Progetto Itaca

What Progetto Itaca does

Progetto Itaca, legally Fondazione Progetto Itaca ETS, is an Italian nonprofit foundation founded in 1999 in Milan by families with lived experience of mental illness. It delivers free mental health information, prevention, support, and rehabilitation services across Italy through a network of 17 local associations in cities including Milano, Roma, Bologna, Firenze, Napoli, Torino, Genova, Palermo, and Padova. The foundation serves four primary beneficiary groups: people with mental health disorders, their families and caregivers, secondary-school students, and Gen Z audiences reached through digital campaigns.

The foundation's service portfolio is organized into four interconnected axes: Accoglienza e Ascolto (welcome and listening), which includes the national toll-free Linea d'Ascolto helpline (800.274.274) and the Itaca Incontra orientation service; Formazione (training), covering NAMI-accredited programs such as Famiglia a Famiglia, Pari a Pari, Basics, and Provider, plus the Itaca Lab program for digital content creators; Prevenzione (prevention), featuring the school-based program reaching 15,340 students in 2024/2025 and the Ending the Silence initiative; and Riabilitazione (rehabilitation), anchored by Club Itaca (13 Clubhouse International-model sites serving ~1,000 participants), JOB Stations (10 assisted-smart-working centers in 8 cities placing 149 people in 35+ partner companies), Rotta verso casa (housing autonomy), and Auto aiuto (peer self-help groups). The organization does not operate a technology platform; it leverages digital channels for awareness and community engagement.

Progetto Itaca is funded through a diversified nonprofit revenue mix including individual donations, the Italian 5x1000 tax designation (tax code 97629720158), corporate partnerships (Accenture/Fondazione Italiana Accenture, Aon, Indena, L'Oréal Professionnel), and government grants (notably the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies' Art. 72-funded "Insieme per la salute mentale" national project, May 2026). The foundation is the sole European partner of NAMI (since 2009) and the sole Italian partner of Clubhouse International (since 2005), anchoring its program credibility. It is registered in RUNTS (registration number 112118, June 29, 2023) as an Ente del Terzo Settore. All services are free to beneficiaries, with no paid pricing tiers.

Name

Progetto Itaca

Legal name

Fondazione Progetto Itaca ETS

Website

https://progettoitaca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Progetto Itaca is an Italian nonprofit foundation founded in 1999 in Milan that delivers free mental health prevention, support, training, and rehabilitation services through 17 local associations, a national helpline, Club Itaca centers, JOB Stations, and youth programs, serving beneficiaries across Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

Keywords

• Mental health services
• Peer support training
• Psychiatric rehabilitation
• Mental health prevention
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations from the public, including direct contributions and fundraising events such as 'Tutti Matti per il Riso' campaign. The foundation also receives donations through its website and volunteer-driven fundraising activities.
2. 5x1000 Tax Designation: Italian taxpayer can designate 5x1000 of their income tax to Progetto Itaca. Tax code: 97629720158.
3. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Partnerships with corporations such as Aon, Indena, Fondazione Italiana Accenture, and others for project funding, Job Stations support, and campaign sponsorships.
4. Government Funding: Projects funded by Ministry of Labor and Social Policies, such as 'Insieme per la salute mentale' national project under Art. 72 of Third Sector Code.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Fondazione Progetto Itaca ETS is a Milan-based nonprofit foundation that delivers free mental health programs across Italy, organized into four axes: welcome and listening (national helpline and Itaca Incontra orientation), training (NAMI-accredited family, peer and professional courses), prevention (school-based programs and youth awareness campaigns), and rehabilitation (Club Itaca day centers, JOB Stations assisted employment, Rotta verso casa housing autonomy, and Auto aiuto self-help groups). All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through donations, 5x1000 tax designations, corporate partnerships and government grants.

