Fondazione 1563

What Fondazione 1563 does

Fondazione 1563 per l'Arte e la Cultura della Compagnia di San Paolo is an Italian non-profit foundation established in 2017 in Turin as an instrumental entity of the Compagnia di San Paolo, one of Italy's major banking foundations. The foundation's primary function is the custodianship, digitization, and public valorization of the historical archive of the Compagnia di San Paolo, comprising two linear kilometers of documentation and images spanning more than 450 years of history (from the 1563 confraternity to the banking institute). It also funds and operates humanities research programs, including the Turin Humanities Programme (THP) for junior scholars, the PNRR-CHANGES national research initiative, the Baroque Studies Programme (Programma Barocco), and the Memoria del Lavoro e dell'Industria (MLI) program on industrial heritage.

The foundation operates a suite of digital humanities platforms: the D.A.C. (Digital Archives and Collections) system, a Digital Library, and a Fototeca Digitale (digital photo archive), which provide online access to digitized archival holdings. It also runs specialized research projects (REMEMBR-HOUSE, Memo4EU, La vita in atto, Le Vite, Backstories) and publishes scholarly series including Quaderni Archivio Storico and Alti Studi sull'Età e la Cultura del Barocco. The foundation operates a physical reading room (Sala di Studio) at Piazza Bernini in Turin and disseminates content through its website, newsletter, and active social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Spotify.

Fondazione 1563 is funded institutionally by its parent Compagnia di San Paolo and does not disclose commercial pricing; its business model is grant- and mission-based rather than revenue-generating. The organization serves academic researchers, educators, students, and the general public interested in cultural heritage, primarily within the Piedmont region of Italy, with selected European research collaborations. It employs 23 staff and is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the parent foundation's Management Committee, with Prof. Mirko Canevaro appointed President in May 2026.

Name

Fondazione 1563

Legal name

Fondazione 1563 per l'Arte e la Cultura della Compagnia di San Paolo

Website

https://fondazione1563.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fondazione 1563 is a Turin-based Italian non-profit foundation that preserves, digitizes, and provides public access to the 450-year historical archive of the Compagnia di San Paolo, while funding humanities research programs and publishing scholarly works for academic and general audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage and Archives

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Libraries and Archives (519210), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Archives, Libraries & Institutional Access Platforms (MPAJAMAJ), Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI), Humanities & Arts Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAE)

Keywords

• Cultural heritage preservation
• Historical archive management
• Humanities research support
• Digital archive platforms
• Academic fellowship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Turin

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fondazione 1563 preserves, digitizes, and makes accessible the historical archive of the Compagnia di San Paolo (over 450 years of history and two linear kilometers of documentation). It supports humanities research through fellowship programs (Turin Humanities Programme), research grants, summer schools, and scholarly publications, and operates digital archive platforms (DAC, Digital Library, Fototeca Digitale) for researchers, educators, and the public.

Product overview

Fondazione 1563 is a cultural foundation affiliated with the Compagnia di San Paolo, operating as a unified cultural institution with multiple interconnected offerings. The core offerings include the Archivio Storico della Compagnia di San Paolo (a historical archive spanning over 450 years with two linear kilometers of documentation), and the Turin Humanities Programme (THP) which provides research support, fellowships, and summer schools for humanities scholars. These are complemented by digital access products including D.igital A.rchives and C.ollections (DAC), the Digital Library, and the Fototeca Digitale. The foundation also conducts thematic research programs such as PNRR-CHANGES, the Baroque Studies Program, and MLI (Memory of Work and Industry), as well as specialized projects like 'Le Vite' and 'Backstories'. Publishing activities produce scholarly series including Quaderni Archivio Storico, Alti Studi sul Barocco, and Quaderni di Ricerca.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Turin Humanities Programme (THP): Research programme supporting junior scholars in humanities with biennial fellowships under senior scholar guidance
• Programma Barocco
• D.A.C. (Digital Archives and Collections)
• Fototeca Digitale
• MLI - Memoria del Lavoro e dell'Industria
• Backstories
• Le Vite

