Fondazione CRT

What Fondazione CRT does

Fondazione CRT is a Turin-based, private non-profit banking foundation established in 1991 and ranked as the third-largest Italian banking foundation by asset size. As of 2025, it held net equity of €2.85 billion and generated €276 million in ordinary proceeds, with €209 million of exercise surplus. Since inception, it has disbursed over €2 billion across more than 50,000 projects, making it one of the most active philanthropic institutions in Italy.

The foundation's product surface spans grant programs, impact investing (Impact Deal), cultural infrastructure (OGR Torino), and a network of operating subsidiaries — Fondazione Arte CRT, Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, ISI Foundation, OGR Torino, and Scialuppa CRT ETS — that collectively address arts, scientific research, social welfare, and economic development in Piedmont and beyond. It is a member of Philea (since 1998) and has been selected to host the Philea Forum in 2027. For the 2026–2028 period, the foundation has committed €620 million to institutional activity, with €120 million allocated to 2026 alone.

The business model is endowment-funded philanthropy: proceeds generated from a diversified investment portfolio are channeled into grants, program-related investments, and operating subsidiaries rather than sold as commercial services. Beneficiaries include nonprofits, cultural institutions, researchers, students, and social enterprises. Recent strategic positioning includes a €15 million co-investment with AI4I to create the Digital Revolution House and the integration of AI literacy into the Progetto Diderot education program, signaling selective expansion into the AI and digital-skills vertical.

Name

Fondazione CRT

Legal name

Fondazione CRT

Website

https://fondazionecrt.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fondazione CRT is a Turin-based non-profit banking foundation, the third-largest in Italy, that channels endowment proceeds into grants, impact investing, and cultural and research infrastructure across the Piedmont region and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Torino

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Endowment Investment Returns: As a banking foundation (Fondazione di origine bancaria), Fondazione CRT generates revenue primarily through returns on its endowment portfolio. The foundation's financial highlights show ordinary proceeds of €276 million in 2025 and net equity of €2.85 billion.
2. Institutional Grant Disbursements: The foundation distributes grants and project funding to eligible organizations in its territories. In 2026, resources available for institutional activity amount to €120 million. Total disbursements exceed €2 billion across more than 50,000 projects since founding.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fondazione CRT is a private non-profit banking foundation that disburses grants and supports projects in arts, culture, education, research, social welfare, environmental protection, and innovation across the Piedmont and Aosta Valley territories of Italy. It funds eligible organizations through competitive calls for proposals (bandi) and direct partnerships, and operates an ecosystem of specialized entities delivering cultural programming (OGR Torino, Fondazione Arte CRT), research (ISI Foundation), impact investing (Sviluppo e Crescita CRT), and anti-usury services (Scialuppa CRT). In 2026 the foundation has allocated €120 million for institutional activities (€620 million over the 2026-2028 DPP), funded by returns on its €2.85 billion endowment.

Product overview

Fondazione CRT is a private non-profit foundation (founded 1991) operating as a philanthropic entity with multiple programmatic initiatives rather than a unified technology product. Its portfolio includes grant programs (NoteSipari for live performances, Orizzonti L.I.V.E. for cultural organizations, Film Commission Torino Piemonte for cinema), cultural infrastructure (OGR Torino with OGR Cult and OGR Tech divisions), educational initiatives (Progetto Diderot, Talenti per l'Impresa), research programs (Progetto Lagrange with ISI Foundation), and acceleration programs (Impact Deal). Supporting entities include Fondazione Arte CRT (art collection and contemporary art), Scialuppa CRT ETS (anti-usury services), and Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT (impact investing). The foundation has allocated 620 million euros for the 2026-2028 period across its activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OGR Torino: Innovation and culture hub consisting of OGR Cult (cultural/artistic/musical) and OGR Tech (scientific/technological/entrepreneurial)
• NoteSipari
• Orizzonti L.I.V.E.
• Progetto Diderot
• Impact Deal
• Premio Lagrange
• Talenti per l'Impresa
• Scialuppa CRT

Products and services

• NoteSipari Thematic grant program supporting live performances in music, theater, dance, and contemporary circus across Piedmont and Aosta Valley. Open to applicants through scheduled application windows.
• Orizzonti L.I.V.E. Thematic grant program dedicated to structured cultural organizations, designed to generate impact and visions capable of transforming territories through the energy of live performance.
• Film Commission Torino Piemonte Funds Film and audiovisual funding programs supporting cinema production in the Piedmont region, including the Short Film Fund, Piemonte Film Tv Development Fund, and Piemonte Doc Film Fund.
• OGR Torino 35,000 sqm innovation and culture hub managed by Fondazione CRT, featuring OGR Cult (contemporary art, music, cultural events) and OGR Tech (scientific, technological, and entrepreneurial innovation). Located in renovated 19th-century train repair workshops.
• Progetto Diderot Educational project supporting students in Piedmont and Aosta Valley with various learning paths spanning contemporary art to artificial intelligence; 214,488 students enrolled within one hour during Click Day 2025 across 27 teaching lines for 2025/2026.
• Impact Deal European acceleration program for data-driven startups and SMEs with social and environmental missions, organized by Fondazione CRT and OGR Torino with support from Microsoft.
• Progetto Lagrange Research fellowship program in data science and social impact, jointly promoted by Fondazione CRT and ISI Foundation. Awards 10 annual fellowships to STEM or social science graduates with data science skills.
• Talenti per l'Impresa Talent development program supporting young graduates in career development and entrepreneurship, connecting talent with businesses in Piedmont and Aosta Valley.

