ROMA, Monday, October 14, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - The 2019 edition of B Heroes, the acceleration program for innovative startups based in Italy created by lm Foundation, kicks off. This year's edition, with more than a thousand startups involved, has exceeded the numbers of previous seasons of the program added together. There are therefore 1,000 pre-selected companies, with a calendar of over 500 meetings in the local stages. Between 2017 and 2018 52 startups were then chosen to participate in the course, which involved over 400 experts, including entrepreneurs, mentors and champions of innovation. The final phase will decide the best companies that will be able to access the program. This year the investments available for the startups that will be included in the acceleration program will be over a million euros. On the occasion of the events scheduled in the area, the young companies will meet a team of entrepreneurs, managers and business angels specialized in the selection of startups to support in the path of growth. Participants will have the opportunity to present their projects to the selectors through dedicated moments of confrontation during which the selectors will evaluate the companies expressing an opinion on a scale from 1 to 5, paying particular attention to: team, strategy, marketing, scalability and impact of projects. Intesa Sanpaolo, which has always been a leading player in research and innovation initiatives, is supporting the B Heroes programme for the third year, facilitating the meeting between innovative SMEs and mature companies, and the exchange between supply and demand for innovation and new technologies. The next stages of the selection roadshow will be: Padua, 15 October; Naples, 16 October; Como, 18 October; Rome, 21 October; Bologna, 23 October; Turin, 28 October; Milan, 30 October.

ROMA, (MERCURPRESS.IT) - Interviewed by Startupper Magazine, Niccolò Quattrini, National and International Relations Manager of Affidaty SpA, when asked "It is said that crises, in this case economic crises, always hide opportunities for change. Does he see any opportunities to be seized in the current Italian context?", he replied: "Italy is a fantastic country that is constantly testing itself, the opportunities are at the centre of our efforts, we are a people of true innovators and we can consider ourselves to be excellent in many sectors. It is no coincidence that "Made in Italy" is a very important brand on a global level. The biggest challenge for those facing a "strong" and apparently negative period is not to be overwhelmed by the crisis and not to allow the same to influence the arrival of the flourishing period or not to recognize it. This word "crisis" really hides within it a synonym called opportunity, first of all because these periods allow us to reflect on ourselves and on who we are. "During these periods - continued Quattrini - we must examine the situation, identifying the changes that characterize the crises, because each one has its own reasons and usually involve excessive speculation in a particular sector or in certain market segments. What is necessary to observe when they manifest themselves is precisely their sectoral origin and, therefore, to retrace the steps that have led to that condition, learning what to have to and not have to do to circumvent it, changing segment or leading sector. One of the most useful ways of circumventing this condition may be, for example, to reassess our objectives and find new solutions to solve old or new problems.

ROMA, Friday, September 27, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - Catania, once called 'the Milan of Southern Italy' and more recently the seat of the Etna Valley, the Italian Silicon Valley based on the Etna Technological Pole, cyclically relaunches itself as the industrial laboratory of Sicily.

Of course, the present-day situation does not seem to be as brilliant as in the past, but the 'weak signals' of a techno-industrial recovery are all there and this time it seems that the economic 'renaissance' of the Etnean City also involves, and in an important way, the province and in particular the Ionian-Etnean area where, alongside lemons and prickly pears, startups of the highest technological level are increasingly emerging.

To confirm the effervescence of the territory, which has always been one of the most fertile in economic terms in Sicily, will be held on October 5, 2019, at the SAL - Spazio Avanzamento Lavori (Via Indaco, 23) in Catania a day of work on the theme "Sicily, a company with special status", organized by Confindustria Giovani Imprenditori di Catania with the patronage of the regional Confindustria.

The event will bring together at the 'table of development' next island, the heads of regional and local institutions, Confindustria regional and representatives of business realities in the area, especially young entrepreneurs and startuppers.

ROMA, (MERCURPRESS.IT) - For some time now, the market for reconditioned technological products has been experiencing great development in Italy, as in the rest of the world. In the last year, however, this sector has undergone a real revolution with the establishment of Refurbed, the hi-tech startup founded in February 2017 by three young Austrians, Peter Windischhofer, Kilian Kaminski and Jürgen Riedl, which in just a couple of years has exceeded 100,000 customers throughout Europe, increasing its turnover volume by 6 times each year. What sets the company apart from its numerous competitors is the possibility of taking advantage of a free 30-day trial period, a one-year warranty, which can be extended on request, for each product, the specialised assistance offered and a concrete interest in the environment. For each sale, in fact, a tree is planted. At the beginning of 2019, Refurbed also opened its doors to Italy, where it was immediately a huge success, with a constant growth in the catchment area, month after month. Today, in less than a year, the site has recorded over 1 million views, with the cities of Rome and Milan leading the ranking by number of requests received. The most popular products are iPhones (also available for 200 €) and, more generally, smartphones. After the first purchase, about 80% of users make a second, moving towards the most diverse products, including laptops and tablets, or recommend it to a friend. The average saving for each product is about 40%, a percentage that can vary depending on the device. A mix that has made the market for reconditioned products open to B2B customers. Until now, in fact, this type of product had always been purchased for private use. The possibility of receiving qualified assistance, the trial period and the guarantee proposed by Refurbed, has also convinced many entrepreneurs, who, in addition to getting products like new at the price of a used, can take advantage of VAT benefits. "The average life of a smartphone or laptop is 18 months, after which the device starts to give problems, or does not support the latest versions of apps and software, and is almost always thrown away. - Refurbed founders Peter Windischhofer, Kilian Kaminski and Jürgen Riedl comment - This custom has a huge social cost, both for the consumer, who is forced to spend hundreds of euros every two years or so, and in terms of disposal, as it is an expensive and complex process, and for the environment, since many throw them in the ordinary trash, instead of disposing of them with WEEE. Although regenerated products have been found for a long time, most consumers are suspicious of them, fearing that they might break down immediately or give rise to problems. This is what happened to Peter, one of the founders, who bought a used iPhone, which broke down after only a few weeks and, having no guarantee, had to buy a new one out of his pocket. Refurbed was able to respond to the main concern about remanufactured products, namely, the security of having a warranty and specialized assistance. And we believe that this is the key to our success.

