AICCON

What AICCON does

AICCON (Associazione Italiana per la Promozione della Cultura della Cooperazione e del Non-Profit) is a non-profit research center founded in 1997 and based at the University of Bologna's Scuola di Economia e Management in Forlì, Emilia-Romagna. It operates as a multi-stakeholder association whose members include the University of Bologna, the three principal Italian cooperative federations (Confcooperative, Legacoop, AGCI), ethical and cooperative banks (Banca Etica, RomagnaBanca, BCC network), and major commercial banks (Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit). The organization positions itself as a national reference point for the study of civil economy, social enterprises, and cooperative development, functioning as a bridge between academic research and practical implementation for the third sector.

AICCON's core offerings span three pillars. The research pillar includes the Community Index (a methodology for measuring community development), the Impact Room (a research space for impact measurement methodologies), and the Interactive Map of Community Cooperatives (a public platform cataloging 223+ community cooperatives across 69 Italian provinces). The training pillar is anchored by The FundRaising School — the first Italian school of fundraising — which delivers paid professional courses (€300–€630 per course plus VAT) in fundraising, impact measurement, and social enterprise management, alongside the University Master MUEC in Economics of Cooperation. The convening pillar centers on Le Giornate di Bertinoro per l'Economia Civile, now in its 25th edition in 2025, and the annual Workshop on Social Economy for Young Economists.

The business model is a hybrid of institutional membership support, fee-for-service training, commissioned research and consulting, and paid event participation. Distribution is mediated through cooperative federation networks, university channels, and public-institution partnerships, with geographic concentration in Italy and limited international engagement via the SE4Ces Erasmus+ European consortium. The organization has roughly 20 employees, is governed by a board led by President Stefano Granata and Director Paolo Venturi, and does not publicly disclose financials. AICCON explicitly does not operate as a technology product company; its differentiators are accumulated reputational capital, multi-stakeholder integration, and Italy-specific domain expertise in the cooperative and social economy sectors.

Name

AICCON

Legal name

Associazione Italiana per la Promozione della Cultura della Cooperazione e del Non-Profit

Website

https://aiccon.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

AICCON is an Italian non-profit research center founded in 1997 at the University of Bologna, focused on civil economy, cooperatives, and social enterprises. It delivers research, professional training (The FundRaising School), and convening events (Giornate di Bertinoro) to Italian cooperative federations, ethical banks, and public institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Economy Research and Education

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Erasmus+ and Government-Sponsored Exchange Partnerships (EDAIABAJ), Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO)

Keywords

• Social economy research
• Non-profit education
• Cooperative studies
• Fundraising training
• Impact measurement research

Headquarters

HQ city

Forlì

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Programs and Courses: The FundRaising School offers professional courses on fundraising, impact measurement, and social enterprise management with fees ranging from €300-630 per course plus VAT.
2. Research Projects and Consulting: AICCON conducts commissioned research and provides expertise to cooperatives, regional governments, and social organizations on topics including welfare, community development, and social innovation.
3. Event Participation Fees: The annual Giornate di Bertinoro event charges participation fees, representing a significant revenue stream for the organization.
4. Membership and Institutional Support: Supported by founding members including University of Bologna, banking institutions (RomagnaBanca, Banca Etica, BCC), and cooperative federations (Confcooperative, Legacoop, AGCI, CGM).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AICCON is a non-profit research center founded in 1997 by the University of Bologna that conducts applied research, delivers professional training, and organizes knowledge-sharing events focused on social economy, civil economy, cooperation, and the non-profit sector in Italy. Its core offerings include the FundRaising School (professional fundraising and impact measurement training), the University Master MUEC in Economics of Cooperation, the annual Giornate di Bertinoro per l'Economia Civile, commissioned research and consulting for cooperatives and public institutions, and research tools such as the Community Index, Impact Room, and the Interactive Map of Community Cooperatives.

