Turin, in northwest Italy, may be best known as an automotive center, but local stakeholders are working hard to transform the city into a test bed for cutting-edge technologies, particularly in the field of Smart Cities.

Startups in Turin benefit from its concentration of large corporations, including Stellantis, Iren, IVECO–CNH, Italdesign, and Pininfarina, as well as innovative SMEs. Open lab initiatives led by Turin Municipality, such as CTE Next, provide unparalleled testing infrastructure.

Thanks to a strategic partnership between Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, and Fondazione CRT, Turin has hosted the Torino Cities of the Future Techstars Accelerator since 2020. This program has graduated 35 companies from three continents which have launched 30 partnerships with local stakeholders and have raised more than $47 million.

Opened in November 2021, the ESA Business Incubation Centre Turin aims to nurture innovative Space Economy companies. Startups will receive €50,000 for product development and IP management, coaching, and fundraising support.

There is no shortage of qualified investors in Turin. Neva SGR combines the strength of Intesa Sanpaolo Group with the best practices of international VC firms. It has raised €250 million ($271 million) to invest in Fintech and Deep Tech startups, including the Italian aerospace company D-Orbit. Tech investment boutique LIFTT has an investment target of €90 million over the next five years and has already finalized 25 investments, including Newcleo, a disruptor in next-generation nuclear reactors. Turin has been included in the National Accelerators Network run by CDP Venture Capital, which supports the growth of the Italian venture capital ecosystem.