Digital Ventures for Italy’s Maritime Sector
Digital Ventures for Italy’s Maritime Sector
July 29, 2024
Rome, 29 July 2024 – CDP Venture Capital is leading an ambitious venture building project fully dedicated to supporting the digital transition of Italian SMEs operating across the maritime and port-logistics value chains.
Through the Boost Innovation Fund, and in coordination with the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, CDP Venture Capital has promoted the establishment of a special-purpose company dedicated to building and launching new entrepreneurial initiatives. These ventures will develop products and services aimed at accelerating the digitalization and innovation of SMEs active in the maritime and port-logistics sectors.
With an initial endowment of €8.7 million, the “Venture Builder for the Maritime and Port-Logistics Value Chains” project aims to create 10 new companies over the next three years. These startups will be eligible for follow-on equity investments from CDP Venture Capital’s Boost Innovation Fund, amounting to approximately €30 million, with the potential to generate a total investment impact of up to €70 million.
The newly created ventures will help address process and technological gaps faced by SMEs providing components and services in shipbuilding, recreational boating, cruise industry, and port logistics, thereby strengthening the competitiveness of the entire industrial ecosystem.
The venture building initiative brings together leading investors and partners, including Bridgemaker and Cariplo Factory, which will operate in joint venture as venture builder partners managing the creation of new initiatives. Industrial partners include Fincantieri, the global leader in shipbuilding, and PSA Italy, which operates three container terminals in Italy and accounts for approximately 25% of the country’s import-export flows. The initiative is also supported by Intesa Sanpaolo Group through Neva SGR’s SEI Fund (Sviluppo Ecosistemi Innovativi), Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, and Friulia, the financial institution of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Intesa Sanpaolo Group will further contribute through advisory support from Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, fostering interaction between the project’s management and the SME ecosystem across the involved value chains.
Institutional partners include the Municipality of Genoa, which hosts the Genoa operational hub at the Genova Blue District, the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, which hosts the Trieste operational hub, and Confindustria Genova.
The Venture Builder for the Maritime and Port-Logistics Value Chains operates through two permanent locations in Genoa and Trieste.
“The maritime sector is a cornerstone of the global economy, and Italian port areas have driven national development for centuries,” said Agostino Scornajenchi, CEO and General Manager of CDP Venture Capital. “Today, the blue economy is built on a network of SMEs that must confront profound technological and industrial transformations. This venture building project adopts a system-level approach, driven by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, starting from the needs expressed by leading industrial players and extending support to SMEs, which form the backbone of the value chain.”
“The venture building project for the maritime and port-logistics value chains is one of the most ambitious innovation initiatives not only in Italy but also at European level,” added Enrico Noseda, CEO of the newly established company and Chief Innovation Advisor of Cariplo Factory. “Launching 10 startups in three years is a major challenge, but thanks to the contribution of our industrial, financial, and institutional partners, we are confident we can significantly enhance the competitiveness of the entire sector.”
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, commented: “Fincantieri sees this ambitious program promoted by CDP Venture Capital as an extraordinary opportunity to accelerate the digital transition and innovation of SMEs operating in the maritime and port value chains. As a lead industrial player, we believe our role is to connect the dots and help turn innovative ideas into market-ready solutions.”
Roberto Ferrari, CEO of PSA Italy, added: “Innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness are the reasons PSA Italy chose to partner in this initiative. Together with strong capital partners and institutional support, this project will deliver new tools that generate value not only for large operators but also for SMEs across the port-logistics ecosystem.”
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CDP Venture Capital is an asset management company jointly owned by CDP Equity (70%) and Invitalia (30). Its mission is to build Italy’s future by placing innovation at the center of economic development, investing in a new generation of entrepreneurs and supporting innovative companies throughout their entire lifecycle, with more than €3.5 billion in assets under management.
Rome, 29 July 2024 – CDP Venture Capital is leading an ambitious venture building project fully dedicated to supporting the digital transition of Italian SMEs operating across the maritime and port-logistics value chains.
Through the Boost Innovation Fund, and in coordination with the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, CDP Venture Capital has promoted the establishment of a special-purpose company dedicated to building and launching new entrepreneurial initiatives. These ventures will develop products and services aimed at accelerating the digitalization and innovation of SMEs active in the maritime and port-logistics sectors.
With an initial endowment of €8.7 million, the “Venture Builder for the Maritime and Port-Logistics Value Chains” project aims to create 10 new companies over the next three years. These startups will be eligible for follow-on equity investments from CDP Venture Capital’s Boost Innovation Fund, amounting to approximately €30 million, with the potential to generate a total investment impact of up to €70 million.
The newly created ventures will help address process and technological gaps faced by SMEs providing components and services in shipbuilding, recreational boating, cruise industry, and port logistics, thereby strengthening the competitiveness of the entire industrial ecosystem.
The venture building initiative brings together leading investors and partners, including Bridgemaker and Cariplo Factory, which will operate in joint venture as venture builder partners managing the creation of new initiatives. Industrial partners include Fincantieri, the global leader in shipbuilding, and PSA Italy, which operates three container terminals in Italy and accounts for approximately 25% of the country’s import-export flows. The initiative is also supported by Intesa Sanpaolo Group through Neva SGR’s SEI Fund (Sviluppo Ecosistemi Innovativi), Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, and Friulia, the financial institution of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia.
Intesa Sanpaolo Group will further contribute through advisory support from Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, fostering interaction between the project’s management and the SME ecosystem across the involved value chains.
Institutional partners include the Municipality of Genoa, which hosts the Genoa operational hub at the Genova Blue District, the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, which hosts the Trieste operational hub, and Confindustria Genova.
The Venture Builder for the Maritime and Port-Logistics Value Chains operates through two permanent locations in Genoa and Trieste.
“The maritime sector is a cornerstone of the global economy, and Italian port areas have driven national development for centuries,” said Agostino Scornajenchi, CEO and General Manager of CDP Venture Capital. “Today, the blue economy is built on a network of SMEs that must confront profound technological and industrial transformations. This venture building project adopts a system-level approach, driven by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, starting from the needs expressed by leading industrial players and extending support to SMEs, which form the backbone of the value chain.”
“The venture building project for the maritime and port-logistics value chains is one of the most ambitious innovation initiatives not only in Italy but also at European level,” added Enrico Noseda, CEO of the newly established company and Chief Innovation Advisor of Cariplo Factory. “Launching 10 startups in three years is a major challenge, but thanks to the contribution of our industrial, financial, and institutional partners, we are confident we can significantly enhance the competitiveness of the entire sector.”
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri, commented: “Fincantieri sees this ambitious program promoted by CDP Venture Capital as an extraordinary opportunity to accelerate the digital transition and innovation of SMEs operating in the maritime and port value chains. As a lead industrial player, we believe our role is to connect the dots and help turn innovative ideas into market-ready solutions.”
Roberto Ferrari, CEO of PSA Italy, added: “Innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness are the reasons PSA Italy chose to partner in this initiative. Together with strong capital partners and institutional support, this project will deliver new tools that generate value not only for large operators but also for SMEs across the port-logistics ecosystem.”
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CDP Venture Capital is an asset management company jointly owned by CDP Equity (70%) and Invitalia (30). Its mission is to build Italy’s future by placing innovation at the center of economic development, investing in a new generation of entrepreneurs and supporting innovative companies throughout their entire lifecycle, with more than €3.5 billion in assets under management.
We would love to hear from you!
We would love to hear from you!
Are you part of a small to medium-sized company operating in Italy's maritime industry and facing a challenge you would like us to tackle? There is no challenge too big for us!