Eighteen young companies have reached the final of the Italian Master Startup Award 2025, the only national award that recognizes the actual results achieved on the market by young, knowledge-intensive companies originating from the scientific research system of universities and public research institutions in the PNICube network, with at least two years of activity.
Operating in the Life Sciences - Medtech, Cleantech & Energy, ICT, and Industrial sectors, the finalists of the 2025 edition showcase the best of Italian innovation, with projects ranging from health to sustainability, from digital to industry.
Among the technologies participating in the competition are minimally invasive medical systems and new therapies for degenerative diseases, digital platforms for rapid diagnosis, artificial intelligence tools to optimize logistics and learning, sensors that monitor the condition of plants in real time, solutions to reduce CO₂ emissions, and high-performance devices for mobility and industry. These are examples of Italian research that transforms ideas into concrete solutions, ready to have a positive impact on people's lives and the environment, with an ambitious eye on global markets.
The final event
Organized by PNICube - the largest and most widespread network of universities, academic incubators, and regional Start Cup/ local Business Plan Competitions in Italy - in collaboration with I3P, the Innovative Companies Incubator of Politecnico di Torino, the 19th IMSA Award will take place on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in Turin, in the Agorà Hall of I3P, as part of the Italian Tech Week Side Events.
Co-funded by Regione Piemonte with resources from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 2021-2027, IMSA 2025 is sponsored by the Italian Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy (MIMIT) and the French Embassy, and can count on prestigious collaborations with Invitalia, Osif (Scientific Observatory for Women's Enterprises, University of Rome Tor Vergata), EIT Digital, Business France - Public Agency for the Internationalization of the French Economy, Institut français, GammaDonna, and Social Innovation Monitor.
The initiative offers a significant opportunity for the development of start-ups from research, as well as high visibility to get on the radar of large companies and investors. A cash prize of €10,000, co-financed by PNICube and I3P, will be awarded to the young innovative company with the best performance. There will also be an Invitalia Special Mention for the best female-led startup, in collaboration with Osif; an EIT Digital Special Prize for the best company in the ICT category; and free support from Business France for IMSA finalist start-ups wishing to launch a project in France.
Attendance at the IMSA 2025 Award ceremony is free of charge, subject to registration on Eventbrite until all available places are filled.
The event's programme and jury
The event on October 1 will open with speeches by Paola Paniccia, President of PNICube and Delegate for Business Development, Start-ups, and Spin-offs for the University of Rome Tor Vergata, and Giuseppe Scellato, President of I3P and Coordinator of the ESA BIC Turin incubation program. This will be followed by a pitch session with the 18 finalists, who will present their progress and future goals to a jury composed of experts representing the world of investment funds, business, and research.
The award ceremony will be preceded by a panel discussion titled “Innovation ecosystems, start-ups from research and growth”, featuring influential representatives from institutions and organizations that promote high-impact innovation. Speakers will include Francesco Profumo (Bruno Kessler Foundation and Isybank), Francesco Morgia (Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy), Luigi Gallo (Invitalia), Anna Gervasoni (AIFI), and Michela Mari (Scientific Observatory on Women's Enterprises-OSIF, Rome Tor Vergata).
The Jury for the IMSA 2025 Award will be composed of: Giusy Stanziola from Unicredit, Chiara Maiorino from EIT Health, Amedeo Giurazza from Vertis SGR, Andrea Basso from MITO Technology, Davide Turco from Indaco, Alessandra Scotti from LiFTT, Federico Davini from A11, Giuliano Caldo from Easypark Group, Francescantonio Della Rosa, serial entrepreneur and adjunct professor, Francesco Rossi from CDP Venture Capital, Francesco Scafarto, expert evaluator and founder of spinoff, Daniela La Noce from CNR, Elisabetta Trasatti from EIT Digital, Alessio Castelli from Huawei, Antonio Carbone from Day One, and Matteo Vacchetti from Iren.
The finalist start-ups
110 Laude (from the University of Molise, ICT category) is a fintech university spin-off that makes financial analysis clearer and more accessible thanks to digital solutions based on Big Data and AI. Founded in 2021 in Campobasso by academics, researchers, and industry experts, the startup transforms complex information into tools that are immediately useful for businesses and their stakeholders. Its goal is to help companies make more informed and strategic decisions by bringing scientific knowledge out of the laboratory and into the concrete processes of the real economy.
AdapTronics (from Start Cup Emilia-Romagna, University of Bologna, Industrial category), an Italian deep tech start-up founded in 2022 as a spin-off of the University of Bologna, is reinventing the way robots grasp and manipulate objects. Its thin-film electroadhesive technology is lightweight, versatile, extremely energy efficient, and requires no magnets or compressors. It is a plug & play system that integrates AI-based sensors to provide real-time feedback on proximity and force. Applications range from industrial automation to logistics, agriculture, and space, where it enables satellite maintenance and debris capture operations. Alumni of ESA BIC Turin, an incubation program promoted by the European (ESA) and Italian (ASI) space agencies and managed by I3P, AdapTronics has already raised over €1.3 million in grants and pre-seed funding and is raising a €3 million seed round, which will be used to further grow the team (currently 15 people) and increase production capacity to meet the growing demand from its more than 10 customers already active in the industrial automation and space robotics sectors.
