START-GAP, a cycle of 3 webinars for innovative start-ups and SMEs

The START-GAP webinar cycle designed by Sviluppumbria aims to support innovative start-ups and SMEs in understanding the opportunities, areas for improvement as wellas the obstacles and difficulties that threaten their development path.

Entrepreneurs were led by experienced teachers, within a virtuous circuit that, starting from a development idea, like a new project, led them through re-design and participation in an acceleration or financing programme, to the identification of the key points for the strengthening of the start-up. The meetings alternated between methodological contents and case studies, moments of discussion and practical work where participants were able to apply the tools presented within their own operational contexts.

START-GAP is divided into three dates in which, starting from a particular development idea, such as a new project, through re-design and participation in an acceleration or financing programme, identifying the key points for strengthening the start-up. During the meetings, methodological content and case studies will alternate with moments of discussion and practical work where participants will be able to apply the tools presented within their own operational contexts. There will also be a specific focus on financial support with an overview of regional - national - EU incentives.

The three webinars aimed at answering key start-up questions:  WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE WANT TO BECOME; HOW CAN WE DO IT AND WHY; HOW CAN WE “SELL”/TRANSFER OUR PROJECT

The webinars, lasting one and a half hours, were held in Italian online via the zoom platform. Each lasted one and a half hours and involved 50 subjects including business associations and employers' associations, professionals and business consultants, including 25 companies registered in the start-up register of the Chambers of Commerce.

The course was conducted by Fabrizio Rufo, Startupper & Project Designer, MISE's Innovation Manager, joined by Edoardo Pompo, ICT Infrastructure Innovation Manager for Businesses, Umbria Region, Elisabetta Boncio, Head of the Innovation and Technology Transfer Unit, Sviluppumbria, and Paola Paccara, Specialised Finance Expert of Sviluppumbria. A specific focus on financial support was handled by Gepafin Director Dr. Marco Tili, who completed the programme with an overview of regional, national and EU incentives.

START-GAP is a specialisation process aimed at creating a regional ecosystem made up of start-ups and innovative SMEs. This is a new and challenging context for the Regional Agency, which intends to stimulate the activation of effective interrelationships with local entrepreneurship, guiding it towards the identification of advanced technologies.

Feedback from participants who expressed interest in the continuation of the activity was positive. The Agency is therefore scheduling a series of targeted meetings with the individual companies in order to examine the proposed themes in depth and to interpret them in relation to individual business needs, aware that enhancing the business culture contributes to the economic development of Umbria. 

The START-GAP was organised by Sviluppumbria within the INNETWORK 2020 Programme Act. 1.2.1 ERDF ROP 2014-2020.

Watch the recording of the first webinar

Watch the recording of the second webinar