Compagnia di San Paolo

What Compagnia di San Paolo does

Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo is an Italian banking foundation established in 1563 in Turin, making it one of the oldest continuously operating philanthropic institutions in Europe. Operating under Italian banking-foundation law, it serves the northwestern Italian regions of Piemonte, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta, distributing grants and running strategic initiatives aligned with three objectives (Cultura, Persone, Pianeta) and 14 missions mapped to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Its core 'product' is grantmaking rather than commercial software, supported by a digital application platform called ROL (Richiesta On Line) for online contribution requests, a CSP Play multimedia platform for stakeholder engagement, and an Open Data portal providing contextual territorial data for its three operating regions.

The foundation's business model is endowment-driven: it holds a ~6.6% stake in Intesa Sanpaolo (reducing to 5.1% upon completion of the Monte dei Paschi acquisition) and a 0.1% stake in Generali, generating investment returns that fund philanthropic distributions. It does not sell products or services; grant amounts vary by program (e.g., €15,000-€50,000 per environmental transition project, capped at 80% of project budget). Customer segments are non-profit organizations, educational and cultural institutions, and young people aged 15-25, with grant applications routed through the ROL platform. The foundation also manages six wholly-owned instrumental entities (Ufficio Pio, Fondazione per la Scuola, Fondazione 1563, IIGM, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Links Foundation) that deliver specialized programs in social assistance, education, cultural research, and academic training.

Recent strategic positioning reflects an evolution from pure regional grantmaker toward a more capital-mobilizing, European-engaging institution. It is a founding Italian investor in the €5 billion Scaleup Europe Fund alongside Fondazione Cariplo and Intesa Sanpaolo, providing capital exposure to European deep-tech sectors (AI, quantum, biotech, climate). It partners with Techstars (2022-2026), CDP Venture Capital (VitalMatch, 2026), Fondazione CRT, and Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre to run accelerators and incubators, and participates in pan-European coalitions such as the Alliance for Socially Engaged Arts. Distribution is multi-channel: website, email newsletter, social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Spotify), webinars, and informational events. The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors on a four-year cycle, with Francesco Profumo serving as President during the 2020-2024 mandate.

Name

Compagnia di San Paolo

Legal name

Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo

Website

https://compagniadisanpaolo.it

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo is a Turin-based Italian banking foundation, operating since 1563, that distributes grants and runs strategic initiatives across three objectives (Cultura, Persone, Pianeta) serving non-profits, cultural institutions, and youth in Piemonte, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta, funded by returns from its endowment including a ~6.6% stake in Intesa Sanpaolo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Grantmaking Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Philanthropic foundation services
• Grantmaking programs
• Endowment investment management
• Cultural philanthropy
• Social impact grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Torino

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Endowment Investment Returns: As a banking foundation established in 1563, the organization operates using returns from its endowment portfolio. The foundation holds significant stakes in financial institutions (approximately 6.6% of Intesa Sanpaolo) and other investments, using the proceeds to fund philanthropic activities across its three strategic objectives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo is a banking foundation established in 1563 in Turin that distributes grants and contributions to non-profit entities across three strategic objectives (Cultura, Persone, Pianeta) in the Piemonte, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta regions of northwestern Italy. The foundation funds its philanthropic activities using returns from its endowment portfolio, including a significant stake in Intesa Sanpaolo, and operates through open calls for proposals, strategic partnerships, and six wholly-owned instrumental entities focused on culture, education, research, social services, and digital innovation.

Product overview

Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo is a philanthropic foundation (not a commercial software company) that operates digital platforms to manage its institutional activities. Its core digital offerings include ROL (Richiesta On Line), an online grant request platform for submitting contribution applications; CSP Play, a multimedia content platform for exploring Foundation activities; and an Open Data Portal providing territorial data for Piedmont, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta. The Foundation also manages various grant programs (Bandi) and contribution guidelines across its three strategic objectives: Culture, People, and Planet.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CSP Play: Cultural initiative platform showcasing foundation activities and projects
• Open Data

Products and services

• ROL (Richiesta On Line) An online request platform that allows eligible non-profit organizations in Piemonte, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta to submit and manage digital grant applications and contributions to the Foundation.
• CSP Play A multimedia platform that enables users to explore the Foundation's cultural and philanthropic activities through podcasts, videos, and audio content featuring foundation protagonists and project stories.
• Open Data Portal An open data platform that provides contextual SDG-related data for the Piemonte, Liguria, and Valle d'Aosta territories to support research, analysis, and project design by grantees and stakeholders.
• Bandi e Contributi (Grant Programs) Annual grant cycles and open calls for proposals (bandi) under the Foundation's Cultura, Persone, and Pianeta objectives, providing financial contributions to eligible organizations implementing cultural, social, and environmental projects. Environmental transition contributions range from €15,000 to €50,000 per project, not exceeding 80% of total project budget.