Product overview

Progetto Itaca is a foundation that operates as a multi-project mental health organization rather than a single product. Its portfolio encompasses four interconnected service axes: (1) ACCOGLIENZA E ASCOLTO (Welcome and Listening) including the Linea d'Ascolto national helpline and Itaca incontra guidance service; (2) FORMAZIONE (Training) comprising Itaca Lab for content creators, Provider for professionals, Basics and Famiglia a Famiglia for families, Pari a pari for peers, Corso volontari for volunteers, and Ending the Silence for school communities; (3) PREVENZIONE (Prevention) featuring school programs reaching 15,340 students and awareness campaigns like Paranoia Festival and Accendere la luce; (4) RIABILITAZIONE (Rehabilitation) including Club Itaca day centers based on Clubhouse International model, JOB Stations for assisted remote work inclusion, Rotta verso casa housing autonomy, and Auto aiuto peer support groups. The organization maintains 17 local associations across Italy with these integrated services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Club Itaca: Center for the development of socio-work autonomy for people with a history of mental distress, aged 20-45, implementing the Clubhouse International model.
• JOB Stations
• Itaca Lab
• Auto aiuto
• Progetto prevenzione nelle scuole
• Famiglia a Famiglia
• Pari a Pari
• Basics
• Provider
• Itaca incontra
• Ending the silence
• Rotta verso casa
• Corso volontari
• Paranoia Festival

Products and services

• Linea d'Ascolto (National Mental Health Helpline) National toll-free mental health helpline (Numero Verde 800.274.274 from landlines, 02.29007166 from mobiles) providing continuous listening and orientation services to people in Italy.
• Itaca Incontra Free welcoming, listening, support and guidance service for individuals and families reaching out to Progetto Itaca, conducted by trained volunteers with personal experience of mental illness, in person or online. Served 1,029 users in 2024.
• Itaca Lab Training program for social media content creators on responsible mental health communication, delivered through four in-person sessions guided by professionals; reached 1.185 million followers in 2024-25.
• Provider First Italian course dedicated to mental health operators of Mental Health Departments, organized and managed by volunteers with lived experience, approved as an ECM course for healthcare professional credits.
• Basics NAMI-accredited five-session training (2.5 hours each) for parents, educators and families of young people aged 13–22 experiencing mental health challenges, led by peer experts with personal experience.
• Pari a Pari NAMI-accredited peer-to-peer training course for people with mental health conditions, eight sessions of 2 hours each, led by individuals who have personally experienced mental health challenges.
• Famiglia a Famiglia NAMI-accredited training course for family members and caregivers of people with mental health disorders, delivered as eight weekly 2.5-hour sessions led by trained family members.
• Corso Volontari Basic volunteer training course on mental health topics, twelve weekly 2-hour sessions taught by psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers.
• Progetto Prevenzione nelle Scuole Information and awareness program for upper secondary schools, with psychiatrist-led sessions plus two Progetto Itaca volunteers, covering mental health basics, risk factors, symptoms and help-seeking.
• Ending the Silence Program for parents of young adolescents and school staff featuring a parent speaker and a young peer witness aged 18–35 in recovery, with 60–75 minute sessions covering warning signs, empathetic dialogue and professional help-seeking.
• Rotta verso Casa

