Almacube

What Almacube does

Almacube Srl is a Bologna-based, Italian private limited company operating as the certified incubator, accelerator, and innovation hub of the University of Bologna and Confindustria Emilia Area Centro. Founded in 1999 with over 20 years of operating history, the company employs 20+ multidisciplinary professionals and operates from three Italian locations in Bologna and Valenzano (Bari). Almacube serves three principal constituencies: early-stage startups and university spin-offs seeking structured incubation and corporate connections; corporate enterprises (notably Barilla, co-founder of the flagship Good Food Makers program since 2019) seeking open innovation through startup collaboration; and master's students, researchers, and young talent developing entrepreneurial capabilities through programs like Tech Forward and CBI.ATTRACT. The organization reports having engaged over 1,100 startups from more than 50 countries through its open innovation programs, with 26 pilot projects and 20+ active implementations generated through Good Food Makers alone.

The company's service portfolio is organized around two business units — Startup & Spinoff and Open Innovation — supported by Administration & Finance and Marketing & Communication functions. Core offerings include the Great-ER advanced incubation program for deep tech spin-offs, Startup Membership, the Call4innovation open innovation platform, and human-centered Design Thinking consulting. The proprietary "Tech To Market" methodology combines human-centered Design Thinking with tech-driven innovation processes for technology transfer and entrepreneurship education. Major funded projects span TECH2X (climate and mobility), ECOSISTER (sustainable transition), CTE COBO (emerging technologies), UMANE (human-centered entrepreneurship), Tech Forward (master's student training with CERN IdeaSquare), and CBI.ATTRACT (detection and imaging technologies). Notable corporate partnerships include Barilla, Intesa Sanpaolo, Invitalia, and UnipolSai; institutional and academic partners include the University of Bologna, Confindustria Emilia Area Centro, CERN IdeaSquare, ART-ER, BI-REX, and EIT HEI Initiative. The company was recognized at the ADI Design Index 2025 for its Bologna Empowering Talent project as a model of open innovation for institutions and universities.

Almacube's revenue is generated through three streams: (1) incubation and acceleration program fees; (2) corporate open innovation services and consulting engagements; and (3) public funding and grants from EU and regional Italian initiatives, including approved contributions under TECH2X (€128,755), ECOSISTER, CTE COBO, UMANE, CBI.ATTRACT, and Tech Forward. Distribution is primarily direct through physical programs in Bologna supplemented by international open calls, the Empowering Innovators podcast, social media presence across LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and participation in European innovation networks. The company is privately held with no institutional VC/PE backing disclosed; in April 2026, Fondazione Golinelli entered Almacube as a partner/investor. Leadership comprises President Laura Toschi and CEO Shiva Loccisano, supported by board members and unit heads across Startup & Spinoff, Open Innovation, and corporate functions.

Name

Almacube

Legal name

Almacube Srl

Website

https://almacube.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Almacube is a Bologna-based certified incubator and innovation hub affiliated with the University of Bologna and Confindustria Emilia Area Centro, providing incubation programs, open innovation services, and entrepreneurship education to startups, corporations, and master's students across Italy and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation and Open Innovation Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus (EDAHAEAH)

Keywords

• Startup incubation services
• Open innovation consulting
• Corporate innovation programs
• Technology transfer services
• Entrepreneurship education

Headquarters

HQ city

Bologna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Incubation and Acceleration Programs: Revenue from certified incubation programs for startups and spinoffs, including advanced incubation programs like Great-ER and Startup Membership
2. Open Innovation Services: Corporate innovation programs and consulting services for enterprises seeking to collaborate with startups through customized open innovation initiatives
3. Public Funding and Grants: EU and regional funding through projects like TECH2X, ECOSISTER, CTE COBO, UMANE, CBI.ATTRACT, and Tech Forward - approved public contributions for consortium partnerships

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Almacube is the certified incubator, accelerator, and innovation hub of the University of Bologna and Confindustria Emilia Area Centro. It provides incubation and acceleration programs for startups and spinoffs, and runs open innovation consulting programs (using design thinking and human-centered methods) that connect corporations with startups, students, researchers, and young entrepreneurs to co-develop solutions.

