Submit your application to the Acceleration and Pre-Acceleration programs.
Applications are open to anyone (it is not necessary to be a Bocconi student or alumnus/a) anywhere.
Deadline: January 8th, 2025.
"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 ItalyThe 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 guidance, marketing strategies, business development, and UX/UI support - B4i will help you refine your product, connect with industry experts and advisors, and ultimately fundraise.
Plus, we invest €50,000 in startups through a convertible note to kickstart your journey.
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 held twice a year and welcomes up to 8 teams per batch.
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:
Jacopo Faini
Acceleration Program Manager
Oleksandr Komarevych
Portfolio Manager
Arianna Attard
Startup Programs Specialist
Sara Piccinno
Operations Specialist
Aura Bertoni
Legal
Gabriella Lojacono
Strategic Advisor, Director Executive Master in Luxury Management, EMiLUX
Massimo Della Ragione
Strategic Advisor, Professor of Practice at Bocconi University
Stefano Pogutz
Strategic Advisor, Director Full Time MBA
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
If you have an innovative startup or idea that can solve real market problems, then we’re ready to invest the experience, knowledge, time and resources of the wider Bocconi community in you and your team.
Apply now