Quantifiable outcome

• 69 startups raised over $200 million through Techstars Turin accelerator partnership
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CDP Venture CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026CDP Venture Capital leads the VitalMatch sports and wellness startup incubator in Turin, supported by Startupbootcamp and Wylab. The program operates within Allianz Stadium, representing a strategic shift toward sport and health technology integration.
• Alliance for Socially Engaged ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025A coalition of 11 European foundations promoting arts as a means to address social and political issues and strengthen democracy across Europe. Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo participates as a member foundation.
• TechstarscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Techstars operated an accelerator program in Turin for 4 years in partnership with Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, Fondazione CRT, and Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre. The program supported 69 startups that raised more than $200 million combined. The program ended in 2026 as Techstars shifted to 'quality over quantity'.
• YEPP ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011YEPP Italia (Young Entrepreneurs in Social Progress) has been supported by Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo since 2011. The organization promotes youth civic engagement and active citizenship through the YEPP methodology, present in 10 European countries.
• Fondazione CRTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondazione CRT (Cassa di Risparmio di Torino) is a key partner in multiple initiatives including the Techstars Turin accelerator and other regional philanthropy programs in Northwest Italy.
• Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre collaborates with the foundation on innovation initiatives including the Techstars Smart Mobility Accelerator and is co-investor in the Scaleup Europe Fund.
• Yeah! (Cooperativa sociale)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerYeah! is a social cooperative that supports the foundation's digital accessibility initiatives, helping optimize website accessibility for people with disabilities.
• Ufficio PiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of six instrumental entities of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo. Ufficio Pio provides social support services and celebrated 430 years of operation in 2026.
• Fondazione per la scuolacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstrumental entity of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo focused on educational initiatives and school support programs.
• Collegio Carlo AlbertocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstrumental entity focused on research and academic excellence, operating as a college university in Turin.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fondazione Cariplo: Italy's largest banking foundation by assets (originated from Cassa dei Risparmi di Milano). Direct peer because it shares the same banking-foundation legal form, multi-objective grant strategy, regional Italian focus (Lombardia), and is co-founding investor with Compagnia di San Paolo in the Scaleup Europe Fund.
• Fondazione CRT: Turin-based banking foundation from Cassa di Risparmio di Torino. Direct peer because it operates in the same Northwest Italian geography, runs parallel grant programs across culture/education/welfare, and is a documented co-partner of Compagnia di San Paolo in the Techstars Turin accelerator and other regional initiatives.
• Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena: Tuscan banking foundation originating from Monte dei Paschi di Siena. Direct peer because it shares the same Italian banking-foundation legal form, holds equity in its origin bank, and pursues multi-sector grant-making (culture, social, health, research) with regional focus.
• Fondazione CR Firenze: Florentine banking foundation from Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze. Direct peer because it shares the banking-foundation structure, pursues culture/welfare/research grants, and operates at comparable scale within its Tuscany catchment.
• Fondazione Banco di Napoli: Naples-based banking foundation of Banco di Napoli. Direct peer because it is an Italian banking foundation with cultural/social grant programs and a comparable regional remit (Campania).
• Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo: Veneto banking foundation. Direct peer because of shared banking-foundation legal form, multi-area grant-making (culture, education, welfare, research), and regional Italian operating model.
• Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo (the anchor) - excluded:
• Fondazione CRT — duplicate excluded; replaced with European foundation equivalent: See Fondazione CRT above; kept once.

Broad incumbents

• Wellcome Trust: Large UK charitable foundation. Broad incumbent peer because it pursues comparable long-duration, large-scale philanthropy across research, culture, and society, but with a global health/science mandate rather than Italian regional focus.

Emerging players

• Fondazione Enel: Corporate foundation of Enel focused on sustainability and youth employment. Emerging player peer because it overlaps with the Pianeta objective and youth programs (SparkZ-style), but operates at smaller scale and from a corporate-foundation (not banking-foundation) base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CSP_live
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/compagniadisanpaolo
• Facebookfacebook.com/CompagniaDiSanPaolo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/compagnia-di-san-paolo
• Instagraminstagram.com/compagniadisanpaolo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments10 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Compagnia di San Paolo