FUND
Boost Innovation
We involve Italian corporations in the co-creation of innovative start-ups in key sectors for them and for the country. In addition, we support the digitisation of Italian SMEs in strategic supply chains through venture building with the involvement of supply-chain leader companies.
We invest in strategic sectors for the country such as advanced manufacturing, smart health, sustainable mobility, ecological transition, infratech and logistics tech.
Consult Portfolio
We co-create new companies with corporations or co-invest with them in existing start-ups, mainly in the pre-seed/seed phase, with the aim of jointly entering into strategic sectors for them and for the country. We support the former in developing the value proposition, the business plan and building the team, and the latter in completing the team and scaling up the business.
Team
Faq
What does the Boost Innovation Fund handle?
The Boost Innovation Fund operates through two modes:
- direct mode (‘Direct Corporate Venture Building’): co-creating new ventures by investing jointly with corporations;
- lookthrough mode (‘Supply Chain Venture Building’): creation of Supply Chain Venture Builders in co-investment with the supply chain leader companies and a Venture Builder Partner, in order to launch ventures for the digitisation and innovation of SMEs in the supply chain.
What is the main objective of the Boost Innovation Fund?
The objective of the Boost Innovation Fund is to foster the emergence of new digital start-ups in strategic sectors for the country by promoting collaboration between the corporate world and the innovation ecosystem. The Fund aims to generate industrial impact and economic value by creating new market players with a distinctive competitive advantage.
In which sectors does the Boost Innovation Fund invest?
The fund invests in strategic sectors for the country, including advanced manufacturing, smart health, sustainable mobility, ecological transition, infratech, and logistics tech. In its venture building activities to support supply chains, the fund focuses on sectors such as maritime, agribusiness and energy, among others.
How does the investment process work?
The Fund co-creates new companies with corporations or co-invests with them in existing start-ups, mainly in the pre-seed/seed phase. It supports the former in developing the value proposition, the business plan and building the team, and the latter in completing the team and scaling up the business.
What is the budget of the Boost Innovation Fund?
The Boost Innovation Fund has a current budget of €150 million
What advantages does the Boost Innovation Fund offer to corporations that would like to co-invest?
Corporations can access a structured model for developing new products and business lines quickly, sharing the risk and benefiting from CDP Venture Capital's expertise. Through co-investment, they can:
- accelerate the adoption of strategic solutions;
- access to emerging technologies;
- get in touch with entrepreneurial talents and next-generation start-ups;
- build industrial and technological assets in line with its innovation roadmap.
Who is an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR)?
An Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) for the Boost Innovation Fund will have the opportunity to become the CEO of ventures co-created by the Fund and Corporation. EIRs are selected from entrepreneurs with a proven track record in founding or scaling successful start-ups or from managers with more than 10 years of experience, who have a solid background in venture creation. The EIR is chosen jointly by the Boost Innovation Fund team and the corporation to guide the birth and growth of a new start-up. The EIR is the driving force behind the project: it works closely with CDP Venture Capital and the corporation right from the project conception phase.
How does the EIR application process work?
The application process is open to motivated founders with an entrepreneurial mindset and vertical skills. The elected candidates, after submitting their CVs in the appropriate form on the CDP Venture Capital website, access a structured evaluation and onboarding process, during which they work on the validation of a new initiative and, in the event of a positive outcome, guide the establishment and development of the start-up with the Fund's operational and financial support.