Algor Lab (originating from Start Cup Piemonte Valle d'Aosta, I3P - Politecnico di Torino, ICT category) has created the Algor Education digital platform, which uses artificial intelligence to aid learning. Algor's technology transforms any content into personalized and dynamic study paths, generating concept maps, summaries, quizzes, flashcards, and adaptive learning paths. The goal is to simplify the organization of information and make studying more engaging, effective, and inclusive. In this way, students and teachers save time, improve results, and overcome the limitations of traditional methods, which are often still too rigid and fragmented. Algor aims to spread this more accessible and universal approach to learning in schools and universities around the world.
Approxima (originating from Start Cup Lombardia, Politecnico di Milano, Life Science - Medtech category) is a spin-off of Politecnico di Milano that develops innovative medical technology to treat tricuspid valve insufficiency, which is essential for regulating blood flow between the atrium and right ventricle of the human heart. The percutaneous repair system, based on a ventricular remodeling approach, is minimally invasive and allows patients to be treated without open surgery, reducing risks and recovery times. The goal is to offer safe, cutting-edge solutions to improve the quality of life of those suffering from complex heart conditions.
BiolT (originating from Start Cup Lazio, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Life Science - Medtech category), a spin-off born from the experience of experts in microbiology, immunology, and biotechnology, develops innovative therapies against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, one of the most serious global health emergencies. The technology is based on bioactive liposomes that are not only capable of fighting multi-drug resistant infections, but also act as a vehicle to enhance existing antimicrobial therapies. The project, at an advanced preclinical stage (TRL4A/B) and covered by national and international patents, is part of rapidly growing markets such as antibiotics and alternative solutions. A finalist in the 2021 PNI, it won the 2023 “Premio dei premi” (Prize of Prizes), an award established by the Italian President of the Republic.
CityZ (originating from 2i3T - University of Turin, ICT category) develops smart parking systems based on patented sensors, AI vision, and proprietary software platforms to make parking in cities easier, faster, and smarter. The solutions not only allow real-time monitoring of parking availability, but also predict future occupancy thanks to advanced data analysis. Integratable with major navigation and payment apps, the systems communicate directly with vehicles and mobile devices, improving the user experience and helping administrations better manage traffic and urban planning.
Clearbox AI (originating from Start Cup Piemonte Valle d'Aosta, I3P - Politecnico di Torino, ICT category), founded in 2019, is an innovative startup specializing in Data-Centric AI, an approach that focuses on data to build more robust, reliable, and responsible artificial intelligence models. The company develops solutions that make data ready for use, ensuring quality, privacy, and full regulatory compliance. Its research and development in the fields of generative AI and trustworthy AI has led to the creation of Replica Italia, the first digital twin of the Italian population: a tool that generates realistic synthetic data to analyze behaviors, test strategies, and simulate complex scenarios without compromising privacy. With a multidisciplinary team and a strong international focus, Clearbox AI stands out as a leading European player in the development of ethical, transparent artificial intelligence that is useful to businesses and society.
Drug Discovery and Clinic (originating from Start Cup Piemonte Valle d'Aosta, 2i3T - University of Turin, Life Science - Medtech category) focuses on the development of new drugs for hematological cancers. The spin-off owns the intellectual property rights to a promising molecule (DDC#1pro) that inhibits the enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase, which has demonstrated great potency, safety, and bioavailability. Thanks to the investments received, it has made decisive progress in preclinical development over the last year and is now preparing to submit the necessary dossier to the regulatory authorities to start clinical trials. With a team of high-level researchers and scientific advisors, combining expertise in pharmaceutical chemistry, molecular biology, and hematology with legal and economic expertise, the start-up aims to transform scientific discovery into a concrete treatment for patients.
Elemento (from Start Cup Veneto, Venice University Institute of Architecture, ICT category) aims to revolutionize the way companies use the cloud. Its technology allows different providers and private servers to be combined and communicate within a single interoperable ecosystem, where applications, databases, and services can move freely. The result: optimized costs and performance in real time, maximum security, and no ties to large providers. Already adopted in enterprise contexts, the solution has attracted the interest of global partners such as Dell Technologies and eight cloud providers operating worldwide. It is part of the Nvidia Inception Program and is supported by CDP and the Fin+Tech Accelerator. Elemento therefore presents itself as the “lock-in-free” cloud that even Big Tech has not yet achieved.
Fideliomed (originating from Start Cup Piemonte Valle d'Aosta, 2i3T - University of Turin, Life Science - Medtech category) offers an integrated approach to medical diagnosis, targeting medical practices, clinics, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance companies. The start-up combines advanced diagnostic devices, consumables, and dedicated software, following the “razor-and-blade” model: the initial device paves the way for recurring subscription revenues. The initial focus is on anemia, an often underdiagnosed condition, for which Fideliomed offers a digital platform capable of providing real-time diagnoses, making prevention faster and more effective.