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,300+ students reached in Milan alone through school prevention programs in 2024
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche SocialicoreOthers · 1 January 2026The Italian Ministry of Labor and Social Policies funds the 'Insieme per la salute mentale' national project under Art. 72 of the Third Sector Code, supporting prevention and inclusion activities nationwide.
• Class HairsecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Class Hair collaborated with Progetto Itaca Firenze, with hairstylists providing free services to Club Itaca members as part of mental health awareness activities.
• Fondazione Italiana AccenturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Fondazione Italiana Accenture partnered with Progetto Itaca in 2012 to create JOB Stations - smart working centers for people with mental health conditions. The foundation provides funding and methodological support for the employment inclusion program.
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Progetto Itaca is the only European partner of NAMI since 2009. The partnership enables the foundation to deliver NAMI-accredited training programs in Italy, including 'Famiglia a Famiglia' (Family-to-Family), 'Pari a Pari' (Peer-to-Peer), and 'Provider' courses, which are based on NAMI's evidence-based peer support model.
• Clubhouse InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Since 2005, Progetto Itaca has been the only Italian partner of Clubhouse International. The Club Itaca rehabilitation model is based on the Clubhouse International framework, which coordinates over 300 centers worldwide for people with mental health conditions.
• Accenture SpAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccenture SpA partners with Progetto Itaca for the JOB Stations method of workplace inclusion for people with mental health conditions, providing employment opportunities and corporate support.
• One Shot AgencysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne Shot Agency collaborates with Progetto Itaca on Itaca Lab, a training program for content creators on mental health communication. The agency provides expertise in digital creator management and youth engagement.
• Ordine degli Psicologi della LombardiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Order of Psychologists of Lombardy is a key partner in the Paranoia Festival and other mental health initiatives, providing professional credibility and expert involvement.
• Università IULMsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIULM University of Milan collaborates with Progetto Itaca on mental health awareness campaigns, with communication students creating content for RAI broadcast campaigns.
• BASE MilanosecondaryOthersBASE Milano hosts the annual Paranoia Festival, providing venue and support for the Gen Z mental health awareness event.
• SerenissecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSerenis, a digital mental health platform, partners with Paranoia Festival and supports mental health awareness initiatives with professional expertise.
• Corriere della SerasecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor Italian newspaper collaborated with Progetto Itaca on the 'Adolescenze' podcast series featuring mental health stories, reaching millions of readers and listeners.
• Studenti (Mondadori Media)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerMondadori's Studenti media brand (4 million users) serves as media partner for Paranoia Festival, reaching young audiences with mental health content.
• WebbohsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerWebboh, the leading Gen Z media brand in Italy (6 million reach, 5 million followers), partners with Progetto Itaca for youth mental health campaigns.
• RAIcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerItalian public broadcaster RAI provides airtime for Progetto Itaca mental health awareness campaigns, including content created with university students broadcast on RAI channels.
• Comune di MilanocoreOthersThe Municipality of Milan provides patronage and support for Progetto Itaca events including Paranoia Festival and the +PARI project for young adults.
• Regione LombardiacoreOthersLombardy Region provides patronage for 'Incontri con la Scienza' conferences and other regional mental health initiatives.
• AssolombardasecondaryOthersAssolombarda provides patronage for 'Incontri con la Scienza' events, supporting mental health awareness in the business community.
• Fondazione PasquinelliminorOthersFondazione Pasquinelli provides patronage for the 'Incontri con la Scienza' conference series.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mind (UK): The UK's leading mental health charity, providing information, support, and campaigning across mental health conditions — directly comparable in mission breadth (prevention, support, rehabilitation, advocacy) to Progetto Itaca's national model.
• Mental Health America: Oldest US mental-health nonprofit (founded 1909), operating a community-based network of affiliates delivering prevention, screening, peer support, and advocacy — directly comparable to Progetto Itaca's 17-local-association architecture.
• Rethink Mental Illness: UK charity supporting people severely affected by mental illness through services, peer programs, and family training — closely aligned with Progetto Itaca's Club Itaca, Auto Aiuto, and Famiglia a Famiglia programs.
• The Jed Foundation: US nonprofit focused on emotional health and suicide prevention for teens and young adults, including school-based programs — comparable to Progetto Itaca's Ending the Silence and school prevention offerings.
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): US-based peer-led mental health nonprofit and the originator of the Famiglia a Famiglia, Basics, Pari a Pari, Provider, and Ending the Silence curricula that Progetto Itaca delivers in Italy; Progetto Itaca has been NAMI's sole European partner since 2009.
• Bring Change to Mind: Mental-health anti-stigma nonprofit leveraging media, storytelling, and youth engagement — directly comparable to Progetto Itaca's Paranoia Festival and Itaca Lab influencer-driven awareness model.
• Active Minds: US nonprofit focused on youth and young-adult mental health awareness and prevention on college campuses — overlapping directly with Progetto Itaca's Progetto prevenzione nelle scuole, Itaca Lab, and Paranoia Festival youth-targeted programs.

Emerging players

• Serenis: Italian digital mental-health platform providing online psychological support; a current Progetto Itaca partner via Paranoia Festival but a competing channel for Gen Z mental-health attention and donor share in Italy.

Regional players

• Beyond Blue: Australia's leading mental-health awareness and support nonprofit, operating a national helpline and digital programs — shares Progetto Itaca's helpline-plus-awareness model but operates in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Mental Health Association: Canada's broadest established community mental-health organization, providing national advocacy plus local branches for service delivery — analogous to Progetto Itaca's combination of national foundation and 17 local associations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/progettoitaca
• Facebookfacebook.com/progettoitaca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/progetto-itaca
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ProgettoItaca
• Xx.com/progettoitaca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries17 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 Progetto Itaca