ROMA, Monday, September 23, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - Giampiero Zurlo's Public, Media & Legal Affairs agency opens an office in Brussels. The new office is in addition to the headquarters in Rome and Milan.

The launch of the agency's new point of presence in the de facto capital of the European Union will be celebrated with an inaugural reception, with important guests, to be held in the Solvay Library on Tuesday 24 September at 6.30 pm.

The new office will strategically follow extra-national institutional relations as Brussels hosts various institutions, including the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and - partially - the European Parliament. The Belgian city is home to NATO headquarters. Brussels is also home to the Committee of the Regions and the Economic and Social Committee.

Utopia, founded in Rome in 2010, can now rely on a team of over 40 professionals with relevant experience in the field of institutions and politics, law and economics, communication and journalism.

ROMA, Tuesday, September 17, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - Comau will participate in the Forum "The future of knowledge, companies and workers in transformation", which will be held at the Confindustria Technical Auditorium (Viale Tupini) by Fondimpresa - the inter-professional fund of Confindustria, CGIL, CISL and UIL. The event - from September 18-19 in Rome - is an opportunity for Comau to let the public know and experience the potential of its new technologies for teaching, following its approach called HUMANufacturing (human manufacturing), which puts the worker at the center of the production system and of the transformation that characterizes the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It is an important opportunity to show how training is fundamental to keep up with the evolution dictated by the digital transformation. Thanks to this initiative, 500 representatives of institutions, business and education have the opportunity to learn about and use the e.DO robot. They will come together to take on an interesting technological challenge that will allow them to understand how robotics can be compelling and easy to understand. During the day, Donatella Pinto - Comau Head of Human Resources - and Ezio Fregnan - Comau Academy Director & HR Training Manager - will give a general presentation about Comau. Following, the competition, for which Comau provides 50 e.DO robots, will begin for 500 participants divided into work groups of 10 people. Each team will be given an e.DO robotic arm and a tablet, which acts as a control interface. Participants will be provided with brief, simple instructions on how to move and program e.DO. Teams will be invited to write a program to have the robot move simple objects, with the aim of trying to find the best solution among the many possible. The video of the execution of the program created by each group is sent to a Comau jury that will award the team that has achieved the best results. Donatella Pinto points out: "Comau is proud to talk about some of the most innovative and successful projects of the company in the context of an important event, promoted by Fondimpresa. Strengthened by a long and consolidated know-how in the industrial field, characterized by over 45 years of presence in the global market, Comau feels the social responsibility to contribute to the spread of a "human-centric" corporate culture and technological knowledge, thanks to the collaboration of companies, universities and training institutions, but above all thanks to young people, who are the real drivers of the digital transformation taking place." “We are proud to have Comau bring a technological challenge that will involve our guests for our 15 year celebration. Too often, technology is perceived as something distant from us, but it is incorporated into unsuspected aspects of our daily life. The participating companies now know how to use their resources effectively, but the challenge that awaits us, and which we do not intend to lose, is to accompany companies and workers in the digital transformation process that makes skills related to technological innovation increasingly necessary and the creation of new tools that allow the financeability of these training interventions,” says the President of Fondimpresa Bruno Scuotto.

ROMA, Monday, September 16, 2019 (MERCURPRESS.IT) - From next 23 September, at 9:00 a.m., until 25 September at 12:45 p.m., an international legal training program will be held at the NH Hotel Giustiniano (Via Virgilio n. 1, Rome).

NIABA/IALA members are invited to attend a unique legal program in Rome, for which California-licensed attorneys may apply for CLE credit. (CLE credits may be available for other states also.) Our schedule includes six lectures in English by Italian lawyers, dealing with topics specifically selected for U.S. attorneys who have U.S. clients needing legal assistance in Italy.

Schedule

Monday, 23 September 2019

09:00-10:45
Real Property-Paulo Zagami -Attorney in Rome and representative of Amcham Italy

11:00-12:45
Emigration to U.S. and Becoming a U.S. Citizen-Antonietta Branaccio-Balzano-Attorney in Stuart, Florida, NIABA Member

Tuesday, 24 September 2019

09:00-22:45
Complex Commerical Litigation-Fillippo Frigerio- Attorney in Rome, Portolano-Cavalli Studio Legale

11:00-12:45
Italian Tort Law-Claudio Ceriani-Attorney from Milan

Wednesday, 25 September 2019

09:00-10:45
Will, Intestacy, Spouse and Child Statutory Share- Raimondo Zagami Esq.-Notary in Rome