Quantifiable outcome

• €2+ billion disbursed across 50,000+ projects since 1991
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and key.

• Philea (Philanthropy Europe Association)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Member since 1998. Hosted Philea Forum 2027 at OGR Torino (May 24-27) with 800+ delegates from Europe and internationally. Philea is the principal network of European philanthropy bringing together 289 organizations from 36 countries.
• TechstarscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2025Techstars Transformative World Torino accelerator program, run in partnership with Fondazione CRT, Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, and Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre. Over 4 years, 69 startups participated raising more than $200 million combined. Program concluded in 2025/2026 as Techstars exited Turin.
• Fondazione Compagnia di San PaolocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing strategic partner in multiple initiatives including Techstars Turin, Film Commission Torino Piemonte, and various cultural and social projects in Piedmont.
• Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Techstars Transformative World Torino accelerator, supporting innovation ecosystem development in Turin.
• AI4I (Istituto Italiano di Intelligenza Artificiale)keyTechnology or IntegrationItalian Institute for Artificial Intelligence as key partner in Digital Revolution House project, a €15 million investment for new research and education hub at OGR Torino.
• Politecnico di TorinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner for Digital Revolution House, new University of Turin space at OGR Tech, and various research and innovation initiatives. Active in startup ecosystem through I3P incubator.
• MicrosoftkeyTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for Impact Deal, the first European acceleration program for impact-driven enterprises, signed by Fondazione CRT and OGR Torino with Microsoft.
• Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRTcoreOthersImpact-oriented entity of the Fondazione CRT group, launched €92 million strategic plan including Italy's first Search Fund dedicated to SMEs. Invests in urban/social regeneration, innovation, and economic development.
• ISI FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific partner for research initiatives including Progetto Lagrange, coordinating 10 research fellowships in data science and AI for social impact.
• ANCI PiemontekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Association of Piedmont Municipalities for 'European Pathways' program to strengthen local authorities' project development capacity. Call open for 10 local authorities.
• Fondazione CariplokeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-partner in 'Allenarsi al Futuro' (Training for the Future) project addressing educational poverty in Northwest Italy.
• Film Commission Torino PiemontekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondazione CRT fully supports Short Film Fund 2026 (€100,000 total with max €30,000 per project), also supports documentary and development funds. Partnership strengthening cinema and audiovisual sector.
• ZestkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in TechTO Industry Accelerator with Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT. €1.9 million total investment over 3 years (€900,000 from Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, €1 million from Zest) to connect startups and industry.
• OGR TorinocoreOthersHub of culture and innovation managed by Fondazione CRT. Ex-industrial workshops (35,000 m²) housing OGR Cult (art, culture) and OGR Tech (science, technology, entrepreneurship). Site of Impact Deal, Techstars Demo Days, and major cultural events.
• Fondazione Arte CRTcoreOthersArt-oriented entity of Fondazione CRT active for 25+ years. Collection of nearly 1,000 works by 380 artists valued at over €43 million. Supports contemporary art across regional territory.
• Città di TorinokeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 'Torino Cambia – Spazi che Uniscono' (€32 million), Valentino Park redevelopment, Central Civic Library construction, Luci d'Artista lighting festival, and various urban regeneration projects.
• Regione PiemontekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerProtocol agreement for €8 million supporting culture, territory promotion, inclusion, and training activities. Collaborative initiatives for regional development.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo: Turin-based Italian banking foundation of comparable scale and identical grantmaking model. Co-partner in Techstars Turin, Film Commission Torino Piemonte, and multiple cultural projects - making it CRT's most direct peer.
• Fondazione Giorgio Cini: Italian cultural and research foundation based in Venice with a large heritage campus and similar arts/research grant portfolio. Closely comparable in operating a cultural hub and funding academic and artistic programmes.
• Fondazione Cariplo: Largest Italian banking foundation (~€7B assets), operating the same banking-foundation grantmaking model in Lombardy. Co-partner with CRT in Allenarsi al Futuro educational poverty program; directly comparable in scope and structure.
• VolkswagenStiftung: Germany's largest science-and-society private foundation, similarly born from industrial/banking heritage. Comparable in research grantmaking (analogous to CRT's Progetto Lagrange), international fellowships, and structured thematic calls.
• Fondazione CON IL SUD: Italian grantmaking foundation focused on Southern Italy social inclusion. Uses comparable bandi/call-for-proposals distribution model and serves as a national peer for community-based grantmaking strategy.
• Fondazione Banco BPM: Italian banking foundation with similar banking-origin model and multi-sector grantmaking in arts, education, and welfare. Comparable in funding structure and territorial focus in northern Italy.

Broad incumbents

• Wellcome Trust: UK-based global charitable foundation with much larger endowment (~£30B). Comparable as a research-and-culture grantmaking institution with strong Philea network membership and cross-European footprint.

Emerging players

• Fondazione Prada: Milan-based contemporary art foundation with significant private collection and exhibition programming. Comparable as an Italian arts-and-culture peer, though narrower in scope and corporate-funded rather than banking-foundation-funded.
• Pirelli HangarBicocca: Milan cultural institution operating out of a converted industrial site (similar heritage-reuse concept to OGR Torino) with contemporary art programming. Comparable as a converted-industrial cultural-innovation venue in Italy.

Regional players

• Fondazione per l'Innovazione Urbana: Bologna-based foundation focused on urban regeneration, civic technology, and community participation. Comparable in deploying impact-investing tools for territorial development alongside CRT's Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fondazionecrt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/fondazionecrt
• Facebookfacebook.com/fondazionecrt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondazione-crt
• Instagraminstagram.com/fondazionecrt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Fondazione CRT