Fondazione Enel

What Fondazione Enel does

Fondazione Enel — legally Fondazione Centro Studi Enel and operating as Enel Foundation — is an Italian non-profit foundation established and financed by Enel S.p.A. and headquartered in Rome. Founded in 2012 (with operational activities beginning in 2016), it operates as a global knowledge platform on the role and future of energy, generating evidence-based research, policy analysis, and educational programs to support the energy transition. Its work spans Africa, Latin America, and Europe, with a particular emphasis on capacity building in emerging markets through initiatives such as Open Africa Power, Open Brazil Power, Open Global Power, the Technical and Vocational School, the East Africa and Southern Africa Executive Schools, the High-Level Managerial Course on Renewable Energy, and startup accelerators including wAtt-boost and GreenUp Morocco. The foundation holds Official Partner status with Italy's Mattei Plan for Africa and an MoU with the Mattei Plan Mission Structure, and collaborates with more than 25 international organizations and academic institutions including IRENA, IEA, EPRI, SEforALL, Harvard, MIT, Politecnico di Milano, Bocconi, Oxford, and UM6P.

The foundation's core product is not a technology platform but a portfolio of education programs, executive training, policy roundtables, and research publications, complemented by a digital Observatory and a newsletter. Instruction is delivered free of charge to selected participants; the foundation does not sell technology, licenses, or services. Its value proposition lies in convening industry, academia, and policy — leveraging Enel Group's operational experience — and in producing structured curricula on energy transition topics (renewable energy, grid resilience, just transition, climate adaptation, digitalization, AI in energy). The foundation's appointed General Manager is Ernesto Ciorra.

From a business model perspective, Enel Foundation is funded institutionally by Enel Group rather than through commercial revenue. Operations are supported by grants and collaborative projects with international partners; the input data explicitly classifies revenue as null. Distribution occurs through direct program delivery (in-person training, workshops, conferences including COP26-COP30, Venice Climate Week, Enlit Europe) and self-serve digital channels (website, free publications, newsletter). The foundation has trained over 5,000 students through its programs and engaged 42,000+ youth voices through the Global Youth Energy Outlook. The 2025-2026 period shows rapid expansion: new programs in Brazil, Morocco, Southern Africa, and a multi-regional offering, alongside accelerator programs for energy startups — all pointing to a foundation in an active scaling phase under its Mattei Plan mandate.

Name

Fondazione Enel

Legal name

Fondazione Centro Studi Enel

Website

https://enelfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Fondazione Enel (Enel Foundation) is a Rome-based non-profit foundation funded by Enel Group that delivers energy transition research, education, and training programs globally, with a focus on capacity building in Africa and Latin America under the Mattei Plan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Roma

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Funding: As a foundation established by Enel Group, Enel Foundation operates primarily through institutional funding from its parent organization. Revenue is generated through grants, partnerships, and collaborative projects with international organizations rather than commercial product sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fondazione Enel (legally Fondazione Centro Studi Enel, doing business as Enel Foundation) is a non-profit foundation established by Enel Group that operates as a knowledge platform on energy transition. It produces research, publications, and runs educational programs such as Open Africa Power and Open Brazil Power to train students, professionals, and public-sector stakeholders on clean energy, electrification, and sustainability topics. Its activities are funded by Enel Group contributions and delivered primarily through courses, research output, and institutional partnerships.

Product overview

Fondazione Enel (Enel Foundation) is a global knowledge platform focused on the role and future of energy transition. It operates as a research and education organization offering multiple training programs and research initiatives. The core offerings include regional education programs (Open Africa Power, Open Brazil Power, Open Global Power), executive schools (East Africa, Southern Africa, Technical and Vocational School), accelerator programs (wAtt-boost, GreenUp Morocco), and the High-Level Managerial Course on Renewable Energy. These programs provide technical, regulatory, and business skills to energy professionals across Africa, Latin America, and globally. Supporting infrastructure includes the Observatory research platform, Mind the Gaps AI/philosophy education initiative, and various research publications including the Digitalization & Decarbonization Report. The foundation also offers newsletter subscription services for disseminating knowledge on energy transition topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Open Africa Power
• Open Brazil Power