Product overview

Almacube is an innovation hub, certified incubator, and accelerator of the University of Bologna and Confindustria Emilia Area Centro. The company operates two main business units: Startup & Spin-off and Open Innovation, supported by Administration & Finance and Marketing & Communication functions. The product portfolio centers on three interconnected offerings: (1) Incubation and Acceleration Programs including the Great-ER advanced incubation program and Startup Membership for early-stage companies; (2) Open Innovation services comprising Call4innovation and Design Thinking methodology to help corporations innovate through human-centered approaches; and (3) Funded Projects including TECH2X, ECOSISTER, CTE COBO, UMANE, Tech Forward, and CBI.ATTRACT that support innovation and entrepreneurship in education and research contexts. The company also runs the Good Food Makers open innovation program with Barilla and produces the Empowering Innovators Podcast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Incubation and Acceleration Programs
• Open Innovation Consulting
• Call4innovation
• Great-ER Advanced Incubation Program
• Startup Membership
• Good Food Makers
• Talent Program
• Tech Forward Student Program
• CBI.ATTRACT Student Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,100 startups engaged through open innovation programs from more than 50 countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Fondazione GolinellicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2026Fondazione Golinelli has entered into Almacube as a partner, strengthening the innovation ecosystem with additional resources and connections in the Italian innovation landscape.
• BarillacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Barilla and Almacube co-founded the Good Food Makers open innovation program in 2019. The program connects startups with Barilla's industrial operations to co-develop food solutions. Since launch, it has engaged over 1,100 startups from 50+ countries, generating 26 pilot projects and 20+ active implementations. The 2026 edition runs May 25 to July 10 with focus areas including Next-Gen Smart Onboarding, Redefining Everyday Meals, and Mood Boost in Motion.
• University of BolognacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlmacube is the innovation hub of the University of Bologna, providing incubation, acceleration, and open innovation services in partnership with the university. Also part of Oper.Space, the Factory for Innovation of the University of Bologna.
• Confindustria Emilia Area CentrocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlmacube is the innovation hub of Confindustria Emilia Area Centro, connecting industrial enterprises with innovation ecosystem resources.
• ART-ERmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerART-ER is part of Almacube's innovation partner network, representing the regional competitiveness ecosystem of Emilia-Romagna.
• BI-REXmajorTechnology or IntegrationBI-REX (Big Data & Research Excellence) is an innovation partner focused on data-driven innovation and research excellence.
• Science Park GrazminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner from Austria, part of Almacube's global innovation network connecting incubators and accelerators.
• PNICubeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian university business plan competition network, connecting Almacube with other university incubators.
• Fondazione GolinellicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Italian foundation focused on education, innovation, and entrepreneurship support.
• CERN IdeaSquaremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERN IdeaSquare collaboration in CBI.ATTRACT and Tech Forward programs where students work with CERN scientists and access Ideasquare facilities for innovation projects.
• EIT RawMaterialsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Institute of Innovation and Technology KIC partner in UMANE project for human-centered entrepreneurship.
• EIT ManufacturingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Institute of Innovation and Technology KIC partner strengthening collaboration in manufacturing innovation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Startupbootcamp: Global accelerator with industry-vertical programs (foodtech, fintech, etc.) including in Italy. Comparable as a corporate-connected accelerator running structured cohort programs; a global benchmark against which Almacube's corporate open innovation model is measured.
• Techstars: Global accelerator network operating mentorship-driven programs worldwide. Comparable as an accelerator offering structured startup programs and corporate partnerships, but at vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach than Almacube.
• CDP Venture Capital: Italy's largest venture capital fund-of-funds backed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. Operates accelerator programs (e.g., BoostX, Motor Valley) that overlap with Almacube's incubation offerings but at much larger scale and with national mandate.

Direct peers

• LVenture Group: Italian listed company operating an acceleration platform (LUISS Enlabs) and holding startup equity. Closely comparable to Almacube as an Italian accelerator operator with corporate partnerships, though structured as a listed holding versus an Srl.
• H-FARM: Veneto-based innovation platform combining an early-stage venture investor, accelerator, and corporate innovation consulting. Comparable to Almacube in providing incubation plus corporate open innovation services, though larger and more venture-capital oriented.
• I3P - Incubatore Politecnico di Torino: Certified incubator of Politecnico di Torino, focused on deep-tech and industrial startups. Closely comparable to Almacube in mission, certification status (MISE), and university-backed incubation model in northern Italy.
• Fondazione Golinelli (G-Factor): Bologna-based foundation operating G-Factor, a life-sciences accelerator, and education programs. Directly comparable as an Italian innovation hub with education focus; notably also became an Almacube partner in April 2026.
• PoliHub: Innovation hub and incubator of Politecnico di Milano, one of Italy's leading technical universities. Directly comparable to Almacube as a university-anchored Italian startup incubator offering acceleration programs, corporate open innovation services, and EU-funded projects.
• Bocconi for Innovation: Innovation and entrepreneurship programs of Bocconi University, including student accelerators and corporate open innovation initiatives. Comparable in operating model (university-linked hub, talent programs, corporate partnerships) and target segment (enterprise/mid-market Italian companies).

Emerging players

• Bio4Dreams: Italian certified incubator specialized in early-stage life sciences and biotech startups. Comparable as a fellow MISE-certified Italian incubator with similar academic/corporate partnership model, though narrower vertical focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCETv3eVaH6nj_Neve2YqmHg
• Facebookfacebook.com/IncubatoreAlmacube
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/almacube-srl
• Instagraminstagram.com/almacubebologna
• Xx.com/almacube

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Almacube