Hiop (from Start Cup Puglia, LUM - Libera Università Mediterranea “Giuseppe Degennaro,” ICT category) makes it easier and faster to access reliable data, even in complex and constantly evolving business contexts. Its serverless cloud platform directly translates business logic into a scalable and adaptable data infrastructure, drastically reducing the need for tools and maintenance. Inspired by the workings of physical logistics, the technology enables teams of developers with limited data management skills to feed AI-based systems, business analytics, and data-intensive processes more efficiently.
Limenet (originating from PoliHub - Politecnico di Milano, Cleantech & Energy category) has patented an innovative plant for producing “decarbonized” lime, a solution capable of addressing two crucial challenges: removing CO₂ from the atmosphere and reducing emissions from the lime industry, one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize. The Limenet process starts with an innovative electric calciner that produces lime and CO₂: the latter is captured and transformed into a bicarbonate-rich solution with the same pH as seawater, which is useful for combating ocean acidification. The remaining lime can be used to store CO₂ from external sources, capture it directly from the atmosphere, or be used in industrial sectors such as steel, construction, agriculture, water treatment, and food.
MgShell (originating from Start Cup Lombardia, PoliHub - Politecnico di Milano, Life Science - Medtech category) develops innovative controlled drug delivery systems for age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of blindness in people over 50 in industrialized countries. The main challenge is therapeutic adherence: about 40% of patients discontinue treatment due to the frequency and invasiveness of eye injections, resulting in irreversible vision loss. MgShell's technology enables programmed drug release, drastically reducing the number of administrations required, improving patients' quality of life, and generating savings for healthcare systems. The drug delivery platform uses magnesium as a reference biomaterial, offering high biocompatibility, modularity, and potential application to other diseases beyond ocular ones.
Minervas (originating from Start Cup Campania, University of Salerno, Cleantech & Energy category) is a university spin-off that develops innovative solutions for the energy and automotive sectors, with the aim of reducing consumption and emissions. The products are suitable for any propulsion system—conventional, hybrid, electric, or fuel cell. Its ENAIDE system is a plug-and-play ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) device for smart and sustainable mobility: it requires no modifications to vehicles, ensuring easy integration, and analyzes data such as traffic, weather, altimetry, and speed limits in real time to optimize driving and vehicle efficiency. It reduces energy consumption and emissions by up to 30%, bringing economic benefits to transport companies and environmental benefits. The platform also integrates scalable fleet management tools for operators of all sizes.
Novac (originating from Start Cup Emilia-Romagna, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Industrial category), founded in Modena in 2020 and incubated since 2023 in the ESA BIC Turin program, is a deep tech start-up that develops new-generation supercapacitors in a “pouch” format, a thin and flexible casing that makes them more compact, lightweight, and adaptable than traditional rigid cylindrical cells. These devices operate in extreme conditions, from -40 °C to +120 °C, ensuring high power, reliability, and performance. An alumnus of ESA BIC Turin, an incubation program promoted by the European (ESA) and Italian (ASI) space agencies and managed by I3P, Novac, with over €4.6 million raised between 2022 and 2024, is preparing for industrialization with a pre-pilot production line in 2025 and an automated one in 2026. Supercapacitors are used in the automotive, aerospace, marine, and industrial sectors, wherever advanced energy storage and extreme performance are required.
Plantbit (originating from Start Cup Emilia-Romagna, a spin-off of CNR IMEM Parma, in the Cleantech & Energy category) has created Bioristor, a biocompatible sensor capable of monitoring the physiological state of plants in real time. The device reads plant sap through electrochemical measurements, providing accurate information on water and nutritional requirements, as well as signs of stress or disease. The technology allows farmers and researchers to intervene promptly, optimizing production, crop health, and sustainability.
Probiomics (originating from Start Cup Lazio, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Life Science - Medtech category) offers advanced services in the field of omics sciences, the set of disciplines that analyze the different levels of biological regulation of an organism in a comprehensive and systemic way: from the genome (DNA) to the transcriptome (RNA), from the proteome (proteins) to the epigenome (chemical modifications that regulate genes). Thanks to these integrated analyses, the startup's technology provides detailed information on cell function, supporting biomedical research, the development of innovative therapies, and personalized approaches to health.
WembraneX (originating from CNR, Cleantech & Energy category), founded in 2023, has a mission to ensure access to clean water for all by 2030, with the ambition of contributing to the UN's Sustainable Development Goal No. 6. The startup has developed a new class of polymer membranes to enhance the performance of wastewater treatment plants and industrial processes, from textiles to pharmaceuticals. The patented SAFTEK technology significantly reduces fouling and scaling, increasing the efficiency and operational life of the membranes and reducing operating costs.
