Acceleration program
Enabling your startup to reach product-market fit

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 Cestaro, Holifya

What founders of early-stage startups need the most is trust: it takes visionaries to see what’s not there yet, but can be. B4i believed in Heloola before anyone else, they trusted our vision and helped us to turn our dream into reality.

Giada Cancellario, Heloola

Every day you have to deal with clients’ demands, product development, market tests, and several other obstacles. B4i was fundamental to identify the best stairs and tools to overcome the impressive wall that everyone has to face sooner than later.

Giacomo Salvanelli, Mine Crime

Building a startup is an incredibly challenging journey, and without proper planning, working structure, and tracking system, you are likely to get lost quite easily. B4i gave us the tools to make sure we did not fall into this trap.

Daniele Calvo Pollino, Mapo Tapo

B4i helped us transform an idea into a structured organization with ambitious targets. Together, we undertook a journey aimed at developing entrepreneurship at its best.

Lorenzo Cinelli, Conviv

All sessions, speakers and topics were carefully chosen. Having the opportunity to listen and interact with top entrepreneurs and brilliant minds is incredibly valuable.

Francesco Maria Serino, Doctors in Italy

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.

Entrepreneurs will be expected to dedicate a full-time effort to the program, through which B4i will help you define your product, complete the team, connect to industry experts and advisors, and ultimately fundraise.

Services Included

  • Access to a network of expertise and mentors linked to Bocconi professors, students, Alumni across continents and industries, and beyond
  • Direct coaching from the B4i team on building your company
  • Legal Clinics (pro bono legal consulting) support for 6 months
  • Digital marketing support from a dedicated professional for the entire duration of the program
  • On campus, modern office space in the center of Milan shared with other startups
  • Access to talent from Bocconi and our university partners, from bachelors to the MBAs
  • Business Development & Sales channels through the Bocconi community
  • Free and discounted services from Bocconi and more than 50 affiliated service providers, including databases, cloud hosting, payments systems, CRM, and more

Investment Deal

Through B4i Fund, B4i invests €50.000 in startups via a convertible note.
The option converts after six months and takes up to 5%.

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

Legal Clinics

The Legal Clinics are a special program of Bocconi University offering professional legal assistance to support your business. In collaboration with established Italian law firms and notary offices, B4i provides free legal counseling to the startups participating in the Pre-Acceleration and Acceleration programs.

Learn more

Highlights
since the first batch

50startups accelerated
133entrepreneurs supported
7startups (average batch size)
140+jobs created
150speakers involved
KEY DATES
Jun 232024

Applications deadline
The application period closes and our team begins the process of candidates selection

Sep 302024

Start of the program
The selected candidates begin their 4-month program

Feb 14
2025

End of the program
The teams end the 18-week program

Feb2025

Demo day
Selected startups present their pitch in front of a community of angels and VC funds to fundraise for their company’s next stage

Our application calls open twice a year in May and November.

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 and have reached the age of majority.
  • Be constituted as a limited company (Italian SRL or equivalent) before the program starts in September 2024.
  • 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 if any, etc.

Strategic Advisors

Massimo Della Ragione

Investment Banking, Professor of Practice Bocconi

Business Areas
Fintech, Insurtech, Deep Tech, Corporate SaaS, AI

Main Support
Fundraising, Market Gap Identification, B2B initiatives, Business Development

Gabriella Lojacono

Director EMILUX, Associate Professor, Management & Technology at Bocconi

Business Areas
Fashion, Cosmetics, Design, Automotive, Jewellery, Food & Beverage

Main Support
Innovation, Made in Italy, Luxury Management, International Management

Stefano Pogutz

Full-Time MBA Director, Professor of Practice of Corporate Sustainability. SDA Bocconi School of Management

Business Areas
Corporate Sustainability, Circular Business Models, Decarbonization strategies, Social Entrepreneurship

Main Support
Corporate Sustainability, ESG, Impact Investing, Business Development

By joining the Bocconi community, founders will have access to the services that are usually dedicated to students and staff.

Bocconi Alumni

Many of the Bocconi Alumni are founders themselves, if not investors or managers. Entrepreneurs will benefit from the vast expertise and learn from the diverse experiences of the Alumni who are part of our community.

Bocconi Library

While working on campus, entrepreneurs will have access to a vast array of databases from the Bocconi Library (in-person access only), gaining that competitive edge when assessing users, investors and competitors.

Affiliated service providers

Become
an
Alumnus Angel

If you are a Bocconi Alumnus interested in scouting and investing in early stage companies on an individual basis, consider becoming an Alumnus Angel. Since most of startups begin looking for funding as they complete the Acceleration program, B4i is opening a communication channel to provide selected information to angel investors within the Alumni community, facilitating opportunities with entrepreneurs.

Learn more

Become
a
Mentor

Being a mentor is an engaging way of sharing your skills, supporting innovative startups and expanding your business network. B4i is always looking for experienced and willing professionals ready to get involved and contribute to the development of business innovation.

Find out what B4i offers and what it takes to join it.

Learn more