Launch of New Altitude – Torino Scaling Platform

• Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT and Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, together with Neva Sgr as investment partner, have launched New Altitude - Torino Scaling Platform, building on their institutional commitment, expertise and relationships developed since 2019 to foster the growth of Turin's innovation ecosystem.
• Managed with operational support from Pronto Ventures, New Altitude combines investments of between €200,000 and €400,000 per start-up, tailored to each company's stage of maturity, with 12 months of personalised support and help accessing networks, expertise and growth opportunities.
• Applications are open year-round to Italian and international start-ups developing emerging and transformative technologies, with the aim of supporting up to 30 companies in the first three years.

Turin, 28 October 2026 - Today sees the launch of New Altitude, a new start-up growth platform combining direct investment and personalised support to help the most innovative start-ups with high growth potential. Promoted by Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT and Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, together with Neva Sgr as investment partner, the initiative builds on the partners' experience with supporting innovative entrepreneurship. It strengthens their shared commitment to connecting start-ups, capital and industry to drive the growth and scalability of innovative businesses and develop the local ecosystem.

In recent years, Turin has consolidated its position among emerging innovation ecosystems. According to Startup Genome's Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2026, the value of the ecosystem has grown by 130% since 2021 to approximately $3 billion. This steady progress has been driven by the quality of local research, the region's expertise and its ability to attract talent and investment. It has also been supported by initiatives promoted by Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT and Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, which jointly support numerous local start-ups each year through investment and growth support programmes.

New Altitude builds on this momentum, with the aim of strengthening Turin's ability to help innovative businesses grow and expand into international markets.

With operational support from Pronto Ventures, a venture platform based at OGR Torino and led by Martin Olczyk, a serial entrepreneur and investor with experience in founding and managing start-ups, New Altitude builds on a model that combines capital with ongoing operational support, offering tailored programmes to meet the needs of each selected start-up.

Investments of between €200,000 and €400,000 per start-up are planned, tailored to each company's stage of maturity and provided in the form of equity or quasi-equity, with the aim of supporting up to 30 companies in the first three years. The investment is complemented by 12 months of personalised operational support delivered by the Pronto Ventures team, including dedicated workshops and sessions with mentors, international experts and other founders in the portfolio. The programme will also facilitate access to the expertise and networks of Turin's innovation ecosystem, fostering connections with universities, research centres, public institutions, businesses and investors.

Applications will remain open throughout the year, with proposals assessed on a rolling basis. This model moves away from the batch-based intake process of traditional accelerator programmes. Entry into the platform, support activities and engagement with investors will therefore be aligned with each start-up's development timeline and priorities.

New Altitude targets primarily early-stage start-ups (those at the first funding rounds of their development) from Italy and around the world, with a validated product and demonstrable traction (evidence of market interest in the product or service offered). The aim is to support teams with the potential to become leaders in their respective sectors, strengthening their operational and commercial capabilities and preparing them for subsequent investment rounds with international venture capital and corporate venture capital funds.

Start-ups will be selected based on the quality of their teams, technological strength and market potential, with particular attention to solutions that can contribute to major economic, environmental and social transformation

Alongside its international outlook, the initiative aims to generate lasting economic benefits for the local area. Support and access to local networks will be geared towards encouraging the recruitment of specialist talent in the area and the development of collaborations with universities and industrial supply chains across Piedmont. At the heart of the initiative is a shared vision: to make Turin a place where innovative businesses can establish roots, grow and compete in global markets, helping to strengthen Turin and Piedmont's innovation ecosystem.

Start-ups interested in the initiative can register their interest and submit their pitch deck by emailing [email protected].

"The ability to create continuity between technological development, business growth and access to capital is crucial to strengthening the innovation ecosystem. With New Altitude, we are turning this vision into reality by supporting high-potential new businesses on their growth journeys and in accessing new markets. Our ambition is to establish Turin as a European innovation hub, connecting its scientific and industrial heritage with international talent and capital, and fostering the growth of local businesses capable of competing on a global scale." Alberto Anfossi, Secretary General, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo

"New Altitude is a tangible example of the value that can be created when we choose to work together, bringing expertise, resources and relationships together in pursuit of a common goal. I firmly believe that the challenges of innovation and development cannot be tackled alone. By fostering collaboration between institutions, investors and ecosystem stakeholders, we can create stronger opportunities and deliver greater impact. For Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, this initiative strengthens our commitment to impact investing, with benefits that go beyond supporting individual start-ups. It means helping to strengthen Turin and Piedmont's innovation ecosystem, encouraging the creation and growth of new businesses, and generating lasting, positive benefits for the local area. That is the power of working together: turning shared goals into tangible opportunities for economic and social development." Cristina Di Bari, Chair, Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT

"Over the past six years, we have helped Turin's innovation ecosystem grow, strengthening its international standing and bringing outstanding expertise to the local area. New Altitude represents the next stage of this journey, in line with the objectives of Intesa Sanpaolo's Business Plan to support the growth of start-ups and scale-ups and enable ecosystem initiatives. Through a model that combines capital, expertise and industrial connections, we aim to attract and nurture talent and skills, support the international growth of innovative businesses, and help make Turin's ecosystem increasingly dynamic, competitive and resilient, capable of generating sustainable development for Italy." Viviana Bacigalupo, General Manager, Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center