Innovation: Intesa Sanpaolo recognises the start-ups from Up2Stars and In Action Climate

Intesa Sanpaolo has brought together its start-up acceleration and support programmes – Up2Stars, now in its third edition, and In Action ESG Climate, now in its fourth edition – and has taken stock of the initiative, which has seen 40 start-ups accelerated and three green projects awarded 100,000 euros each. The grant offered by Intesa Sanpaolo Assicurazioni was awarded to Rarearth, based in Monte San Vito, in the province of Ancona, for the development of a process to recycle rare-earth elements contained in end-of-life magnets, aimed at the sustainable production of new high-performance magnets; Pipein, from Turin, for the ‘Waterguard’ project, which reduces leaks in submerged or pressurised water pipes through the use of robotic systems and predictive intelligence technologies; Voidless (Milan), a company revolutionising the logistics sector by producing bespoke boxes for each order in real time, thereby reducing costs, waste and environmental impact.

Since the launch of Up2Stars, 120 start-ups have been accelerated through the programme run by Banca dei Territori, 12 of which have received training support in Silicon Valley and 62 of which have been accepted into the Elite Lounge. These two complementary initiatives support the growth of innovative start-ups and the roll-out of solutions capable of contributing to the country’s ecological transition. Both programmes, run in collaboration with the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre, have their own distinctive features: Up2Stars, promoted by the Banca dei Territori Division led by Stefano Barrese, supports the growth of young, high-tech start-ups and facilitates their engagement with businesses, investors and specialist operators, whilst In Action ESG CLIMATE, promoted by Intesa Sanpaolo Assicurazioni, led by Virginia Borla, promotes projects that generate a concrete and measurable environmental impact.

Launched in June 2025, the third edition of Up2Stars attracted 500 applications, with 40 high-potential start-ups selected – ten for each of the four sectors identified as priorities for the Italian manufacturing sector: New Materials, Robotics, Aerospace and Design Tech. These innovative companies undertook an acceleration programme run by Factory Plus, featuring mentorship and specialist insights. Action ESG Climate, meanwhile, has received a total of over 600 applications since 2022, recognised 11 projects and awarded grants totalling more than €2 million, confirming its status as a benchmark for promoting sustainable innovation.

With 1,500 applications and 120 start-ups accelerated across three editions, Up2Stars has established itself as one of the most significant national initiatives dedicated to entrepreneurial innovation, with Intesa Sanpaolo supporting start-ups from the acceleration phase right through to access to the capital markets via the Intesa Sanpaolo ELITE Lounge – a platform dedicated to innovative businesses which has so far seen the62 start-ups have joined, 12 of which are from this edition.

“With Up2Stars and In Action ESG CLIMATE, we wanted to take it a step further, combining innovation and sustainability within a single initiative,” says Anna Roscio, Executive Director of Sales & Marketing for Corporate Clients at Banca dei Territori, part of Intesa Sanpaolo. “This is not simply the convergence of two successful initiatives, but a commitment to creating a genuine ecosystem capable of bringing together expertise, partners and businesses to support the country’s growth,” she adds.