Call4Innovation for Deep Tech & New Materials
Emerging technologies are fundamentally reshaping the way in which industry designs, develops and integrates new products and systems. New materials and metamaterials, advanced electroacoustic solutions and wireless power transmission technologies are no longer merely frontiers of research, but concrete areas of industrial transformation.
Against this backdrop, the ability to identify innovative technologies and guide them towards scalable applications has become a strategic asset.
It is from this perspective that Call4Innovation for Deep Tech & New Materials was launched – an international programme designed to connect start-ups, researchers, spin-offs and innovators with an industrial sector focused on applied research and technological development.
The initiative is promoted by Ideofarm, Powersoft’s Innovation Garage, and implemented in collaboration with the Circular Economy Lab – an initiative of the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre and Cariplo Factory – which contributes to the programme through talent scouting, connections with the innovation ecosystem and support for the development of applications.
The context: where research and industry meet
Technological innovation increasingly stems from the convergence of advanced research and industrial application. However, the transition from the laboratory to the market remains one of the most complex stages of the entire development cycle.
Many high-potential technologies struggle to find the right context in which to be validated, industrialised and transformed into concrete solutions. At the same time, companies are constantly on the lookout for innovations capable of enabling superior performance, unprecedented functionality and new application models.
Call4Innovation for Deep Tech & New Materials was created to bridge this gap.
The aim is to establish a direct link between deep tech start-ups and industry, fostering pathways for experimentation, validation and collaboration that can accelerate technology transfer and bridge the gap between ideas and application.
The challenge: identifying the technologies that will define the next generation of industrial systems
The programme is aimed at start-ups that are developing technologies which have already been validated or are at an advanced stage of development, with clear application potential and prospects for industrialisation.
The focus is on solutions capable of generating a real impact in the relevant sectors, contributing to the evolution of complex products and systems.
Technologies with a maturity level between TRL 4 and TRL 7 will be considered, i.e. solutions that have already been tested in the laboratory or in relevant environments and are close to industrial validation.
Scouting
Through this Call4Innovation, Ideofarm is seeking start-ups and solutions with high innovative potential capable of contributing to the development of the next generation of technological products, systems and services.
The scouting process focuses on three strategic areas for industrial research and development: new materials and metamaterials, electroacoustics and wireless power transmission.
Candidate start-ups must demonstrate clear potential for practical application and a concrete prospect of industrial scalability.
Opportunities for selected start-ups
The start-ups selected will embark on a process of direct engagement with an industrial environment focused on experimentation and technological collaboration.
The aim is not merely to identify promising solutions, but to explore in practical terms their potential for development and application.
Depending on the level of technological maturity and strategic potential, various collaboration pathways may be pursued, including technical validation, the development of proof-of-concepts, the establishment of industrial or commercial partnerships, and potential opportunities for investment or strategic integration.
Among the opportunities on offer is potential access to Ideofarm’s acceleration programme, a structured programme that offers support from concept validation through to the development of an initial MVP, providing technical expertise, R&D infrastructure, mentoring and strategic guidance,
The process: from application to selection
The programme is divided into several stages designed to progressively assess the technological and industrial potential of the proposed solutions.
Applications will be accepted during the call for proposals, followed by an analysis and assessment phase focusing on the technology, the team and the potential applications.
The most promising organisations will then proceed to the final stage of the programme.
Demo Day: an opportunity to engage with the innovation ecosystem
The finalist start-ups will have the opportunity to present their technology in a setting dedicated to dialogue between industry, research and innovation.
Demo Day marks the culmination of the programme and provides an opportunity for direct engagement with industry stakeholders, technology experts and key players in the innovation ecosystem.
The event will take place at the K-Array headquarters in San Piero a Sieve (FI), with the format and organisational details currently being finalised.
