Innovation. Impact. Together.
Start Attractor is an international innovation catalyst based in Pisa that connects companies, startups and research groups
to co-design solutions in Deep Tech, AI and Data, Health Tech, paper & manufacturing, fintech, agritech, digital and ICT and beyond.
📍 Pisa, Italy – with a global network
Focus areas
4+
Open Innovation
Venture building
Upskilling
Networking
Venture programs
3
Pre-incubation
Pre-acceleration
Acceleration
DeepTech
Paper & Manufacturing
Agri & Food Tech
Health Tech
Fintech
AI & Data
Digital & ICT
Founding partners & ecosystem
Built by leading academic and industrial players.
Start Attractor is promoted by the University of Pisa together with Sofidel SPA, Todisco Group and Banco Fiorentino, and supported by key organizations in the Tuscany innovation ecosystem.
Venture building
Venture programs for startups at every stage.
From idea validation to international scale-up, our staged venture programs help teams de-risk technology, validate markets
and build investable companies – with access to mentors, labs, testbeds and industrial partners.
For ventures ready to scale go‑to‑market execution and partnerships. Leavening runs from February/March to May.
Mentorship is an essential part of the program to personalize support.
- Public Speaking: storytelling, presence, and clear messaging
- Pitching: narrative, deck structure, and rehearsals
- Pretotyping & market signals: lightweight experiments to validate assumptions
- Business model: ICP, value proposition, and a first model draft + Demo Day pitch
Ideal for:
Research spin‑outs
Early founders
Apply to Venture Leavening
For ventures ready to refine product‑market fit and prepare for seed funding. Kneading runs from May to October. July and August are dedicated to personal work and mentoring only (no lectures).
- Design Thinking & Product Development: product direction + prototype plan
- Market analysis: market map + ICP refinement + positioning
- Team building & recruitment: role map + hiring plan + advisor network
- Valuation & investments: investment readiness + Demo Day pitch
Ideal for:
Seed‑stage startups
Corporate spinoffs
Apply to Venture Kneading
For ventures ready to scale go‑to‑market execution and partnerships. Seasoning runs from June to October. July and August are dedicated to personal work and mentoring only (no lectures).
- Market strategy: positioning + channel choices + KPI plan
- Business development: sales narrative + customer acquisition and test
- Leadership: operating cadence + team rituals + decision‑making framework
- Corporate finance & accounting: P&L/cashflow basics + reporting readiness + Demo Day pitch
Ideal for:
Growth‑stage startups
Scale‑ups
Get more
Depending on the venture program, stage and potential of the startup, we can operate through equity investments, success‑fee agreements or participation fees – always aligned with long‑term value creation.
- Selection criteria based on merit and potential
- Option to invest in selected cases
- Success‑based fees on external funding raised (within agreed caps)
- Discounted participation for teams joining via competitions
Founders are paired with experts from industry, VC, academia and entrepreneurship, based on their specific needs and stage.
- International domain experts in AI, health tech, deep tech, manufacturing, fintech, agri & food tech, legal and more
- International serial entrepreneurs, operators & investors
- Corporate leaders from our partner companies and beyond
- Professors and practitioners
Companies
A front‑door for open innovation with the University of Pisa and beyond.
Start Attractor makes it easier for innovation‑driven companies to work with research, startups and talent through structured projects, clear governance and measurable impact.
We translate your strategic challenges into concrete innovation path by merging your efforts with expertise from our ecosystem and orchestrate the right mix of research groups, startups and internal teams.
- Challenge definition and scouting
- Project team building
- Co‑designed pilots and POCs
- Impact measurement & learnings
Tailor‑made learning paths co‑designed with HR and business leaders for specific transformation needs in your organization. We help you stay ahead in AI, sustainability, digital transformation and technological challenges.
Build your learning path
Our team supports you in shaping mid‑term innovation portfolios, evaluating opportunities and prioritizing
bets with a strong scientific and market basis.
- Innovation diagnostics
- Technology and trend scouting
- Roadmapping workshops
- Portfolio design and governance
Start Club is our community of corporate members, startups, investors and institutions that share the
ambition to turn knowledge into impact.
- Priority access to startup dealflow and pilot opportunities
- Reserved seats in events, demo days and venture reviews
- Discounts on selected Start Attractor services
- Direct connection to researchers and PhD talent
Get more
Executive master
Executive and continuous learning.
We design and deliver custom learning paths in collaboration with the University of Pisa and partners to help you and your workforce to navigate AI, sustainability, digital transformation, technological challenges and innovation‑driven business models.
A modular executive program for aspiring founders, innovation leaders and intrapreneurs who want to build,
launch and scale new ventures in complex organizations.
