Investments up to 105K euros with business opportunities for start-ups of up to 2M euros.
Fiumicino – Aeroporti di Roma has launched the second “Call for Ideas” to select 8 new start-ups from all over the world that will have the opportunity to develop their projects directly from Adr’s Innovation Hub, with the support of a new, essential tool: In this new round of the acceleration programme, not solely investments will raise up to 105,000 euro (including 50,000 euros in the capital of the selected start-ups) but – upon successful completion of the projects – start-ups can also count on potential business opportunities of up to 2 million euro.
For sixty days, until 16 February 2023, start-ups from all over the world will be able to propose ideas and projects to redefine the use of airport infrastructure by passengers, enhancing the improvement of the performance and quality of ADR’s services offered to passengers and carriers, in the context of a path increasingly oriented towards Open Innovation. The formula adopted follows that of the first edition – a great success with the participation of over 100 start-ups, mostly founded by “under-30s” – with some innovations. First and foremost, from an ESG perspective, the inclusion of incentive evaluation criteria for Diversity and Inclusion, taking into consideration both the measures adopted by start-ups with respect to issues such as gender equality and inclusion, and the results concretely achieved, such as the relevance of the female and youth component – under 40 – in terms of company participation.
The number of leading Italian and international partners supporting the Call 4 Ideas is also growing, including: Plug and Play Tech Center, the most important private investor in start-ups in Silicon Valley with more than 60,000 start-ups in its portfolio; Airports for Innovation, a network dedicated to innovation launched last year by Adr and AENA, which has now been joined by other international airports; major national and international business partners.
The acceleration period will last for a maximum of eight months, and the number of proposed fields of work has been extended to eight topics compared to the previous Call for Ideas:
- Predictive Maintainance, i.e., solutions that enable preventive maintenance through the use of innovative technologies;
- Enhance Terminal Processes, i.e., solutions that enable more efficient/effective processes;
- Improve Airside Operations, i.e., solutions that improve aircraft turnaround;
- Environmental Impact, i.e., solutions that aim to reduce environmental impact and energy consumption;
- Community & Sustainability, i.e., solutions that create value for the territory, local communities and the environment;
- Passenger Experience, i.e., solutions that increase the quality offered to our passengers not only at the airport but also before and after the flight;
- Commercial Opportunities, i.e., solutions aimed at increasing sales opportunities;
- Disruptive Solutions, a free area where any start-up can propose a solution without any thematic constraints
The new start-ups that will be selected will have the opportunity to work on their projects directly from Aeroporti di Roma’s Innovation Hub, the first industrial accelerator in the heart of an airport in Europe, with unique characteristics and an international slant, inaugurated last October at Fiumicino’s Terminal 1; an ecosystem of approximately six hundred and fifty square metres dedicated to creating new synergies, with the mission of generating value by identifying the startuppers of the future who will contribute to developing solutions capable of redefining industry paradigms.
This way, start-ups can develop their projects and prototypes directly in the terminals, in contact with airport experts and passengers, and with the constant support of Adr’s team dedicated to Open Innovation, the so-called Innovation Cabin Crew. For the second Call For Ideas, start-ups will also be able to count on the collaboration of major Italian and international partners who will work closely with them and Adr during the acceleration programme.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
