Call for start-up

• Offer emerging entrepreneurial ventures access to a prestigious national and international stage where they can exchange ideas and share visions.
• Create opportunities for connection between exhibiting companies and start-ups capable of driving product and/or service innovation through their mindset and approach.
• Promote the recognition of the Italian innovation ecosystem as a key partner in product development for the green tech and circular economy sectors, both nationally and internationally.
• Give a voice to the leading innovators, collecting the stories of those who advance and promote the major themes of the ecological transition through development, culture, and skills.

Start-ups and SMEs registered in the Business Register and listed in the special section for innovative start-ups (as per Law no. 221 of December 18, 2012) may apply, provided they meet the following minimum criteria:

• Development of technologies and solutions aligned with the themes of Ecomondo, in areas such as waste (management, recovery, treatment, disposal, collection and transport), Blue Economy and the integrated water cycle, bioenergy and agriculture, circular and regenerative bioeconomy, soil restoration, and environmental monitoring and control. Applicants must demonstrate products or services with a high degree of innovation. A minimum requirement is the availability of a prototype or a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
   

• Completion of at least one seed round, or active presence in the B2B market with a client portfolio already in place.
   

NB: Admission of start-ups will be managed by the project management team, organized by IEG in collaboration with its partners, based on the criteria outlined in the official call, evaluations from the selection committee, and space availability.

Selected Innovative start-ups and SMEs may participate upon payment of a €600 + VAT administrative fee.

Start-ups meeting the eligibility criteria outlined above may submit their application from June 26th, 2025 (when the call will open) by completing and submitting the dedicated online form, and providing consent for the processing of the data included in the application.

At the end of the application period, the organizing team will carry out a formal check to verify that all submitted projects meet the minimum eligibility requirements.

Following this, a specially appointed Evaluation Committee will review all eligible applications and assign each project a score from 1 to 10, based on the following criteria:
 

• Business potential of the idea
• Development stage of the product/service
• Degree of innovation and its defensibility
• Team expertise
• Competitive landscape and positioning
• Market needs alignment and market size
• Project impact on future global challenges
   

At the end of the evaluation phase, all applicants will receive an official communication from Italian Exhibition Group at the email address provided during the application, informing them of the outcome—whether accepted or not.

A maximum of 26 Innovative start-ups/SMEs will be selected based on the highest scores achieved in the ranking.

Selected participants must confirm their attendance within 2 working days from the receipt of the official communication by replying via email. Failure to respond within the specified timeframe will result in automatic forfeiture of the application.

Once participation is confirmed, admitted participants will receive the participation form (contract), which must be completed, signed, and stamped, and returned along with the following documentation:

• Proof of payment of the participation fee via bank transfer

• Updated Chamber of Commerce registration (mandatory only for Innovative SMEs)

• High-resolution logo in vector format (preferably .ai, .svg, or .eps)

In the event of withdrawal by one or more selected participants, Italian Exhibition Group, in agreement with the initiative’s partners, will proceed with the ranking list and admit the next eligible candidates.

The start-up area will be set up with an exhibition format designed to maximize visibility, stimulate interaction with the public and foster concrete business opportunities.
 

Selected start-ups and innovative SMEs may participate upon payment of a €600 + VAT administrative fee, which includes access to the following services:

• Start-up All-Inclusive Package: exhibition station with desk, stool, and personalized branding featuring your logo
• Registration and official exhibitor status at the event
• Online visibility through inclusion in the official fair catalog – start-up section
• Access to the “My Agenda” – Business Meeting platform to schedule One-to-One meetings with international hosted buyers
• 1 external exhibitor parking pass
• 2 exhibitor badges
• 50 invitation tickets for your contacts
• 2 exclusive passes to the Gala Dinner – Award Event, held at 8:00 PM on the first day of the show at the Rimini Palacongressi. This invite-only evening brings together exhibitors, industry associations, stakeholders, and institutional partners of Ecomondo and features the official ceremony of the Lorenzo Cagnoni Award for Green Innovation
• Dedicated info point to welcome and guide visitors interested in the start-up area
• Media coverage through national and international promotional and communication activities
• Qualified networking: opportunities to connect with visitors, exhibitors, investors, and stakeholders interested in your venture from an Open Innovation perspective, including business angels and venture capitalists from the network of our strategic partner, Plug and Play Tech Center

To further highlight the presence of start-ups and Innovative SMEs within the Innovation District, IEG – in collaboration with its partners – will award a special plaque to the three most innovative and impactful projects among those exhibiting.

The winners will be selected by the Evaluation Committee based on the same criteria outlined above.
>> Learn more on the prize

The entire Innovation Project is supported by the expertise of a dedicated Evaluation Committee established ad hoc. The Committee is responsible for the assessment and selection of the start-ups that will participate in Ecomondo, for assigning the start-up Award to the most innovative emerging ventures, and for selecting the winners of the Lorenzo Cagnoni Award for Green Innovation, which recognizes the most innovative products or services showcased by exhibiting companies at the fair.

The Evaluation Committee includes:

• Alessandra Astolfi | Global Exhibition Director – Green & Tech Division di IEG
• Daniela Sani | ART-ER – Research and Territory Activities, Sustainable Development Division
• Nicoletta Amodio | Executive Advisor Research and Innovation at Confindustria and Director of the Giuseppina Mai Foundation
• Gabriele Ferrieri | President of ANGI (a national association for young innovators)
• Ilaria Battistutta | PR & Comms and Partner Success Manager at Plug and Play Tech Center
• Francesca Zagro | Global start-up Program - ICE Agency