Terna : Cariplo Foundation and Cariplo Factory name Bettery the winner of the second edition of Next Energy

NEWS

29

May 2018

Bettery is the name of the project that won the second edition of Next Energy, promoted by Terna, the Cariplo Foundation and Cariplo Factory to identify new gifted people in the Italian energy sector. The jury, chaired by Catia Bastioli, Chairwoman of Terna, awarded a voucher for € 50,000 in services for the most innovative of the 10 projects selected under 'Call for Ideas', presented by a like number of teams of innovators.

Bettery, a project in the Smart Grid & Energy Storage category, intends to bring to market the eco-sustainable liquid battery with the highest specific energy and the lowest cost. Bettery followed the fast-track pathway at PoliHub Startup District&Incubator in Milan.

The team of innovators was given the opportunity of a 3-month business-empowerment and fast-track programme, managed by Cariplo Factory through a network that includes Polihub, Fondazione Filarete, Digital Magics, Impact Hub, dPixel, LUISS EnLabs, Consorzio ARCA. The winning project was fast-tracked to receive specialised and local training from the most suitable organisation based on their technological innovations.

The requirements envisaged by the recently completed Call for Ideas: teams of innovators, with at least one person younger than 35 when applying for the post, and project based on initiatives or technologies with a TRL (Technology Readiness Level) of between 2 and 4.

The second edition of Next Energy stood out for the following qualitatively significant numbers:
• the Call for Talents was answered by around 100 graduates under 28 years of age who had received a Master's degree in Electrical, Electronic, Energy or Mechanical Engineering or Engineering Management (with scores of 110/110 or 100/100) within the last 12 months and 10 of these were admitted to a 6-month internship at Terna;
• the Call for Ideas attracted 22 teams of innovators and/or start-ups established within the last 12 months, and of these 10 followed an empowerment and fast-track programme;
• the Call for Growth saw the response of 80 start-up teams already on the market, potentially able to offer innovative functional solutions for Terna activities. Managed by growITup - an open innovation platform created by Cariplo Factory in collaboration with Microsoft - the Call for Growth saw 5 teams set out on a collaboration with Terna geared at defining a pilot project.

Catia Bastioli, Terna Chairwoman
'The determination of the teams of innovators that participated in the second edition of Next Energy provides concrete confirmation of the value of training and growth for young talents and their projects. We are convinced that companies must make that cultural leap to increasingly become innovation prosumers, spreading the knowledge economy through original technologies and solutions, achieved also thanks to collaboration with start-ups and the academic community'.

Giuseppe Guzzetti, Chairman of the Cariplo Foundation
'Our young people need opportunities to place their creativity at the service of industry. Their ideas and enthusiasm are at the core of this programme, realised thanks (once again) to the significant cooperation with Terna and Cariplo Factory. Working alone, in watertight compartments, does not solve problems. The problem of youth unemployment must be tackled with a systemic vision. Next Energy is a concrete demonstration of the importance of inter-generational alliances; partnering those with experience with those full of youthful energy. This generates job opportunities for young people, because those who are already in this field find themselves innovated and motivated by the younger generation. A two-fold advantage for both industry and people'.

Carlo Mango, Managing Director of Cariplo Factory
'The second edition of Next Energy offered an opportunity to field test the innovative fast-tracking model across the entire country, through the Cariplo Factory network of incubators and accelerators. The quality of the projects presented today shows that the model fully meets the needs for development and growth of our start-ups. I am convinced that Bettery will make the most of the € 50 thousand in services and, as has happened in the past, will embark on a virtuous path to market'.

Media contacts

Terna
Press Office
ufficio.stampa@terna.it
Tel. +39 06 83139081

Cariplo Factory
Matteo Scarabelli, Head of Communications
matteo.scarabelli@cariplofactory.it
Tel. +39 348 2545447

Comin & Partners
Federica Gramegna, Senior Consultant
Federica.gramegna@cominandpartners.com
Tel. +39 06 90255521 - 338 2229807

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