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Deep expertise in life science & innovation
Accelerator Partners - CDP Venture Capital SGR, Healthware Group and Accelerace - bring a deep combined expertise in shaping, operating, and advising accelerator programs together with profound digital health knowledge and extensive ecosystem connections. In this way, startups get access to the outstanding pool of digital health knowledge and will be guided by the professionals with hands on industry experience.
Corporate & global ecosystem access
VITA Accelerator offers to startups a unique opportunity to collaborate with our Corporate Partners Petrone Group and SIFI, solving their Innovation Challenges. During the Program, selected startups will work on the proof-of-concepts (POCs) together with the Partners and have the potential to continue these collaborations. In addition, VITA Accelerator offers access to the Italian patient associations and hospitals (see our Ecosystem Partners). Finally, VITA Accelerator has vast connection to the leading digital health and innovation hubs globally, thus providing contacts to the global ecosystem.
Strong investors network
VITA Accelerator offers support with identifying target investors for our teams and facilitating warm intros. In addition, we organize VITA networking events with key Italian and international digital health investors. Moreover, we organize mentoring sessions to help startups prepare for further fundraising (Fundraising Strategy, Investor Storytelling, Cap Table Challenges, Best Practices of Fundraising, etc.). For the VITA investment support and conditions see the 4th point below.
Greater visbility in front of the digital health community
The selected startups will participate in Frontiers Health Global Conference 2024, one of the leading digital health events in Europe. During the event, the startups will gain increased visibility and direct access to a global community of top digital health innovators.
VITA Accelerator is looking for pre-seed or seed digital health startups. We are accepting either:
- Startups based in Italy;
- International startups with an Italian founder
- International startups with a strong strategic focus and intention to operate in the Italian market and open a legal entity in Italy
International startups that do not have an Italian founder will need to flip their company to Italy, preferrably by the start of the program.
The 13-week program will be delivered over 4 months, in a hybrid format, combining on-site activities with online sessions and tailored to each team.
The curriculum is composed of lectures and workshops, with the priority given to 1-to-1 expert mentoring sessions. Each startup will be also assigned to an end-to-end Mentor to help navigate the program, set goals and track progress.
For startups that have a match for the Partner's Innovation Challenges, a separate track on partner cooperation projects and proof-of-concepts (POCs) will be organized. The guiding themes of the Program are: Digital Health & Pharma, Product Development & Service Design, Business Development & Partner Cooperation, Fundraising, Soft Skills & Events.
The differentiation point of VITA Accelerator are hands-on digital health sessions with practical approach to mentoring. Some of the examples of the sessions are: How to Achieve a Medical Certification of Digital Health Product, How to Develop an IP Strategy for a Digital Health Startups, How to Design a Digital Health Trial, Market Access and Reimbursement Pathways of Digital Health Solutions in Italy and abroad.
VITA Accelerator offers a 150k€ initial investment (of which 90K€ in cash as a convertible loan, and 60K€ for the in-kind value of the acceleration program, covering the lectures & workshops, PoC facilitation with the Partners, mentoring, events and the co-working space in our facilities) for all the Startups participating in the program, in exchange for 3-6% of equity according to the maturity of the startup. Select startups will be offered a follow-on investment up to 400K€, and up to 2M€ cumulative follow-on investments for the most promising startups.
For International Startups
- The Termsheet can be arranged between VITA and your international mother company, but the Investment Agreement will be between VITA and your Italian daughter company
- VITA will deploy the first investment (as a convertible) of 90K€ in cash to the Italian bank account of your Italian legal entity
- If/when the conversion is triggered, there will be a ‘flip’ mechanism to move your HQ to Italy.
The deadline for the 2024 Program is May 17th, 2024. Meanwhile, the startups are encouraged to apply as soon as possible via our online submission platform as we are reviewing the applications on a rolling basis. Please keep in mind that application must be submitted in English.
Check out the Corporate Partners’ Innovation Challenges and propose a PoC for a potential match. In case you haven’t received the confirmation email during the registration process, don’t forget to check your Spam folder (if the email doesn’t arrive, please contact us at info@vitaaccelerator.it).
The Program is hybrid and consists of 4 sprints over 4 months, plus the visit to Frontiers Health 2024 in Berlin. Sprint 1 and Sprint 4 as well as the Demo Day will be held in person with the rest of the sessions online. Each sprint will last approximately 1 week. On-site activities will be held at our HQs: Palazzo Innovazione (Salerno), the spaces of our Technical Partner Vodafone in Milan with potential offsites at the premises of our Corporate Partners (Petrone Group HQ in Naples and SIFI HQ in Catania, Sicily).
We are aiming to select 10 startups to participate in 2024 Acceleration Program. The received submissions will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Clear and complete submission form, addressing all the required fields in a proper way and completed on time;
- Good fit to any of the Innovation Challenges of the VITA Accelerator Partners;
- Startup metrics: breakthrough technology, clear and functioning business model, initial traction, product-market fit, strategic relevance for the digital health industry, level of scientific evidence;
- Willingness of the startup team to take part of the Accelerator and reply promptly.
The Program will be held in English; so we can leverage world class international Experts & Investors, to simplify the participation of international startups, as well as help Italian Startup prepare for their internationalization.
No, you can apply for the VITA Program without a legal entity if you have a relevant digital health product or solution. However, if you are selected, you will need to open a legal entity before the start of program.
The submission period for the 2024 program is open from November 9th, 2023, until May 17th, 2024. VITA Accelerator performs evaluations & matchmaking of the startups on a rolling basis, so apply ASAP to increase your chances of being selected! Please keep in mind that application must be submitted in English.
Shortlisted startups will be invited for the Final Selection in person in Milan, Italy June 12-13th, 2024. Selected startups will be notified in July and the program will start on September 9th, 2024 in Salerno.
Do you have any questions regarding the selection process?
