Startup Days Return to Lombardy, the ‘Champions League’ of Startups

The commitment of Regione Lombardia (Lombardy Regional Government) and Musa towards innovative startups continues. Driven by the Regional Councillor for Economic Development, Guido Guidesi, the Startup Competitions are thus returning—a series of competitions designed to facilitate the growth of the most promising startups and connect them with potential investors. Together with Musa – Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action (an innovation ecosystem financed by the Ministry of University and Research within the Pnrr – National Recovery and Resilience Plan), Federated Innovation @Mind (innovation incubator), and in collaboration with Lombardy’s universities, three competitions were proposed: ‘StartCup Lombardia’, ‘Chimica Verde Lombardia per un futuro sostenibile’ (Green Chemistry Lombardy for a Sustainable Future), and the new addition, ‘Edilizia sostenibile e sicura’ (Sustainable and Safe Construction).

The Startup Competitions are part of the ‘Startup Days’ project: a strategic annual event, scheduled for November 11 and 12, aimed at strengthening Lombardy’s innovation ecosystem, creating connections between talents, ideas, and opportunities to build the future of the region and generate added value, including from an employment perspective.

Innovation in Numbers

The event is already seeing an increase in its prize money compared to 2024, thanks to the introduction of the new ‘Edilizia sostenibile e sicura’ competition and the expansion of the historic ‘StartCup Lombardia’, which increases from 155,000 to 175,000 euros in regional funds, plus 20,000 euros from the new corporate prize sponsored by Thales Alenia Space, for projects related to GNSS technologies.

The over 230 proposals submitted by startups and university spin-offs from across the region confirm Lombardy’s leadership in the national innovation ecosystem. The projects span ICT & Services, Life Sciences & MedTech, Cleantech & Energy, and Industrial Technologies, with a growing focus on the digitalization of production processes, new materials, efficient water resource management, and industrial decarbonization. This landscape illustrates a Lombardy capable of transforming research and technology into high-impact entrepreneurial opportunities, in line with the objectives of the Pniec (Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan) and the European strategy for the green transition.

 The Three Competitions

‘StartCup Lombardia’ is the competition for startups organized by Lombardy’s Universities and University Incubators, promoted by Regione Lombardia and Musa, which to date has led to the creation of 44 companies with a total regional investment of 1.2 million euros and 52 million in cumulative investments raised by the new companies. The total prize pool, higher than the previous edition, amounts to 195,000 euros allocated by Regione Lombardia. In the 2024 edition, the initiative received 114 applications, involving a total of 373 people and 155,000 euros in allocated funds.

The new competition ‘Edilizia sostenibile e sicura’ awards 25,000 euros to each of the six winning solutions. The objective of this award, an absolute novelty this year organized by Regione Lombardia in collaboration with the Universities, Lombardy’s University Incubators, and Musa, is to foster the creation of new businesses and startups in the construction sector to support their innovation and development in response to the specific needs of the companies operating within it. Regione Lombardia will make available a prize pool of 150,000 euros for the six best ideas in the running.

‘Chimica Verde Lombardia per un futuro sostenibile 2025’ (Green Chemistry Lombardy for a Sustainable Future 2025), now in its second edition and carried out in collaboration with Federated Innovation Network, confirms 25,000 euros for each of the six selected startups, along with a mentoring program in collaboration with Cariplo Factory. It is organized by Regione Lombardia and Federated Innovation @Mind to stimulate the creation of innovative companies that support chemical industry players in addressing technological and environmental challenges. Six prizes are planned for a total prize pool of 150,000 euros allocated by Regione Lombardia.

Towards the November Final

On November 11, at Palazzo Lombardia, the final evaluation of the selected projects will take place behind closed doors; the awards ceremony, open to the press and by invitation, is scheduled for November 12, with the attendance of institutions, partners, and investors.

“Our goal has always been for anyone with an innovative idea to find the best conditions for its development in Lombardy. Through initiatives like the ‘Startup Days’, we seek to support and implement winning ideas, transforming them into economic activity and job opportunities,” stated Guido Guidesi, Councillor for Economic Development of Regione Lombardia. “We want to consolidate our records to continue being the ‘Home of Ideas’. Innovation and anticipating the times will continue to be our winning cards, including through the contribution of new generations,” the Councillor concluded.

“The Startup Days represent a fundamental stage in the journey through which MUSA promotes the cross-pollination between research, business, and social innovation,” comments Giovanna Iannantuoni, President of MUSA. “We believe that the value of the Lombardy ecosystem lies in its ability to unite diverse skills and visions to generate concrete economic and social impact. Every finalist startup is proof that the university and research are not worlds distant from the market, but vital engines of a more sustainable, digital, and competitive future. With the Startup Days, we want to strengthen this alliance between knowledge and action, networking people, ideas, and opportunities to build a new development model together.”

Fabrizio Grillo, Federated Innovation @MIND: “Green chemistry is one of the most promising frontiers of sustainable innovation. With the second edition of the Chimica Verde Lombardia 2025 program, Federated Innovation renews its commitment to promoting models of co-innovation between startups and industrial companies capable of generating concrete impact on the territory. Together with Regione Lombardia, we are building an ecosystem where chemistry becomes a strategic lever for a greener, more competitive, and responsible future. Startups and businesses thus have a concrete opportunity to lead the transition of chemistry towards sustainability, a driver of competitiveness, innovation, and responsible growth.”