By Martin Olczyk, Managing Director of Techstars Transformative World Torino
We’re proudly welcoming the 5th class at Techstars Torino! This cohort represents a significant milestone as the inaugural class for the Techstars Transformative World Torino program, expanding beyond our previous programs on Smart Mobility and Cities of the Future.
Building upon the success of past cohorts, which collectively raised over $90 million in funding, we have broadened our scope to embrace diverse sectors including Quantum Computing, Maritime, Deep Tech, EdTech, AI, PropTech, GenAI, Mobility, AudioTech, Future of Work, and Hospitality. This eclectic mix encompasses both software and hardware companies, showcasing the program's commitment to fostering innovation across various technological domains.
Notably, this year's cohort boasts the highest-ever participation from Italian startups, with six homegrown companies among the selected participants. This achievement underscores the growing entrepreneurial landscape in Italy and reaffirms Torino's position as a hub for tech innovation. This year’s participants are joining us from Italy, Germany, Hungary, Austria, Vietnam and will call OGR Torino their home for the upcoming 13 weeks.
Reflecting on the challenges overcome in previous years, 2023 stands out as a testament to resilience amid adversity. Despite market downturns and geopolitical turmoil, our alumni companies continued to thrive, securing a record-breaking $38 million in funding in the past 12 months. Additionally, we celebrated a successful exit and are on the verge of finalizing another. The resilience of the accelerator and its participating founders was evident as they navigated through turbulent times, emerging stronger and more united than ever.
In addition to the remarkable success of our alumni, we have expanded our team to better serve its growing community of founders. The recent additions of Sheila as Program Manager and Virginia as Investment Analyst underscore our commitment to providing unparalleled support to our founders throughout and beyond the accelerator journey.
We are excited to announce collaborations with LIFTT, a prominent VC firm from Torino, and Arcanys Ventures, an experienced tech investor, to provide founders with invaluable expertise and resources. Additionally, we have teamed up with hyrise, a sales academy from Germany, to bolster the sales capabilities of our portfolio companies - a unique setup and offering for founders in the accelerator landscape.
As we venture into new frontiers with the Techstars Transformative World Torino program, we are confident that our expansion into diverse industries will not only drive innovation but also future-proof our strategy for the years ahead. With four successful years behind us, we look forward to shaping the transformative world of 2024 and beyond.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione CRT, and Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center for their trust and steadfast collaboration. Originally envisioned as a partnership lasting three years, their continued support and renewal of our collaboration twice underscore their commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Torino and beyond.
And now, please join us in welcoming the Class of 2024 to the Techstars Transformative World Torino Accelerator.
G2Q Computing (Milan, Italy)
Advanced hybrid quantum software to solve complex real-world problems.
Impact AI (Vienna, Austria)
Modular platform with no-code tools that can assess directly the performance and business impact of LLM based applications developments.
SylloTips (Rome, Italy)
All-in-one knowledge sharing platform that leverages artificial intelligence to optimize and enhance knowledge and companies’ internal processes.
Shion (Vienna, Austria)
Active echo and noise canceling system with purpose-built hardware for noise reduction.
Plain (Warsaw, Poland)
Interior design solution that provides everything necessary for a space setup - floor plan, furniture selection, and implementation support.
Nubo (Milan, Italy)
Shaping the future of workspaces through a widespread network leveraging underused urban spaces.
Bestie Bite (Rome, Italy)
Reshaping restaurant discovery and reviews through a peer-to-peer community.
Trainizi (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
Microlearning platform that trains, engages, and retains deskless workers.
Reviway (Reggio Emilia, Italy)
Reviway tackles the issue of road surfaces deterioration with computer vision and a fully-automated vehicle.
Intuos (L’Aquila, Italy)
Service platform combining vertical software, IoT devices and AI based data models to increase operating process efficiency, aircraft monitoring and flight safety.
Vision Anchor (Ljubljana, Slovenia)
The world’s first smart anchoring system that tracks the anchor and sends a data feed to the boat.
Voovo (Budapest, Hungary)
Educational platform that helps students absorb high volumes of information quickly by creating the fastest and easiest way to make digital flashcards.
Techstars invests in early-stage startups led by unstoppable entrepreneurs with transformative businesses. With 45+ accelerators worldwide, an unrivaled network of alumni, mentors, commercial partners, investors, and dedicated operating teams, Techstars supports entrepreneurs throughout their entire startup journey while helping to build thriving startup communities. Since 2006, we have invested in more than 4,400 portfolio companies, accelerating the growth of businesses including Chainalysis, Zipline, DataRobot, Alloy, and many, many more. www.techstars.com
Martin is an MD at Techstars, and with more than 15 years of experience in the tech industry, he is currently running the Transformative World Accelerator in Torino, Italy. Previously, he was running the Smart Mobility and the Torino Cities of the Future Accelerator and was the MD at accelerator programs in Berlin and Amsterdam.