What Startup Geeks does

Startup Geeks S.r.l. SB is an Italy-based, 100% remote online incubator and pre-accelerator founded in 2020 by Giulia D'Amato and Alessio Boceda and registered in Mantova. The company operates a multi-program platform targeting early-stage Italian entrepreneurs through two core cohorts: Startup Builder, a 12-week online incubation program combining training, individual and group mentorship, and an investor pitch, and Startup Booster, an online pre-acceleration program designed to make projects investment-ready. The platform is delivered entirely through proprietary online properties (sp.startupgeeks.it and innovation.startupgeeks.it), eliminating territorial barriers across Italy and supported by a freemium content engine (blog, YouTube, podcast 'Confidenze Imprenditoriali' on Spotify, free handbooks, video courses, and a 5-day challenge) that drives top-of-funnel acquisition.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model: professional services for incubation, pre-acceleration, corporate innovation (Corporate Intrapreneurship, Venture Building, Social Innovation), and Digital PR; subscription/community for Club di Startup Geeks (1,000+ founders) and the Investment Club; and freemium for educational content. The Digital PR function was spun off in 2026 as Lever PR, a wholly-owned adjacent subsidiary focused on media relations for startups and innovative companies. Cumulative reported outcomes include 1,500+ startups supported, 80+ Booster projects generating €7.9M in project revenue, 190+ companies served by PR with 6,000+ publications, 20,200+ intrapreneurs trained in corporate engagements, and alumni startups raising more than €9M in funding.

The company is privately held as a Società a Responsabilità Limitata Benefit (Italian Benefit Corporation), with 12+ collaborators having become shareholders through equity-participation instruments. Capitalization includes a €170,000 capital increase in June 2020 and an undisclosed crowdfunding round in 2020; no institutional investors are disclosed. Recognition includes 'Leader della Crescita 2026' from Il Sole 24 Ore and Statista, a Forbes Under 30 honor for co-founder D'Amato in 2020, and a Happy Index at Work workplace certification in 2024.

Name

Startup Geeks

Legal name

Startup Geeks S.r.l. SB

Website

https://startupgeeks.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Startup Geeks is Italy's largest 100% remote online incubator, offering a 12-week Startup Builder incubation program, Startup Booster pre-acceleration, a 1,000+ founder community, corporate innovation programs, and the Lever PR media-relations subsidiary, serving early-stage Italian entrepreneurs and enterprises seeking venture-building and intrapreneurship support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation and Acceleration Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (61171), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA), Venture Studios / Company Builders (FSANAAAH)

Keywords

• Startup incubation
• Startup acceleration
• Entrepreneurship education
• Corporate innovation
• Startup community

Headquarters

HQ city

Mantova

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Incubation Programs (Startup Builder): 12-week online incubation program for early-stage startups providing formation, mentorship, and investor access. Over 1,000 startups incubated.
2. Pre-Acceleration Programs (Startup Booster): Online pre-acceleration program preparing projects for investment. Over 80 projects followed with 7.9M EUR in project revenue.
3. Digital PR and Press Services: Media relations and press office services (Lever PR) helping startups gain coverage in major media outlets. Over 190 companies supported, 6,000+ publications generated.
4. Corporate Innovation Programs: Innovation services for enterprises including Corporate Intrapreneurship, Venture Building, and Social Innovation. 20,200+ intrapreneurs trained.
5. Community and Club Memberships: Club di Startup Geeks membership providing networking, mentorship, training, and discounts for over 1,000 founders; Investment Club for fundraising access
6. Educational Resources and Consulting: Free blog content, guides, books, and podcasts as top-of-funnel; paid consulting services for business development

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Startup Geeks operates Italy's largest online incubator, delivering structured 12-week incubation programs (Startup Builder), online pre-acceleration (Startup Booster), a founder community and Investment Club, and corporate innovation programs (Corporate Intrapreneurship, Venture Building, Social Innovation). The company combines proprietary startup methodology, individual and group mentorship, training, investor access, and Digital PR/media relations services to support early-stage Italian startups from idea validation through investment readiness.

Product overview

Startup Geeks is Italy's largest online incubator offering a comprehensive ecosystem of programs and resources for entrepreneurs. The portfolio includes two core incubation/acceleration programs: Startup Builder (12-week online incubation) and Startup Booster (pre-acceleration), complemented by community platforms (Club di Startup Geeks with 1000+ founders, Investment Club), PR services (Digital PR/Lever PR supporting 190+ companies), and Innovation programs for corporate intrapreneurship. The offering extends to free educational content through a blog with hundreds of articles, free books (Manuale dello Startupper, Non ci vuole un genio), podcasts (Confidenze Imprenditoriali), video courses, and practical tools for startup creation including AI-powered MVP development. The company has supported over 1,000 startups that have raised over 9 million euros.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lever PR: PR and Media Relations agency of the Startup Geeks group, dedicated to startups and innovative companies. Originally launched as the internal Digital PR function of Startup Geeks in 2020, rebranded and spun off as Lever PR in 2026. Covers media placements in major Italian outlets including Corriere della Sera, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica, Sky TG24, Rai, and Forbes Italia.

