PRESS RELEASE - Presentation of measures and financial instruments for businesses at Mettetevi in Choco!

At Eurochocolate, "Mettetevi in Choco!" with Sviluppumbria

Measures and financial instruments to promote entrepreneurial paths in the confectionery sector and in the food chain presented on 21 October at Umbriafiere.

Business creation and development, support for young and female entrepreneurs, innovation, training, internationalisation and promotion of the territory: these were the main themes at the centre of the Mettetevi in Choco! event held on 21 October at Eurochocolate at UmbriaFiere. The event, promoted by Sviluppumbria, was a great success in terms of participation. Many young people and companies in the food and beverage sector attended the meeting. Among the audience there were students of the ITS Umbria Academy Agri-Food course and representatives of cocoa producers from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil present at Eurochocolate.

The discussion was lively, full of ideas and testimonials from the trade associations, with ample space was given to the testimonies of companies in the food and beverage sector who recounted the successes achieved thanks to the tools and measures put in place for SMEs by the Umbria Region's Economic Development Agency.

“I would like to thank the trade associations, ITS Umbria Academy, the Italo-Latin American Institute, and all the companies that enthusiastically accepted our invitation to be here today with Sviluppumbria," said Michela Sciurpa, President of Sviluppumbria. "A special thanks goes to Eurochocolate, with whom we have put together a vast and articulated program dedicated to promoting the issues at the heart of the Agency's mission to support the excellence of the Umbrian chocolate supply chain.

Three morning panels examined aspects of the topic.

During the first, entitled Mettetevi in Choco! A call to action for young companies, moderated by Mauro Marini, Sviluppumbria's Head of Operational Functions, speakers included Michela Sciurpa, Eugenio Guarducci, President of Eurochocolate, Nicolò Bartolini of Confindustria Umbria, Chiara Pucciarini of Confcommercio Umbria, Lorenzo Asciutti of Confapi, Valerio Cicciola of Confartigianato Terni, Roberto Bisciaio of Confesercenti Umbria and Ciro Schiaroli of CNA Umbria.

Small companies grow: tools to support self-employment and innovative start-ups was the theme of the second panel, moderated by Paola Paccara, Innovation Area of Sviluppumbria, during which the notices "MYSELF" by Gian Luigi Aquilini and "SMARTup" by Giuseppe Barberi, both of Sviluppumbria, were presented, followed by testimonials from some of the companies that have benefited from the measures: Davide Anderlini of Pinseria Torre degli Sciri, Giulio Gigli of UNE and Luigi Stancati of Solerzia.

The event continued with the third and final panel, From Umbria to the global market: supply chains, tools and projects to support internationalisation and commercial and industrial cooperation, moderated by Marina Cecilia Sereni, External Relations and International Activities of Sviluppumbria. The financial tools for internationalization were presented: notice for participation in international trade fairs 2021-2022 and notice voucher for consulting services, by Sonia Argenti of Sviluppumbria with the business testimony of Giulia Natalini of Italiana Liquori e Natura and the free services for internationalization offered by Sviluppumbria within the Enterprise Europe Network, by Rita Dedola of Sviluppumbria, with the business testimony of Massimo Mearini of Al Bicchiere. Innovation, training and the promotion of supply chains of excellence" was also discussed with the presentation of the ITS Agro-food Academy by Alessandro Sdoga of the Technical Scientific Committee of the Agri-food sector of the ITS Umbria Academy, and international cooperation with the speech by Naomi Costantini, Project Manager of the IILA-Italian Latin American Institute, on how to work with cocoa-producing countries on joint Bean to Bar projects, followed by the business testimony of Marco Segoloni of the Be-Well Group.