VeniSIA

VeniSIA stands for Venice Sustainability Innovation Accelerator.

VeniSIA is a not-for-profit innovation ecosystem born in 2020 within Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, that focuses on sustainability. By applying the Deep Tech approach and implementing the vision of prof. Carlo Bagnoli, Founder & Scientific Director of VeniSIA, it supports startups that aspire to achieve exponential growth and market development through strategic collaboration with established companies and the Deep Tech approach.

VeniSIA’s main office is located in Venice at the headquarters of Strategy Innovation, situated at the San Giobbe Economic Campus of Ca' Foscari University of Venice, in Italy. Its registered office is located at Ca' Dolfin (Calle Larga Ca' Foscari Dorsoduro 3859/A, 30123 Venezia). Additionally, VeniSIA boasts a hub for innovative startups that are eager to establish a presence in Venice: the Ex Herion. This hub is managed by the Venice City Council and is located on Giudecca Island.

VeniSIA aims to be a multi-location accelerator, expanding throughout the historic center of Venice.

VeniSIA leverages a strong ecosystem to develop and implement a comprehensive system strategy aimed at helping startups. By achieving innovation success with key partners, it sets in motion a chain of success that is transmitted to other partners within the ecosystem, ultimately benefiting the ecosystem as a whole. VeniSIA's ecosystem comprises various stakeholders:

- the Academic Ecosystem: Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (alongside the other 8 Universities of North-Est Italy), Sustainability research centers, and the Strategy Innovation Ecosystem;
- the Institutional Ecosystem: EU, Italian Government, Region of Veneto, and City of Venice;
- the Innovation Ecosystem: the accelerator’s network

VeniSIA addresses the sustainable development challenges (SDGs) of Venice through an acceleration process that leverages the Deep Tech approach. It involves the following steps:

1. Established companies identify their primary sustainable development challenges.
2. Corporate labs and startups develop cohesive innovative business ideas and technological solutions.
3. Master's students secure internships within the corporate labs.
4. Additional independent smart workers relocate to Venice, which offers a distinctive living and working experience.

Companies and startups benefit from VeniSIA in several ways:

1. They experience a significant increase in brand awareness.
2. They have the potential to find solutions for their primary sustainable development challenges.
3. They can explore the possibility of commercializing these innovative solutions.

1. Mitigating the potential fate of Venice becoming a deserted, flooded Disneyland in Italy.
2. Facilitating the worldwide adoption and utilization of successful new business ideas and technological solutions to address climate change and other environmental challenges.

Venice is confronting significant sustainable development challenges, including issues like flooding, over-tourism, depopulation, and other similar environmental and social problems that affect extraordinary cities. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serve as an urgent call to action for individuals, nations, and companies, requiring the implementation of new production models and the exploration of innovative business ideas and technological solutions.

On a international level, VeniSIA aims to tackle 7 global sustainability challenges:

1. Sustainable mobility;
2. Environment protection;
3. Agritech;
4. Renewable energy;
5. Sustainable fashion;
6. Circular economy;
7. Smart cities & communities.

VeniSIA actively supports startups and companies in harnessing the potential of Deep Tech as a novel approach to developing solutions for the world's most significant sustainability challenges. In particular, VeniSIA has developed the following programs:

1. Co-Innovation Program on Climate Change & Circular Economy: The VeniSIA Co-Innovation Program on Climate Change & Circular Economy scouts business ideas and technology solutions for Corporate Partners, and it develops innovative POCs (Proof of Concepts) to meet the sustainability challenges faced by the Partners.
2. Open Innovation: VeniSIA Open Innovation Program for SMEs assesses the sustainability challenges of local companies and selects the best business ideas and technology solutions from all over the world to solve them.
3. ARGO: VeniSIA is the local operator of ARGO, the Accelerator on Tourism & Travel Tech of CDP National Accelerators Network, aiming to foster sustainability in tourism and hospitality while turning Venice into the benchmark for algorithmic tourism.
4. Startup Studio: VeniSIA's Startup Studio creates and accelerates innovative companies & startups, to promote environmental and social sustainability and develop smart products.
5. Future Farming: upcoming.

The historic center of Venice, built on water, is witnessing a gradual decline in its resident population due to soaring rents and living costs, which are byproducts of overtourism and commercial activities.

In addition to promoting environmental innovation and delivering social and economic benefits, VeniSIA plays a crucial role in retaining residents in the city, stemming the population decline and adding cultural value. Despite its small size, Venice grapples with several sustainability development challenges that have necessitated the formulation of environmental SDGs and associated targets.

VeniSIA is one the leading ecosystem for sustainable innovation, with a primary focus on addressing climate change and other challenges associated with environmental, economic, and social sustainability. It strives to develop a diverse range of ideas and solutions that can be tested in Venice, ultimately aiming to generate positive outcomes and foster the growth of start-ups.

VeniSIA is an ecosystem for sustainable innovation with the ambitious goal of uniting global efforts to address climate change and other challenges concerning environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Its ultimate objective is to transform Venice into the oldest city of the future.

VeniSIA aims to leverage a Deep Tech approach in tackling sustainability challenges and implementing commercial and industrial programs for the next generation of entrepreneurs. The objective is to attract new talented residents to Venice for long-term stays, transforming them from temporary tourists to permanent futurists.

VeniSIA provides support to national companies and startups, both corporates and SMEs, in designing and/or implementing sustainability projects. This is achieved through a combination of matching them with suitable startups and establishing dedicated corporate labs** in **Venice.

VeniSIA also aids in identifying and engaging the most qualified national researchers and startup founders, who are then connected with world-changing corporations or visionary SMEs in Venice's corporate labs. Additionally, VeniSIA offers a comprehensive internship program to top students, enabling them to contribute to sustainability innovation projects within the corporate labs and startups.

Furthermore, VeniSIA collaborates with global donors who are eager to participate and drive real change worldwide, starting from Venice. These passionate donors explore additional means of support, such as housing and services, while actively engaging with VeniSIA and its promising startups throughout the journey.

In its endeavors, VeniSIA actively engages with institutions such as the EU, the Italian Government, the Region of Veneto, and the City of Venice. Concrete programs focused on research, development, innovation, energy sustainability, and environmental quality are implemented in collaboration with these institutions.

If you are a company:

- Participate in VeniSIA’s Co-Innovation program as an investor.
- Participate in VeniSIA’s Co-Innovation program with startups.


If you are a donor or a sponsor:

- Explore other forms of collaboration with VeniSIA and Fondazione Università Ca’ Foscari (e.g.: location, housing).
- Support VeniSIA by making a donation or agreeing to provide services.

If you are a startup or researcher:

- Respond to call to action events and provide technology solutions to given problems of Venice’s environment.

For students:

- Contribute to augmenting the number of residents in Venice during your internship with VeniSIA’s program or startups.

For supporters:

- Provide public support to VeniSIA’s activities.

For mentors:

- Provide support to the startups. Most welcome mentors are Venetians living abroad and retired top managers keen on giving back for the future of Venice.

Find out more about VeniSIA:

- Website’s Media page;
- Follow us on LinkedIn;
- Watch our Youtube;