Products and services

• Startup Builder Online 12-week incubation program that helps early-stage entrepreneurs launch innovative business ideas to market while maximizing investments and accessing initial funding, including formation, individual and group mentorship, and culminating in an investor pitch.
• Startup Booster Online pre-acceleration program that consolidates entrepreneurial projects and prepares them to receive investments from professional investors.
• Club di Startup Geeks Subscription-based founder community platform allowing over 1,000 founders to network, receive mentorship, training, and access thousands of euros in discounts to support their entrepreneurial projects.
• Investment Club Club enabling candidates to raise initial capital and accelerate growth through access to a network of selected investors and specialized resources.
• Lever PR (formerly Digital PR) PR and Media Relations service that positions startups in newspapers, radio, TV, and online outlets (including Corriere della Sera, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica, Sky TG24, Rai, Forbes Italia), increasing project visibility and reputation. Has supported over 190 companies and generated over 6,000 publications.
• Innovation (Corporate Intrapreneurship, Venture Building, Social Innovation) Corporate intrapreneurship, venture building, and social innovation programs that support companies in transforming employees into innovators, boosting engagement and creativity with end-to-end solutions. Over 20,200 intrapreneurs trained.

Named customers15 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lever PR (formerly Digital PR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPR and Media Relations agency spun off from Startup Geeks in 2026. Dedicated to startups and innovative companies, building reputation and authority with measurable results across major Italian media including Corriere della Sera, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica, Sky TG24, Rai, and Forbes Italia. Over 400 clients followed and 10,000+ publications generated.
• ConlaboracoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAdvisory company that helps clients transform innovation ideas into concrete projects by identifying and activating alternative financial resources. Has supported over 200 projects with total collection of approximately 11 million EUR and contributed to the birth and development of over 100 innovative startups across Italy.
• MerakyncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAgenzia di Consulenza e Società Benefit providing strategic business and marketing consulting. Specializes in business model design, lead generation, investor pitch, and fundraising through grants. Developed unique model for obtaining up to 90-100% non-repayable grants for startups. Partner exclusive to Startup Geeks ecosystem.
• UnoQuattro Studio LegaleminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm specializing in assisting startups, innovative SMEs, and early-stage entrepreneurs. Provides shareholder agreement structuring from pre-incorporation phase. Recommended by Startup Geeks for legal support on founder agreements and corporate matters.
• InvitaliaminorOthersItalian government agency managing national funding programs for startups including Smart & Start, Resto al Sud 2.0, ON nuove imprese a tasso zero, and Voucher 3I. Featured on Startup Geeks grants page as partner for accessing public funding.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Y Combinator: Global benchmark for startup accelerators; offers batch-based incubation, mentorship, and investor access. While far larger and US-focused, Y Combinator is the structural template Startup Geeks' Startup Builder (12-week, online, investor pitch) emulates, making it the conceptual anchor in the category.
• Techstars: Global accelerator with mentor-driven 13-week programs and investor access. Comparable cohort structure and mentorship model; broader geographic footprint but similar GTM (community-led, mentor network, demo day).
• 500 Global: Global venture firm and accelerator running multi-region cohorts and growth programs. Comparable seed-stage accelerator programs, content-led founder acquisition, and corporate innovation offerings at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• H-FARM: Italy's leading innovation platform combining venture building, corporate innovation, education, and incubation. Most directly comparable Italian peer given overlapping programs (intrapreneurship, venture building) and shared enterprise and startup customer base.
• LUISS EnLabs: Rome-based accelerator (originally backed by LUISS University and supported by partner programs), running batch programs for Italian startups with mentorship and investor access. Direct competitor for Startup Builder-style cohorts in Italy.
• Nana Bianca: Florence-based Italian startup accelerator and venture builder running early-stage programs and seed investments. Comparable cohort-based incubation model and focus on Italian founders.
• B Heroes: Italian acceleration program supporting innovative startups with mentorship, training, and investor access. Direct competitor for Italian early-stage founders, with comparable cohort duration and enterprise/mentor network.

Regional players

• ComoNExT: Italian innovation hub and incubator operating a tech park with incubation, acceleration, and corporate services. Comparable in incubation and corporate innovation offerings, though physically located and region-anchored.

Others

• Italian Angels for Growth: Leading Italian business angel network providing seed/early-stage funding to Italian startups. Adjacent to Startup Geeks' Investment Club offering and a potential partner/competitor for funneling startups to investors.
• Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) Ventures: Italian state-backed venture capital arm of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, investing in and supporting Italian startups and innovation ecosystems. Complementary as a funding destination for Startup Geeks alumni and a structural competitor in the Italian early-stage market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@StartupGeeksYoutube
• Facebookjo.my/tkycmo
• LinkedInjo.my/18273s
• Instagramjo.my/mo8lnk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Startup Geeks