- Research & Innovation + Canvas Lean: turning research into innovation, minimal documents when starting
- Public Speaking & Pitching: storytelling, presence, messaging
- Pretotyping & market signals: validation of assumptions
- Business model: ICP, value proposition, and a first model draft
- Design Thinking & Product Development: direction & plan
- Market analysis & Market strategy: market map, ICP refinement, positioning, channel choices, KPI plan
- Agile management: risk reduction and effective management
- Team building & recruitment: role map + hiring plan + advisors
- Business development & Leadership: partnership, sales narrative, pilot, cadence, rituals, decision‑making framework
- Corporate finance & accounting: P&L/cashflow basics + reporting
- Valuation & investments: investment readiness
- Legal: mandatory documents, IP protection, freedom to operate
- Funding proposal and evaluation: Writing grant and funding proposal, how they are evaluated
Delivery format: blended (online + in‑person in Pisa) with international faculty and guest speakers. Most modules have hands-on labs.
Pick your modules
About Start Attractor
An agile foundation with a long‑term mission.
Start Attractor is a non‑profit foundation that combines academic excellence, industrial
experience and territorial institutions to accelerate innovation with tangible impact.
We bridge research, entrepreneurship and industry to:
- Support high‑potential startups and venture projects
- Help companies navigate technological and organizational change
- Develop the skills needed for the green and digital transitions
The Foundation is governed by an Assembly of Members, a Board of Directors and an independent statutory
auditor, as well as an Advisory Board that provides strategic guidance.
- Non‑profit status, with reinvestment of surpluses in mission activities
- Public–private governance with clear responsibilities
- Ethics, compliance and risk management frameworks aligned with Italian law
Board of Directors
Corrado Priami
President
University of Pisa
Chiara Galletti
Vice President
University of Pisa
Gianluca Perini
Board Member
Sofidel SPA
Anna Maria Tentindo
Board Member
Todisco Group
Marco Talluri
Observer
Banco Fiorentino
News & updates
Latest from Start Attractor.
Discover what is happening across our venture programs, partnerships and community – from new corporate collaborations and startup milestones to events and thought‑leadership.
Deadline: 16 February 2026, 12pm CET · Starts: 2 March 2026 · Pisa (hybrid)
Venture Leavening (Pre-incubation) is designed to help Founders and early teams who want to validate the problem, sharpen positioning, test assumptions, and build a credible path to traction with structured support and hands-on work. Selected teams will participate in a Demo Day at the end of the program.
Get more and apply now
Deadline: 24 February 2026, 8pm CET · Starts: 2 March 2026 · Pisa + online
Applications are open for our modular Executive Master designed for aspiring founders, innovation leaders, and intrapreneurs. Who wants to master innovation and build for the better will get a set of mandatory tools from this master.
Get more and apply now
Open call · Pisa (hybrid) · Applications reviewed on a rolling basis
Join Start Attractor. We’re hiring 3 roles to build a dynamic team made of people who want to build innovation to make an impact. The friendly and international environment makes you grow professionally. We work together by listening to the contribute of everyone!
All news
Careers
Join the team building bridges between research and industry.
We are assembling a small, high‑impact team that thrives at the intersection of technology, business and ecosystem building. Positions will be published on our website and shared via our LinkedIn page.
Apply for a position
Build and manage relationships with companies, identify innovation opportunities, structure collaboration
projects and support startups in validating their markets.
- Background in innovation, consulting or business development
- Fluent in English and Italian
- Comfortable working with both startups and corporates
Connect industrial R&D in paper, packaging and advanced materials with academic research, helping translate
models into applied innovation projects.
- Background in engineering or related fields
- Experience with industrial R&D and/or applied research
- Strong communication skills and curiosity for new technologies
Support the day‑to‑day operations of Start Attractor across administration, HR support, basic accounting
coordination, and program logistics.
- Structured, reliable and comfortable with multi‑tasking
- Previous experience in administrative roles is a plus
We are always looking for mentors and faculty members to support founders and corporate teams through office hours, clinics, and feedback sessions.
- AI & Data (ML, GenAI, data engineering, MLOps)
- Deep Tech (robotics, photonics, advanced materials, space)
- Health Tech (medical devices, digital health, biotech)
- Paper & Manufacturing (process innovation, Industry 4.0, supply chain)
- Agri & Food Tech (precision agriculture, food processing, traceability)
- Fintech (payments, risk, regtech)
- Digital & ICT (product, growth, cybersecurity, cloud)
- Legal / IP, Fundraising / VC, Go‑to‑market, Operations
Apply as Mentor / Faculty member
