The initiative is part of the broader partnership between Italy's leading banking group and ELITE, the ecosystem launched by Borsa Italiana in 2012 and now part of the Euronext Group, which helps small and medium-sized enterprises to grow and access private and public capital markets.

In the four years since the first lounge, the Group led by Carlo Messina has supported in this process more than 300 companies from all over Italy and operating in every sector, including 60 start-ups.

Most of the start-ups selected for this new class come from UP2Stars, the programme launched in 2022 by Intesa Sanpaolo in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center dedicated to the growth, acceleration and networking of innovative start-ups. Many start-ups operating in the following sectors applied for the four selection calls: Digital and Industry 4.0, Bioeconomy with focus on Agri Tech and Food Tech, Medtech and Healthcare and Aerospace.

Innovation and sustainability will be the main themes of the training course for start-ups from eight regions of Italy and hailing from various industrial sectors of excellence of the Italian economy. The 21 protagonists of the new lounge will have the chance to gain access to integrated services and a network of international professionals and investors for ease of access to capital markets. The businesses will also be provided with tools to cope with the current delicate economic environment, with a view to the resources of the NRRP.

Transversal learning modules will focus on acceleration processes in line with the areas of intervention of Motore Italia, the strategic programme run by Intesa Sanpaolo to re-launch small and medium enterprises and with the more than €410 billion to be made available by the Intesa Sanpaolo Group from now to 2026, of which €120 billion intended for SMEs. Key issues will also include sustainability in the social, environmental and governance domains, with the aim of demonstrating how the correct implementation of ESG practices is useful for ensuring long-term growth as well as improving attractiveness to the financial community.

Anna Roscio, Executive Director Sales & Marketing SMEs Intesa Sanpaolo: "The launch of this ELITE Lounge, dedicated solely to start-ups, is a testament to our complete confidence in innovative companies and entrepreneurial initiative, even at a critical time. The course will enable the 21 participants to consolidate skills in finance and governance, expanding opportunities for growth in terms of size, management and competition - decisive factors for the entire business community. This initiative also marks the end of the cycle that began this year for the first time with Up2Stars, Intesa Sanpaolo's programme dedicated to the development of 40 start-ups chosen from a large number of applications, promoting the acceleration of these companies in collaboration with our partner Gellify and facilitating meetings with investors at two Demo Days."

Marta Testi, CEO, ELITE: "The new lounge, the result of the partnership between Intesa Sanpaolo and ELITE, is dedicated to a group of Italian start-ups and supports the financial acceleration of innovative companies that will become more competitive at national and international level thanks to a network of international professionals and investors and a training programme dedicated to expanding sustainable growth opportunities. Since ELITE's inception in 2012, innovation has always been one of the growth drivers we have identified as strategic for companies, and initiatives such as this deepen the process of interchange between traditional companies and start-ups. In fact, we imagine many innovation projects and new business relationships will take shape from conversations in the classroom."