The third edition of the GrandUP! project, promoted by Fondazione CRC and realized with the technical support of SocialFare and I3P, has officially started. Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at the Auditorium Foro Boario of Cuneo, during the event "GrandUP! Next" event, moderated by journalist Marco Dotti of Vita Magazine, the new 2021-23 programming of the project was presented through the interventions of Ezio Raviola, Vice President of Fondazione CRC, Andrea Silvestri, Director of Fondazione CRC, Laura Orestano, CEO of SocialFare and Giuseppe Scellato, President of I3P.
Launched in 2018 with the aim of creating an ecosystem for social innovation, from this year GrandUP! is enriched by the "tech" component through the design of new paths aimed at startups and high-tech companies, that will kick off in the fall.
The new edition in the next three years will develop on two lines of intervention:
- GrandUP! Impact, dedicated to strengthening the development of social impact enterprises, stimulating active community participation, and spreading knowledge about social innovation issues;
- GrandUP! Tech, a set of actions oriented to support new high-tech companies and the start-up of open innovation processes.
"In this past year, more than ever, the need to invest in innovation as a central key to the development of the community and the territory has emerged," said Francesco Cappello, Vice President of Fondazione CRC. "As a Foundation we have taken up this challenge and have chosen to devote important resources: not only economic but also human, vision and imagination. We have combined passion and expertise, involving two partners who were the first innovators in their field. With this third edition of the project we want to continue the work done to make our province an ecosystem of innovation, where ideas can find space and support to become projects capable of generating employment opportunities, promote social cohesion and reduce inequalities".
"Fondazione CRC continues to believe in innovation and is relaunching with a great three-year program," said Laura Orestano, CEO of SocialFare. "The new programming of GrandUP! Impact will support the territory of the province of Cuneo to innovate with positive social impact and in an open and cohesive way, starting to build the future of the "Granda" territory now and together. SocialFare is grateful and honored to be able to continue to consolidate a unique experimentation in Italy started already in 2018."
"For over 20 years, the Incubator of the Polytechnic University of Turin has been dedicated to supporting the entrepreneurship ecosystem, with the aim of generating economic development and employment in innovative industrial supply chains," commented Giuseppe Scellato, President of I3P. "We are therefore proud to take part in Fondazione CRC's GrandUP! project, providing our experience and method to support the birth and growth of new innovative enterprises in the province of Cuneo. We strongly believe in the capacity of technological development and innovation of this territory, where we have already carried out activities to promote business culture, gathering a strong interest. For this reason, we have chosen to launch a program of activities aimed at future entrepreneurs, with training, consulting and networking meetings, and a path on the theme of Open Innovation, which will involve local companies, stakeholders and investors."
All the information about the project and the different initiatives promoted are available on the website www.grandup.org.