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ students trained through Open Africa Power and related education programs
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Launched climate resilience workshop series focusing on building resilience in energy systems and supporting the transition to sustainable energy infrastructure.
• IEA (International Energy Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2021Collaborative partnership including The Glass House Project on energy employment opportunities in the Just Transition, World Energy Employment report contributions, and joint research on energy sector workforce trends.
• IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Enel Foundation and IRENA collaborate on youth engagement in energy transition, joint training programs including Open Africa Power, and knowledge sharing on renewable energy development. Partnership focuses on advancing the global energy transition through capacity building and research collaboration.
• SEforALL (Sustainable Energy for All)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Open Africa Power program, supporting SDG7 (affordable and clean energy) and capacity building for sustainable energy development in Africa.
• MIT SolveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership supporting MIT Solve's annual flagship events and challenges related to energy and sustainability innovation.
• Harvard University (Environmental Economics Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy policy roundtable discussions, joint webinars on grid resilience research, and collaboration on energy transition policy analysis.
• Politecnico di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmbassador Program in Green Technology and Smart Infrastructures, Executive PhD program for Enel Foundation Fellows, and ongoing academic collaboration.
• Bocconi UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunch of Enel Foundation Chair in Competitiveness and Transition, PNRR Lab collaboration, and research on energy markets and competitiveness.
• RES4AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for Advanced Training Course, Executive School programs, and capacity building across Africa. Joint commitment to supercharging Africa's clean energy transition.
• Student EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal Youth Energy Outlook (GYEO) collaboration engaging 42,000+ youth voices, Career Training program, and joint initiatives on youth engagement in energy transition.
• ISPI (Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining Italian diplomats on energy transition and climate action, joint webinar series on Energy & Geopolitics Outlook, Planet Needs YOUth program support.
• LUISS UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific support for events on energy transition challenges and opportunities for Italy, research collaboration on young Italians' role in energy transition.
• IUSS PaviaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunch of the first Italian PhD in Sustainable Development and Climate Change, academic collaboration on sustainability research.
• SACEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Risk Map publication collaboration analyzing country risks and sustainable recovery for Italian exports and investment opportunities.
• World Meteorological OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on climate services and energy report collaboration, integrating climate science with energy transition planning.
• Extreme EminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific research partnership studying environmental and climate impacts through Extreme E's racing series and island ecosystem research.
• LegambienteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLife ClimAction project launch on environmental sustainability and climate action initiatives in Italy.
• ASviS (Alleanza Italiana per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research on PNRR's impact on Sustainable Development Goals and collaboration on Italian sustainability initiatives.
• UC BerkeleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support Italian researchers in their entrepreneurial journey and innovation in clean energy.
• Mattei Plan Mission StructurecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed in July 2026 to strengthen energy education across Africa through expanded training, local capacity building, and support for sustainable energy development in Mattei Plan partner countries. Enel Foundation is Official Partner of the Mattei Plan.
• UM6P (University Mohammed VI Polytechnic)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on High-Level and Technical Training Programs under the Mattei Plan for Africa, Executive School programs in Morocco and Southern Africa.
• OLADE (Organización Latinoamericana de Energía)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to foster energy transition in Latin America through knowledge sharing and collaborative initiatives.
• Innovation for ChangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSixth edition partnership supporting impact innovation programs and Demo Day events for innovators tackling global challenges.
• Fulbright CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate change scholarships and transatlantic research cooperation offering internships for U.S. students.
• Oxford Institute for Energy StudiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation on energy transition research, decarbonization policies, and global renewables market analysis.
• European Youth Energy NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKnowledge partnership for European Youth Energy Forum (EYEF), empowering youth participation in energy transition policy dialogue.
• Global Alliance for Sustainable EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPosition paper release on sustainable energy, contributing to industry advocacy and policy recommendations.
• Società Botanica ItalianaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScientific partnership on biodiversity and environmental research related to energy infrastructure.
• IFAB (International Foundation for Big Data and Artificial Intelligence for Humanity)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating member focusing on AI applications in energy systems and digital sustainability.
• Strathmore UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronics Engineering partnership, building academic capacity in Africa.
• Universidad del Desarrollo (Chile)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChile Territorio Futuro project collaboration on urban development and energy transition scenarios for Chile.
• Fundación San Ignacio del HuinayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenewed partnership for scientific research, likely related to environmental conservation and ecosystem research.
• Harvard Kennedy School (Belfer Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWebinar collaboration on future of grid resilience research, policy recommendations for building resilient power systems.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Ember: Ember is an independent energy think tank focused on the global electricity transition with proprietary data and policy research. Comparable as a research-driven non-profit producing data-rich reports on energy transition, though narrower in geographic focus than Enel Foundation.

Direct peers

• Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL): SEforALL is an international organization working to achieve universal access to sustainable energy under SDG7. It partners with Enel Foundation on Open Africa Power and shares the same target audience of African energy leaders and policymakers.
• World Resources Institute (WRI): WRI is a global research organization with deep programs on energy, climate, and sustainable development. Comparable to Enel Foundation in producing influential research and convening multi-stakeholder dialogues on sustainability.
• International Energy Agency (IEA): IEA is the leading intergovernmental energy policy organization providing authoritative research, data, and policy recommendations on global energy. Enel Foundation partners with IEA on The Glass House Project and World Energy Employment reports, with directly comparable policy-research activities.
• Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES): C2ES is an independent research organization focused on climate and energy policy at the intersection of research and advocacy. It is comparable in operating as an independent non-profit producing policy-relevant analysis and convening stakeholders.
• Agora Energiewende: Agora Energiewende is a German think tank providing evidence-based, politically independent research on energy transition policy. It shares Enel Foundation's emphasis on rigorous policy analysis and dialogue between research, policy, and practice.
• RES4Africa Foundation: RES4Africa is a foundation dedicated to renewable energy skills development and capacity building across Africa, operating Advanced Training Courses and Executive School programs — a near-identical model to Enel Foundation's Africa-focused educational portfolio and an existing partner.
• International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA): IRENA is an intergovernmental organization supporting countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future through research, policy advice, and capacity building. Enel Foundation partners with IRENA on youth engagement and Open Africa Power, making it the closest functional peer in energy transition knowledge work.
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): RMI is an independent non-profit driving global energy system transformation through market-based research, analysis, and partnerships. RMI's mission and operating model — independent research-backed energy transition work — closely mirrors Enel Foundation's knowledge platform approach.

Broad incumbents

• ClimateWorks Foundation: ClimateWorks Foundation is a major climate philanthropy that funds and operates global programs to accelerate the energy transition. As a larger, well-endowed foundation in the same space, it represents a broader incumbent peer against which Enel Foundation competes for partner and donor mindshare.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@enelfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fondazione Enel