utilise waste from the food and other industries (from coffee, artichokes, waste oil and cork), as well as solutions that allow people to age better, or even produced a line of fresh dog food:

• Circular Fiber: this start-up focuses on the production of flour and nutraceutical products from artichoke waste. The production process and product are patented, and the flour produced has a significantly lower environmental impact than conventional flours.
• Coffeefrom: the industrial coffee grounds of the food industry are the new bio-based and renewable source material for PLA, produced entirely in Italy and a durable, resistant alternative to single-use plastic.
• FlavoLife: a start-up founded on the basis of more than eight years of translational medical research conducted by Professor Pitari of T. Jefferson University (Philadelphia, USA) and the Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry of the CNR in Catania on the medical potential of flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds contained in fruit and vegetables. FlavoLife's mission is to enable people to age better while preserving their health.
• Isuschem: active in the research and industrial synthesis of products derived from waste and non-food oil crops. Using patented technology, Isuschem converts fatty acids from oils into innovative solvents, reducing the environmental impact of chemicals. The advantages include the possibility of creating products (varnishes for printing inks, eco-friendly surfactants and emulsifying plasticising agents, etc.) that are low in toxicity, biodegradable and offer high performance compared to conventional solutions.
• Kinsect: developed an industrial process for the production of protein meal for animal feed through large-scale insect breeding. Using proprietary technologies and patents, the start-up aims to create a circular economy model that converts industrial and agricultural by-products into foods with a low environmental impact.
• Lebiu: focuses on the production of a range of eco-sustainable materials, with sought-after mechanical properties (lightness, flexibility, impermeability, resistance to pressure and high temperatures) obtained from the waste of cork stoppers from Sardinia. Respecting nature's time, it helps reduce CO2 emissions by using waste from the cork industry and reintroducing it into the production cycle. All products are patented.
• Real Bowl: developed a line of fresh, human-grade and non-industrial dog food, where all the ingredients are explained. Each meal is preservative-free but can be kept out of the fridge for 45 days. Starting from a personalised profile of the dog, Real Bowl offers an ideal menu based on diets and a very rich recipe section that goes into detail about the individual ingredients and nutritional contributions.

An initiative of CDP Venture Capital, Terra Next benefits from the participation of Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center as co-creator and promoter, with operational support from Cariplo Factory, which manages the programme. The accelerator has initial assets under management of approximately 3.8 million euro allocated by CDP Venture Capital’s Accelerator Fund and approximately 1.3 million allocated by Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center and its partners.

The accelerator has a three-year timeline, with a new series launched each year consisting of up to 10 start-ups. The first acceleration programme, which ended last October, involved eight start-ups (chosen from 126 Italian and international candidates) engaged in the development of solutions for biodegradation processes, food integration and cosmetics and the production of degradable bioplastics and natural paints.

The accelerator also envisages the involvement of institutional and scientific partners such as Fondazione con il Sud, the Federico II University of Naples, the Campania Digital Innovation Hub, the SPRING Italian Circular Bioeconomy Cluster, the Materias deep-tech innovation centre, and the S.R.M. - Studi e Ricerche per il Mezzogiorno study centre. Terra Next also involves the corporate partners Pastificio Garofalo (core partner), Getra Group, Nestlé Group, Novamont, Aristea, Nolanplastica, Selepack and Tecno, which provide their contribution in terms of know-how, assets and network for the development of the start-ups.

Thanks to the collaboration of these partners, the selected start-ups will be able to create synergies with industrial players in the bioeconomy sector, which is already an example of excellence Made in Italy.

“We are very proud of the quality of the start-ups selected for the second batch of TerraNext, the Accelerator of the CDP National Network dedicated to the bioeconomy, which is at the heart of the EU's inclusive economic development measures and represents a sector with great growth potential for Italy”, commented Stefano Molino, Manager of CDP Venture Capital's Accelerator Fund. "The solutions and products we see presented today by these young companies have the potential to greatly impact the market, and together with all the partners involved in TerraNext we will work to support the development of the best innovation projects”.

“Our Bank's role is also to stimulate the growth of entrepreneurial initiatives, in addition to providing financial support to families and businesses in the region, which remains our main mission”, explained Giuseppe Nargi, Intesa Sanpaolo's regional director for Campania, Calabria and Sicily. “Our Group has always focused on innovation as a strategic lever for the development of the economy in southern Italy and is once again committed to supporting investments in cutting-edge projects in this region. Bioeconomy, regenerative agriculture and innovation are among the pillars of the new economy in southern Italy, and the Terra Next project, I like to recall, was launched in Naples, a programme that is part of the many activities that we carry out in southern Italy with institutions, incubators and enterprises that aim to create added value for the local community”.

"We are pleased to launch the second acceleration programme of Terranext right at a time when international attention is focused on a priority topic like the bioeconomy", added Riccardo Porro, Chief Operating Officer of Cariplo Factory. "Terra Next was founded with the aim of supporting the most innovative businesses in our country in the bioeconomy sector, creating interconnections with the scientific excellence of the area and with leading companies in the sector, in order to build a sustainable future. And thanks to the research and ideas of top-class start-ups such as those selected for this cycle, we can accelerate the transition to sustainable and resilient development models. Without forgetting that Italy is already one of the strongest in Europe in the bioeconomy sector”.