THE INCUBATOR OF BOLOGNA S UNIVERSITY Dott.ssa Sabrina Morbidelli
Mission AlmaCube is the Incubator of the University of Bologna, founded jointly with Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna Foundation and Alma Mater Foundation to promote and sustain entrepreneurship in the local University system; AlmaCube is strictly linked and connected with the StartCup business plan competition, AlmaCube does not participate financially in the start-ups hosted, but actively promotes and facilitate funding contacts and processes with professional investors.
Start Cup Start Cup is the first example in Italy of competition between innovative entrepreneurial ideas based on high technological or high knowledge contents. The businesses plans elaborated by one or more people can take part in the Practice but their entrepreneurial ideas have to be innovative and high technological based.
Start Cup 2008 Start Cup 2008 take place in June and finish in October. It foresees several training courses on strategic planning, marketing and finance, which will allow to the participants to draw up an articulated business plan of their entrepreneurial ideas. For the first two entrepreneurial projects in Bologna and in Imola, Start Cup will give a contribution of 5.000 euro to the first classified and 5.000 for the second classified. The money will be give only if the winners will constitute effectively the firm within at least 6 months later the Practice and if the location of the office is on the territory of Bologna. The winners can also take advantage of the AlmaCube incubation services. The 3 best projects will take part in the Italian National Prize for the innovation.
Target AlmaCube can host 17 new technology based startups, a preferred evaluation is given to University originated projects. Other projects, however, will be considered as well. AlmaCube hosts the initial phases of the start-up process, but cannot host any production related activity or, more generally, the expansion of the business. The presence in the incubator is initially limited to one year, with possible extension for another year under the discretional judgement of the Steering Committee. AlmaCube does not focus on a specific industry or technological field to sustain the multiple disciplines of excellence of the University of Bologna. In any case, to enter Almacube the applicants must have incorporated or be in the processes of incorporating a new company.
How to Become an Incubatee Companies coming from the local community can enter AlmaCube in two ways: By participating to StartCup. The StartCup finalists become an incubate directly, Local high-tech firms have to send us a copy of the Business Plan. Prof. Gianni Lorenzoni, as Chairman of AlmaCube, will distribute the Business Plan to the members of the Steering Committee who will then formulate their binding recommendation within 30 days.
Organization Shareholders: Università di Bologna, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio, Fondazione Alma Mater Chairman: Prof. Gianni Lorenzoni Board of Directors (7 members): Fabrizio Bugamelli (CEO); Carlo Boschetti; Alessandro Grandi; Filippo Sassoli de Bianchi; Roberto Guidorzi;Bruno Quarta. Steering Committee (13 members): professors, entrepeneurs, managers Staff: Fabrizio Bugamelli, Sabrina Morbidelli
Tangible Services AlmaCube offers: Office space (12-20 sqm. offices and 3 40 sqm offices) Free internet connection. AlmaCube is connected to G.A.R.R., the Italian Academic and Research Network General services (secretary, cleaning service of common spaces) Recruiting Accounting and legal help
Intangible Services Thanks to its well-known brand, AlmaCube offers relational capital through direct links with local economic and political institutions. AlmaCube companies, through networking, have access to: Financing ( Venture capital and Business Angel) Information (Aster, Spinner, Progetto d Impresa) Successful Business Community (NetinBo, Industrial association,)
2007: AlmaCube s results At the end of its seventh year of activity, AlmaCube obtained the following results: 30 incubated start ups hosted 1.600.000,00 euros in overall revenue of the AlmaCube firms more than 80 people involved AlmaCube won the second prize at the Best Science Based Incubator Award 2005 Almacube, instead of Prof Gianni Lorenzoni, is the President of PNI Cube (The association of incubators).
Information about Incubator Companies 38% of the companies comes from Engineering Faculty; 12% companies comes from Mathematics and Physics faculties; The main part of the companies deals with the Internet technologies and Software Implementation field. The average of company employees is 4 people
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