Veolia launches the Research Gateway: an innovative bridge between scientific research and industry to accelerate the energy transition in Italia
- Veolia, through the Research Gateway project, aims to transform the excellence of Italian research into concrete and scalable solutions for energy efficiency and decarbonization
- An initiative that integrates research excellence with the skills and expertise of an international group to create a strategic innovation ecosystem
- A structured path that integrates entrepreneurial capacity building and industrial validation to generate shared value for research, industry and the environment
Veolia announces the launch of Research Gateway, an innovative program that aims to bridge the gap between the excellence of Italian scientific research and its industrial application in the energy efficiency and decarbonization sector.
- This is the philosophy of Research Gateway, Veolia's Acceleration Program that accompanies research teams from leading Italian universities from the scientific development phase to commercialization, providing entrepreneurial training, skill empowerment, access to a network of potential investors, and go-to-market strategies.
Veolia has decided to launch the new Research Gateway project in Italy, where 80% of patents do not reach the market due to a lack of investment compared to other European countries. The goal is to help transform innovative solutions into real and sustainable business opportunities, creating synergies between the scientific and industrial worlds.
Present in Italy for a century, Veolia partners with cities, entities, and businesses in their decarbonization journey, through integrated energy efficiency interventions and local production of renewable energy, focusing on technological innovation as a fundamental lever to accelerate the country's ecological transition.
In December, Veolia issued the call for the first edition of Research Gateway to involve the main Universities and Research Centers throughout Italy with the aim of selecting 10 research teams each year, among the best operating in the Green Energy and ClimateTech field.
The program, in partnership with the Circular Economy Lab – an initiative by Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center and Cariplo Factory – involves collaboration with LifeGate Way, and Primo Capital, creating a complete ecosystem of innovation support.
Candidates will be evaluated based on four main criteria: adherence to Veolia's business, degree of innovation of the solution, replicability on the European market, and estimated environmental and social impact.
The selected teams will be involved in a structured path that includes the development of entrepreneurial skills, access to a network of partners and investors, and the final testing and implementation phase. Specifically, the program includes in-person training sessions focused on scalability and replicability, testing and prototyping, go-to-market strategies, and leadership development; access to a qualified network of national and international investors and industrial partners to finance and grow projects; the opportunity to test and implement their technological solutions within the Veolia industrial ecosystem, verifying their effectiveness in real contexts and on a commercial scale.
"For Veolia, innovating means transforming research into concrete and innovative solutions that can ensure the health and quality of life of people and promote sustainable growth of territories. It is with this in mind that our GreenUp strategic program was built. With Research Gateway, we want to strengthen our role as an innovation facilitator, creating a bridge between universities, research centers, and Italian companies. Only in this way will it be possible to accelerate the development of technologies to support the ecological transition, enhancing the talent of our researchers and contributing to the country's competitiveness in an increasingly challenging global scenario." stated Emanuela Trentin, CEO Veolia Italia.