Acceleration - Bocconi for innovation

"B4i pushed us to ask the right questions, move faster and think bigger. It helped us get clarity on the legal and financial side and gave us the confidence to move forward, supported by a community we’re proud to be part of."Valentina LidoniRilemo

"The B4i Acceleration Program was key in our early days, helping us organize our team and establish a structured way of working. This not only accelerated our initial development but also laid the foundation for long-term growth."David DjokovicFlashka

"As a founder you need to juggle between fundraising, hiring top talents, growing your revenues and developing your product. The B4i team and entrepreneurs are the sparring partners who help us master the mad art of startup every day."Alessandra CestaroHolifya

"B4i was invaluable for us at Scavenger as first-time founders. We went in with little experience and came out having raised over €1M, learning how to build, sell, and prioritize along the way."Maximilian HahnenkampScavenger

"The B4i Acceleration Program was transformative for us, providing crucial support as first-time founders, deepening our understanding of the startup ecosystem, and opening invaluable opportunities for growth."Filippo TamburiniCargoful

The Acceleration program in brief

The B4i Accelerator is a 4-month structured program to bring your startup from prototype stage to product-market fit.

Open to innovators from any location or sector, this program requires entrepreneurs to fully commit and be present in our Milan office. Here, you will have a dedicated workspace and receive daily support from the B4i team.

Through a variety of activities - including legal consulting, marketing & go-to-market strategies, tech support, and UX/UI support - B4i will help you refine your product, connect with industry experts and advisors, and ultimately (if needed) fundraise.

Plus, we invest €80,000 in startups through a convertible note to kickstart your journey.

What's included

Business development and go-to-market strategies via dedicated workshops and one-on-one meetings with professionals
Growth & digital marketing support (analytics, user research, lead generation) and UX/UI assistance (landing page, dashboards) from dedicated professionals
Pro bono legal consulting support for six months, assisting you in areas such as IP strategy, term sheet negotiation, contracts, GDPR
Daily support from the B4i team on workflows, pitch refinement, fundraising strategies, and everything else to help you effectively manage your company
A modern office space in the heart of Milan, shared with other startups
Tech support from an experienced CTO, assisting you on your product strategic decisions (stack decision, code quality review, hiring, security and more)
Networking events and community-building activities to connect with innovation experts, investors, and exceptional founders
Access to a network of expertise and mentors connected to Bocconi professors, students, and alumni
Free and discounted services from Bocconi and over 50 affiliated service providers, including databases, cloud hosting, payment systems, CRM, and more

Investment Deal

Through a dedicated investment fund (B4i Fund) regulated by Bank of Italy and CONSOB, B4i invests €80.000 in startups via a convertible note.
The option converts after six months and takes up to 6%.

The terms are fair and balanced for the founders; that’s why the term sheet is publicly available on B4i’s website. No repayment is asked for the acceleration services, which are freely provided throughout the program.

READ THE INVESTMENT AGREEMENT

Legal Clinics

The Legal Clinics are a unique program created by Bocconi University Law School in partnership with a network of law firms from Italy and Europe, with the aim of providing professional legal assistance to help startups navigate complex legal challenges as they grow. The Clinics provide six months of free legal advice tailored to the specific needs of each startup participating in the Acceleration Program.

KEY DATES

May 9
- 2025
  - Applications opening
  - The application period opens: it’s time to propose your startup
Jun 22
- 2025
  - Applications deadline
  - The application period closes and our team begins the process of candidates selection
Sept 29
- 2025
  - Start of the program
  - The selected candidates begin their 4-month program
Feb
- 202
  - End of the program
  - The initial ideas of entrepreneurs have now taken the form of a minimum viable product
Feb
- 2026
  - Demo day
  - Top-selected teams will pitch their ideas in front of a panel of evaluators including potential investors, customers and advisors

Our application calls open twice a year in May and November.
The program is held twice a year and welcomes up to 8 teams per batch.

Is it for you?

The program is open to anyone (it is not necessary to be a Bocconi student or alumnus/a) anywhere, but to be eligible you must:

Be a team of at least 2 people who have taken a full-time commitment to their startup.
Be constituted as a limited company before the program starts.
Propose an innovative solution to a real need in a growing market that falls into at least one of the three verticals.
Have some measurable indicators of market validation, such as users/paying customers, pipeline of potential users/paying customers, revenues, etc.