The second edition of the ORA! project launches

The second edition of the ORA! – Outpost Ravenna for Energy Transition project, the innovation platform with a strong international focus on technologies related to the blue and green economy, has been launched. The initiative aims to support the energy transition of local companies through industrial partnerships and collaborations with international startups and scaleups.

The launch event, organised by Joule and Mind the Bridge, was attended by the companies involved in the initiative (Versalis, Techfem S.p.A.; DG Impianti (Italfluid Group); Bonatti SpA; SICIM; Minerali Industriali; Natura Nuova, Gruppo Hera, Start Romagna, Terminal Container Ravenna SpA, Romagna Acque, Sapir SpA) and the 5 new young talents of ORA! Academy.

"For Joule, the Eni school of entrepreneurship, the ORA! Project is an important step in promoting and creating innovation ecosystems within the supply chain of the blue and green economy at national level” said Antonietta De Sanctis, Head of Eni Joule's Startup Acceleration Programme. “After the excellent results of the first edition, we are delighted to be able to continue contributing to building an important point of contact between young talents, startups and local companies in the Ravenna area. For us," she concludes, "this collaboration is a key factor in consolidating and strengthening the local ecosystem and projecting it into an international dimension.

Alberto Onetti, Chairman of the Mind the Bridge commented “In Italy, there is a real need to support industrial and manufacturing companies, especially small and medium-sized ones, in their innovation process. Last year in Ravenna, we trialled a different model to promote this process in the area, helping local companies, mostly SMEs, to identify innovation needs and find solutions through Venture Clients. The pilot was a success: 14 companies met with 23 startups from 8 countries, and trials are underway to adopt the innovations. With a new group of companies, but with similar and hopefully more ambitious goals, the second edition of ORA! begins today. 

Annagiulia Randi, Councillor for Economic Development of the Municipality of Ravenna said "The more than positive outcome of the first edition of the ORA! project confirms that we made the right choice in asking a large group like Eni, at the forefront of technology transfer and business acceleration, to develop an initiative capable of disseminating new opportunities and tools in the green and blue economy to the productive fabric and young talent. All this could only be possible in a place such as that of Ravenna, a city of energy for at least seventy years and today, more than ever, one of the most important energy centres in Europe, where know-how, skills, experience and major national and international projects are concentrated. We are confident that this new edition will replicate and increase the positive results of the first, continuing to network with the entire economic and entrepreneurial fabric of our region, generating internationalisation, growth and widespread innovation.”

The ORA! project will continue with training for students, including lectures, group sessions and opportunities for hybrid networking (online and in person at the Joule facilities at the Gazometro, in the Ostiense district in Rome) during the following eight weeks. In this way, they will approach the topics of open innovation and innovation management, with a focus on the green and blue Economy, and will be able to work with the Innovation Advisors of Mind the Bridge on technological scouting activities run for the companies participating in the project.

• ORA! Academy: a one-year training programme for fresh graduates (master degree) with a focus on open innovation and innovation management applied to the blue and green economy. The aims are international scouting, matching with local businesses and the implementation of experimental projects (PoC – Proof of Concept); 
• Support and training for local businesses: training for local entrepreneurs aimed at transferring methodologies and best practices related to open innovation opportunities.
  Through the creation of working groups and networking activities, the needs of companies in a number of strategic supply chains in the region will be identified: chemicals, waste management, carbon capture and storage, energy efficiency and security, renewable energy. 
• Business Matching: once the needs of local companies have been mapped, national and international startups are selected for joint innovation activities (Venture Clients).

The ORA! project  was launched by Joule in 2022 with the support of local institutions and Mind the Bridge. The first edition ended on a positive note: 14 companies were engaged, more than 200 startups from 8 countries were selected, and more than 30 meetings were organised between local companies and startups.