Naples – June 25, 2013 – Everything is ready for the competition between innovative ideas “From Vesuvio to Silicon Valley … and back”, sponsored by the California based consulting firm Campania Felix, LLC. and Napoli based non-profit Association Skillpoint, which will be held June 25 in Naples at the PICO (Palace of Innovation and Knowledge).
A bridge between Naples and San Francisco to support young entrepreneurs to bring their innovative ideas from the startup phase to market ready enterprise, “From Vesuvio to Silicon Valley … and back”, strives to connect the creativity of young Neapolitan startuppers to Silicon Valley venture capital and angel investors.
Everything is ready for the competition between innovative ideas promoted by the consulting firm Campania Felix, LLC and Association Skillpoint and which will be held on June 25 in Naples at the PICO (Palace of Innovation and Knowledge).
Young graduates with entrepreneurial spirit, startuppers, innovators who want to improve their presentation skills, learn how to pitch their idea, professionals and designers will discuss their business project at Mind the Bridge’s Job Creator Tour of 2013, an on the road intitative to promote startup culture in Italy organized by San Francisco based Idea accelerator Mind the Bridge Foundation.
The Campania Region acting within the scope of the newly-formed Regional Network of Incubators, has provided financing through Campania Innovation, the regional agency for the Promotion of Research and Innovation. The event will culminate with the selection of 5 startups which will have the opportunity to present their project during a public session to mentors of Mind the Bridge as well as potential investors, who will intervene with questions, suggestions and even criticisms in order to help startuppers to improve their project.
From Vesuvio to Silicona Valley…and back, will offer all participants an opportunity for professional contacts and meetings with managers of companies in Silicon Valley. The most innovative business ideas will be brought to the attention of potential investors (Capital Ventures and Business Angels) and Mind the Bridge Seed Funds, the new investment fund dedicated to startups.
Naples’ edition of Mind the Bridge’s ideas competition is part of “Unite the two bays – From Vesuvius to Silicon Valley,” a project to create a stable channel of cultural and economic exchanges between Naples and San Francisco, and to promote the meeting between overseas “venture capital” and the magmatic creativity of young Neapolitan entrepreneurs,
Are expected to attend, among others, Guido Trombetti, vice president and commissioner for Scientific Research in the Campania Region, Fulvio Martusciello, Councilor for Productive Activities of the Campania Region, Luigi De Magistris, Mayor of Naples, Donald Moore, Consul General Consulate General the U.S. in Naples, Enrico Panini, commissioner of Labor and Production of the City of Naples, Vito Grassi, president Cesvitec, Edoardo Imperiale, general manager of Campania Innovation, Luigi Nicolais, president of the CNR, Giuseppe De Pietro, Director CNR Naples, Lucio Coggiatti, ICE, and Luciano Serafini, Association skill points.
Also participating from San Francisco via video link: Mauro Battocchi, Italian Consul in San Francisco, Paolo Barlera, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute SF, Paolo Pontoniere, Campania Felix, Jeff Capaccio, SVIEC President & Western Regional National Italian-American Foundation, Paolo Barettoni , software expert, Vittorio Viarengo, MobileIron, Ezio Valdevit, Former Brocade Fellow & Angel Investor, Fabio Ficano, CEO Moncada Energy USA.
AGENDA:
MtB Job Creator Tour @ Napoli25 JUNE 2013
@ Naples
Time difference between Naples (MET) and San Francisco (PST): -9 hours.
@ San Francisco
8:30 to 9:00
Registration & Networking
Introduction: Paolo Pontoniere, Campania Felix, LLC
Participate in a videoconferencefrom the Italian Cultural Institute in San Francisco:
– Paul Barettoni, former Olivetti software expert, serial entrepreneur
– Vittorio Viarengo, MobileIron
– Ezio Valdevit, former Brocade Fellow, Angel Investor
– Fabio Ficano, CEO Moncada Energy USA
PST: 23:30-00:00
9:00 to 9:30
Opening of the meeting
Introduction: Edoardo Imperial (General Manager of Innovation Campania)
Participate in a videoconference from San Francisco:
– Mauro Battocchi, the Italian Consul in San Francisco
– Paolo Barlera, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in San Francisco
– Jeff Capaccio, President SVIEC, NIAF President Western Region
Participants from Naples:
– Guido Trombetti Ass, Ass Fulvio Martusciello (Campania Region)
– The Mayor Luigi De Magistris, Ass Enrico Panini (City of Naples)
– Donald L.Moore (Consul General of the United States of America in Naples)
– Vito Grassi (President CESVITEC)
– Luigi Nicolais, Giuseppe De Pietro (Chairman and Director of CNR CNR Naples)
– Lucio Coggiatti (Institute for Foreign Trade)
– Luciano Serafini (President of the Association skill points)
PST: 00:00 to 00:30
9:30 to 12:15
Startup School:
Mentors of Mind the Bridge Startup School will discuss what it means to create a startup, an ho to present a business idea to Venture Capitalists and Business Angel. All of this in a perspective of comparison between the ecosystem of Silicon Valley and the Italian and European.
Speakers:
Alberto Onetti (Chairman, Mind the Bridge Foundation)
Marco Marinucci (Executive Director, Mind the Bridge Foundation)
PST: 00:30 to 03:30
12:15 to 12:30
# Cambiamotutto! by Richard Moon: Riccardo Luna, Editor and Director of “Chefuturo”, presents the latest Italian success stories.
12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Lunch & Networking
14:30 to 17:30
Startup GYM Session:
Selected startup will present their Business Idea / Business Plan to Mind the Bridge Startup school mentors. Investors intervene with questions, provide advice, suggestions and even criticisms to help startuppers to improve their cretaion.
Investor Panel:
– John De Caro (Atlante Ventures Mezzogiorno)
– Amedeo Giurazza (Vertis SGR)
– Maurizio Liverani (Byron Capital)
– Marco Marinucci (Mind the Seed Fund),
– Francesca Natali (-Zernike Meta Ventures)
– Alberto Onetti (Mind the Seed Fund),
– Joseph M. Prisco (IAG)
PST: 5:30 to 08:30
5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Scholarship allocation:
A jury of MTB, partners and sponsors select the group to which to assign the startuppers scholarship to attend to the Mind the Bridge Startup School, a three weeks training program of excellence in San Francisco created the by MTB (school.mindthebridge.org).
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