From where does one start to transform an idea into a successful business? What steps need to be taken to establish an innovative startup? How does one form a team to tackle the challenges of a technology-based business project? These and many other questions will be answered by the experts from the Politecnico di Torino’s Incubator in the second edition of the I3P Startup Academy, the free training program for aspiring innovative entrepreneurs, taking place between March and May 2024.

Online applications to participate in the Academy are open from February 13 and will close on Wednesday, March 6, with evaluation in the order of submission until the 35 available spots are filled.

Similar to the previous edition held in 2023 with excellent public participation, the I3P Startup Academy 2024 training course is funded and implemented as part of the activities of the NODES ecosystem – Nord Ovest Digitale E Sostenibile (Northwest Digital and Sustainable), and its Spoke 1, dedicated to Aerospace and Sustainable Mobility, of which the I3P incubator is a partner.

Starting the Business

The goal of the course is to support aspiring entrepreneurs in their early phase, helping them give concrete shape to an innovative idea, find other members to compose a team with complementary skills, and initiate the customer discovery process, with insights into the techniques of validating entrepreneurial projects and examining the potential market.

The course will consist of five lessons and will follow an interactive mode: each lesson will be based on short sessions of theoretical preparation, business games, and open discussions with I3P tutors, external mentors, and already active startups, especially in the aerospace and sustainable mobility sectors supported by the Spoke 1 of the NODES ecosystem. The initiative aims to create a dynamic and engaging atmosphere that encourages interaction among participants, learning the basic concepts of the lean startup approach, and the possibility of meeting new potential co-founders for innovative businesses of the future.

Target Audience

The I3P Startup Academy 2024 program is aimed at individuals under the age of 35, residing in Piedmont and already holding a degree. Both teams with an initial idea for a new innovative business and individuals without a specific project, but willing to get involved by joining existing teams or creating new ones, can participate.

One of the main objectives of the program is to connect people with diverse skills to integrate existing working groups or create new ones. To succeed in this, participants should genuinely want to engage in dialogue and discussion—both with tutors and mentors and among themselves—and be willing to share their ideas and skills with other aspiring entrepreneurs.

Furthermore, the Academy initiative aims to offer equal opportunities for meeting, training, and consulting to all those interested in embarking on a startup creation path, with particular attention to female entrepreneurship and support for teams composed of women founders to promote their presence in the innovation world, still predominantly male. Aspiring female entrepreneurs, the I3P incubator is eager to meet you and support your innovative ideas toward success!

Program Schedule

The I3P Startup Academy lessons will take place on Saturday mornings, from 09:00 to 13:00, on five dates over the next three months: March 9, March 23, April 6, April 20, and May 4, 2024.

The five sessions will be held in person, mainly at the I3P headquarters, but some dates will be hosted at OGR Tech, the innovation and technology hub of OGR Torino, a partner of the incubator in creating and supporting the innovative ecosystem in the area. Participation in the initiative is free. During the application phase, interested individuals will be asked for their commitment to follow the entire program consistently and dedicatedly, culminating in building an entrepreneurial project to present at the final meeting, to make the most of the course and take advantage of the opportunities it offers.

Between each lesson, participants will also be required to perform activities aimed at testing their business idea. This means that during the weeks of the Academy, aspiring entrepreneurs will be asked to invest their time to apply the concepts, notions, and ideas acquired during the course sessions to their projects.

To apply to participate in the new edition of the I3P Startup Academy and take the first step toward creating an innovative startup, interested individuals must fill out the online form by Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at the latest. However, it is advisable to do so as soon as possible because the available spots are limited to 35, and applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information about the initiative and program details, you can write to the dedicated email address academy@i3p.it.