Products and services

• Archivio Storico della Compagnia di San Paolo The historical archive of the Compagnia di San Paolo, containing two linear kilometers of documentation and images covering over 450 years of institutional history, from the ancient confraternity to the San Paolo Banking Institute. Available for consultation in the foundation's reading room in Turin.
• Turin Humanities Programme (THP) Research support program in the humanities providing up to four biennial advanced study scholarships for junior scholars working on global history themes under senior scholar guidance, plus an annual summer school for doctoral students and early-career researchers.
• D.igital A.rchives and C.ollections (DAC) Digital archives and collections platform that digitizes and makes accessible the archival holdings of the Compagnia di San Paolo historical archive for online research and consultation.
• Fototeca Digitale Digital photographic archive containing the rich and composite photographic heritage of Fondazione 1563, accessible online for research and consultation.
• Digital Library Digital library platform for accessing digitized books and publications from the foundation's collections.
• Le Vite Digital project outlining biographical profiles of individuals who suffered violence from denial of rights, based on documents drawn from the historical archive.
• Backstories National contest for students to develop digital projects based on historical research and micro-stories emerging from archival sources, with online training modules on documents, archives, and digital storytelling.
• Programma Barocco Advanced studies program on the Baroque era and culture, including summer schools, research grants, the 'Mostra del Barocco Piemontese 1937' exhibition, and the 'Sfida al Barocco' project.
• MLI – Memoria del Lavoro e dell'Industria Program aimed at safeguarding, enhancing, and disseminating business culture and industrial heritage of Northwest Italy, focusing on the memory of work and industry.
• PNRR – CHANGES Research Program Research program conducted under Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), with sub-projects including 'Natural Rights History' and 'Fontane e Monumenti nello spazio pubblico della città di Torino'.
• Summer School THP Annual summer school under the Turin Humanities Programme offering intensive research training for doctoral students and early-career researchers in the humanities.
• Brand Heritage Project Project dedicated to preserving and valorizing the brand heritage and corporate identity of historical organizations.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• ArchivissimaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 May 2026Annual festival dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of archival heritage. Fondazione 1563 participates annually to present its archival collections and projects such as 'Il libro spezzato' and the 'Le Vite' digital project.
• Soprintendenza Archivistica e Bibliografica del Piemonte e della Valle d'AostaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Collaboration on the 'Backstories. Dalle fonti alle storie' national contest project, involving training for teachers and educators on historical research, source usage, and digital storytelling.
• Residenze Reali Sabaude - Villa della ReginaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2026Partnership for organizing cultural events and conferences such as 'Bella per forza: donne, bellezza e potere nell'Italia del Rinascimento' held at Villa della Regina in Turin.
• Intesa SanpaolominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2021Collaboration through the Gallerie d'Italia Academy executive course on 'Gestione dei patrimoni artistico-culturali e delle collezioni corporate'. Fondazione 1563 contributes 4 scholarships and specialized teaching.
• Università degli Studi di Torino - Dipartimento Studi StoriciminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for the Turin Humanities Programme and joint seminar series such as 'Corpora: (Early) Modern Bodies' organized with the Department of Historical Studies.
• Fondazione AnsaldominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration at the 'Archimondi' conference on digital archival experiences, with participation in panels on corporate and economic archives digitization.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fondazione Giorgio Cini: Italian non-profit cultural foundation that preserves and studies the historical heritage of the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. Directly comparable as an Italian cultural foundation operating historical archives, publishing scholarly series, and running humanities research programs.
• Fondazione Zeri: University of Bologna-affiliated foundation focused on art history, with a major photographic archive and digital cataloging platform. Directly comparable as an Italian research foundation combining a specialized historical photographic collection with digital access infrastructure and academic publishing.
• Fondazione Ansaldo: Genoa-based foundation preserving the industrial and corporate archive of Ansaldo. Directly comparable as an Italian corporate-heritage foundation that safeguards a corporate historical archive, participates in digital archival projects, and collaborates with Fondazione 1563 (e.g., Archimondi conference).
• Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz - Max Planck Institut: Max Planck research institute in Florence dedicated to art history, with a specialized library, photo archive, and digital research infrastructure. Comparable as an Italy-based humanities research institution combining archival collections, digital platforms, and fellowship programs.
• Fondazione Longhi: Florence-based foundation dedicated to art history research, archives, and scholarly publications. Comparable as a small Italian cultural foundation operating specialized art-historical archives and supporting humanities research.
• Fondazione Istituto Gramsci: Italian foundation dedicated to preserving and studying the political and cultural history of the modern era, with a large historical archive and active publication program. Comparable as an Italian non-profit cultural institution centered on a historical archive and humanities research.
• Istituto Italiano per gli Studi Storici: Naples-based institute preserving the archive of Benedetto Croce and supporting advanced humanities research and publications. Comparable as an Italian cultural institute focused on historical archives and humanities scholarship.

Broad incumbents

• Fondazione Cariplo: Major Italian banking foundation funding cultural, research, and environmental programs across Lombardy and beyond. Comparable as a sibling institutional structure (banking foundation funding cultural and humanities activities), though at a much larger scale and with broader scope.
• Fondazione Monte dei Paschi di Siena: Italian banking foundation originating from Monte dei Paschi di Siena, with cultural and heritage activities tied to its banking history. Comparable as another Italian banking foundation that preserves and promotes its own institutional heritage.
• The Warburg Institute: School of Advanced Study (University of London) institute focused on the history of ideas, with a renowned library, photographic collection, and research programs. Comparable as an internationally recognized humanities research institute with archive-based scholarship and digital initiatives.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fondazione1563
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGOrYZ46JRgtwZVShRDJ77w
• Facebookfacebook.com/fondazione1563
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondazione1563
• Instagraminstagram.com/fondazione1563

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fondazione 1563