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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 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.
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.
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.
Applications deadline
The application period closes and our team begins the process of candidates selection
Start of the program
The selected candidates begin their 4-month program
End of the program
The teams end the 18-week program
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.
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:
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
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
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
Paul Romero
Product Manager & UX Specialist Consultant
Pancrazio Auteri
Managing partner @ Product Expanse
Béatrice Ferrari
Brand Naming Expert
Lisa Patti
Founder @ C3Speech
Andrea Sasso
CFO @ Fractional
Nadya Movchan
Founder @ Movchan Agency
Giorgio Ponticelli
Investor & Executive
Marco Marlia
Co-founder & CEO @ MotorK
Leigh Philipson
UK Sales Director @ Just Eat Takeaway.com
Alessandro Tommasi
Founder @ WillMedia
Jeff Cabili
Course Instructor @ Stanford Continuing Studies
Yari Brugnoni
Co-founder @ Not Just Analytics
Enrica Arena
CEO & Co-Founder @ Orange Fiber
Matilde Michelotti
Head of Enterprise Sales @ Lifeed
Alessandra Mazzilli
Associate @ Cavalry Ventures
Anna Magiera
Senior Partner @ Finance PM
Pietro Invernizzi
Founder and Investor @ Firedrop
Demetrio Maltese
Notary, Giamalex – Notai associati; Bocconi University lecturer
Pietro Fazzini
Managing Associate, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, M&A and Private Equity
By joining the Bocconi community, founders will have access to the services that are usually dedicated to students and staff.
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.
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.
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
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