Product overview

AICCON (Associazione Italiana per la Promozione della Cultura della Cooperazione e del Non-Profit) is a research center born from the collaboration between the University of Bologna and public/private entities since 1997. It operates as a unified organization offering research, training, and knowledge-sharing services focused on social economy, non-profit, and cooperation. The core offerings include The FundRaising School (professional fundraising training programs), research tools such as Community Index and Impact Room, the Interactive Map of Community Cooperatives, the University Master MUEC in Economics of Cooperation, and flagship events like Le Giornate di Bertinoro per l'Economia Civile and the Young Economists Workshop. AICCON does not operate as a technology product company but rather as a knowledge and training organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The FundRaising School: The first Italian school of fundraising, offering professional training courses in fundraising and social impact for non-profit organizations.
• Mappa Interattiva delle Cooperative di Comunità

Products and services

• The FundRaising School The first Italian school of fundraising promoted by AICCON, offering professional training courses in fundraising management, cultural fundraising, community fundraising, bequests (Lasciti), and social impact measurement. Located at the University of Bologna, Forlì Campus, and delivering Open Badge certifications. Course fees range from €300 to €630 + VAT.
• Master Universitario in Economia della Cooperazione (MUEC) University Master's program (Master MUEC) in Economics of Cooperation, delivered in collaboration with the University of Bologna, now in its XXIV edition. Targets students and professionals seeking advanced education in cooperative economics.
• Community Index A research initiative that measures and evaluates community development and social impact at the local level, providing a methodology for territorial impact assessment.
• Impact Room A research space dedicated to impact measurement methodologies and tools for social organizations and cooperatives, supporting the development of evaluation frameworks for the third sector.
• Mappa Interattiva delle Cooperative di Comunità (Interactive Map of Community Cooperatives) A fully open and public interactive map (hosted at coopcomunita.aiccon.it) that collects and represents community cooperative practices across Italy, documenting 223 registered cooperatives operating in 69 Italian provinces with 101 additional cooperatives in registration as of July 2025.
• Le Giornate di Bertinoro per l'Economia Civile Italy's premier annual event dedicated to civil economy, promoted by AICCON for 25 years (XXV edition held in 2025), bringing together academia, the social economy, and institutions for a multi-day paid gathering.
• Workshop on Social Economy for Young Economists Annual workshop providing young economists a platform to meet, discuss, and present research on Social Economy topics; the 19th edition is scheduled for May 21, 2026 in Forlì.

