The winning team will access the final of EUNICE Imagine Innovation Cup, to be held in Catania in July 2023
University of Catania (UNICT) hosted the ninth edition of “Start Cup Catania”, a competition connected to the PNI Cube, which is the Italian Association of University Incubators and Business Plan Competitions.
Six best ideas were selected and received technical and financial support to develop a business plan and turn the idea into a concrete project. On 21 October 2022, the six teams competed in pitching and three finalists were identified.
Alpha Food team – formed by Marcello Reale, Luigi Parisi, Ennio Cuteri (replaced by Davide Carloni) and Paolo Mantione – is ranked first. This is a cricket breeding project intended for the production of flour and other by-products such as soil conditioners or cosmetic goods.
Fooduro is the second team, a circular food delivery project consisting of providing restaurants with a sustainable and reusable box.
PomEra is the third winner, a project to use canine undercoat for clothing and shoes.
In addition to a cash prize, the three teams will access next stages of the Italian competition, and the first finalist will have the opportunity for a special 6-month incubation period with a company specializing in mentoring and coaching.
The most important news of the new edition of Start Cup Catania is that the first winning team will have access to the EUNICE Imagine Innovation Cup. This competition will take place in Catania at the end of July 2023 among teams from each partner university. The best one will have as a prize the opportunity to access a special internship program. During this time, they will be able to visit the EUNICE universities of their choice, their partner companies and research labs, so they can use the university environment to improve and test their business idea in different European contexts.
More information about the Imagine Innovation Cup: eunice-university.eu/innovation/