Quantifiable outcome

• 223 registered community cooperatives mapped across 69 Italian provinces
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Università di BolognacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Founding partner and primary host institution. AICCON is located at the Scuola di Economia e Management, University of Bologna, Forlì Campus. Collaborates on Master MUEC (University Master's in Cooperative Economics), joint research projects, and student programs. The University provides institutional legitimacy and academic rigor to AICCON's activities.
• Confcooperative (various regional bodies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Italian cooperative federation providing research collaboration, project partnerships, and network access. Regional bodies (Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piemonte Nord) work with AICCON on welfare studies, social innovation, and territorial development projects.
• Legacoop (various regional bodies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Italian cooperative federation collaborating on community cooperatives research (Economie di luogo project), local economy studies, and social economy policy development. National and regional bodies (Emilia-Romagna) partner on research and training initiatives.
• Banca EticacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian ethical bank providing financial support and collaborative research on ethical finance, social economy, and third sector development. Joint initiatives include research presentations on ethical finance challenges for social enterprises.
• Intesa SanpaolocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Italian bank co-promoting the Osservatorio su Finanza e Terzo settore (14th edition). Partnership focuses on research regarding finance for cooperatives and social enterprises, providing financial industry perspective and resources.
• UniCreditcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading European bank partnering on Road to Social Change program (ESG and Integral Sustainability). UniCredit's Banking Academy collaborates on free training programs for SMEs and non-profits across production sectors including fashion, materials, agrifood, tourism, and health.
• AGCI (Associazione Generale delle Cooperative Italiane)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian cooperative federation participating in AICCON's member base and collaborative research on social economy and cooperative development.
• CGM (Consorzio Nazionale Cooperative Mutualistiche)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational consortium of mutualistic cooperatives collaborating on social economy research, cultural initiatives, and community development projects.
• Politecnico di Milano / TiresiamajorTechnology or IntegrationTechnical university and research center on impact investment collaborating on Road to Social Change program, providing academic expertise on sustainability metrics and impact measurement.
• Forum Terzo SettoremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational forum of third sector organizations partnering on research, policy advocacy, and knowledge dissemination regarding Italy's non-profit sector.
• Euricse (European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research institute specializing in cooperative and social enterprise studies, collaborating on metropolitan social economy planning and comparative research.
• Fondazione Italiana Accenture ETSmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate foundation collaborating on Road to Social Change program and social innovation initiatives, providing digital transformation expertise and resources.
• TechSoup ItaliamajorTechnology or IntegrationTechnology non-profit providing digital tools and expertise for Road to Social Change program, supporting non-profit digital capacity building.
• ISTUD Business SchoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness school participating in Road to Social Change, contributing management education expertise on sustainability and organizational leadership.
• Cottino Social Impact CampussupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial impact education initiative contributing to Road to Social Change program on sustainability training.
• SE4Ces European Consortium (Erasmus+)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean project involving 9 partners from 5 countries (Greece, Belgium, Italy, Spain, UK) focused on social economy education. Partners include Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Bristol, FEBEA, Cooperatives Europe, UAB Barcelona, and others. AICCON and University of Bologna are Italian partners.
• Città metropolitana di BolognamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetropolitan city government collaborating on Metropolitan Plan for Social Economy, combining public policy with social economy development.
• Impronta EticasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian sustainability network collaborating on events regarding corporate sustainability and social innovation, working with University of Bologna's Social Economy Master's program.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ISTUD Business School: Italian business school delivering management education including sustainability and social impact programs; overlaps with AICCON's FundRaising School and capacity-building offerings but at broader scale and across more corporate audiences.
• Fondazione Italiana Accenture ETS: Corporate foundation active in social innovation and digital transformation for the third sector; partners with AICCON on Road to Social Change and competes for the same non-profit capacity-building and digital upskilling engagements.

Others

• Forum Nazionale del Terzo Settore: National representative body of Italy's third sector organizations and a strategic partner of AICCON; comparable as a convening platform for non-profits but oriented to advocacy and policy rather than research and training.

Direct peers

• EMES International Research Network: International research network on social enterprise and social innovation bringing together academic institutions; AICCON's involvement in European social-economy consortia (e.g., SE4Ces) places it in the same ecosystem as EMES-affiliated researchers and outputs.
• Euricse (European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises): Trento-based research institute focused on cooperatives and social enterprises; directly comparable to AICCON as a peer academic-research entity operating in the same Italian/EU social economy space, and explicitly a collaborating partner of AICCON on metropolitan social economy planning.
• Tiresia - Politecnico di Milano: Politecnico di Milano research center on impact investment and sustainability; an existing partner of AICCON on the Road to Social Change program and a directly comparable Italian research entity serving the impact-measurement and ESG training market.
• CIRIEC (International Centre of Research and Information on the Public, Social and Cooperative Economy): International scientific association researching the public, social, and cooperative economy; highly comparable in mission and academic posture to AICCON, and one of the canonical reference points for civil-economy research in Europe.

Regional players

• Bologna Business School: Business school of the University of Bologna (AICCON's host institution); overlapping regional ecosystem, alumni network, and sustainability/management training portfolio that competes for similar mid-market and corporate learners in Emilia-Romagna.

Emerging players

• Cottino Social Impact Campus: Turin-based social impact education initiative co-founded with Cottino Foundation; delivers sustainability training comparable to AICCON's FundRaising School and is a partner on the Road to Social Change program.
• TechSoup Italia: Italian branch of the global TechSoup non-profit network providing digital tools and capacity building to NGOs; partners with AICCON on Road to Social Change and overlaps directly on non-profit training and digital upskilling services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aiccon-non-profit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 AICCON