Fondazione Super

What Fondazione Super does

Fondazione Super (legal name: Fondazione Scuola Universitaria per le Professioni tecniche – Emilia Romagna, also operating as "SupER") is a private-law Italian "Fondazione di Partecipazione" established in 2021 and headquartered in Bologna. It coordinates a regional higher-education network of 4 universities (Alma Mater Studiorum Bologna, Ferrara, Modena e Reggio Emilia, Parma) and over 100 partner companies to deliver 12 three-year professional-oriented bachelor's degree programs (Laureate a orientamento professionale, classi LP) across 8 cities in Emilia-Romagna. The portfolio spans three disciplinary areas — industrial and IT techniques, agricultural/food techniques, and construction/territory — and includes niche programs such as Italian Sign Language interpretation (InLIST) and dairy supply-chain management (TeGIC). Programs follow a 1/3 classroom, 1/3 laboratory, 1/3 internship structure (480 hours / 48 CFU of company-based training), and several lead to direct professional habilitation via an embedded "prova pratica valutativa" that replaces the State Exam.

The foundation's revenue is predominantly public: it operates primarily on European Social Fund (FSE / PR FSE+ 2021-2027) cycles administered through Regione Emilia-Romagna, with a new €5.97M+ project running 2026-2028 (Rif.PA 2025-25658/RER). Secondary revenue streams include recurring contributions from the 4 founding universities and institutional members (Confindustria, ITS Emilia-Romagna, Politecnico di Milano, Università Cattolica), and third-party scholarship co-funding from industry consortia (Consorzio Parmigiano Reggiano, Consorzio Pecorino Romano). Day-to-day go-to-market is event-driven: orientation open-days, webinars, MOOC orientation courses (the "Step by Step!" platform on formatorisuper.it), and national career fairs such as JOB&Orienta. Operational headcount is small (6 staff), with accounting, administrative, and legal functions outsourced to Fondazione Alma Mater under service contract.

Technology is positioned as supporting infrastructure rather than a product moat. Core platforms include the FormatoriSuper MOOC system for online orientation and didactic content delivery, plus standard e-procurement tooling (MePA, SATER). Student support is delivered through a dedicated "Tutor Problem Solver" service and "bridge-company" roles embedded in each program. The governance structure — Consiglio di Indirizzo, Consiglio di Gestione, and Organo di Controllo — reflects the multi-stakeholder nature of the foundation, with representation from universities, regional Confindustria chapters, ITS Emilia-Romagna, and private companies such as Poggipolini S.p.A.

Name

Fondazione Super

Legal name

Fondazione Scuola Universitaria per le Professioni tecniche – Emilia Romagna

Website

https://super.unier.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fondazione Super is an Italian non-profit foundation coordinating 12 professional-oriented bachelor's degree programs across 4 universities and 100+ partner companies in Emilia-Romagna, funded mainly by EU/regional grants and governed jointly by universities and Confindustria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bologna, Bologna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. European and Regional Public Funding: Primary revenue source is European Social Fund (FSE/PR FSE+) and regional funding from Emilia-Romagna, administered through multi-year project cycles (e.g., PR FSE+ 2021-2027, actions PA 2023-19053/RER and PA 2025-25658/RER).
2. University Partnership Contributions: Contributions from the four founding universities (Alma Mater Studiorum Bologna, Ferrara, Modena e Reggio Emilia, Parma) and other institutional members (Confindustria, ITS ER, Politecnico di Milano, etc.).
3. Third-Party Scholarship Co-Funding: Industry consortia (Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano, Consorzio Pecorino Romano) co-finance scholarships for students in specific degree programs (TeGIC), reducing the financial barrier for enrollment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Fondazione Super is a private-law foundation that coordinates 12 three-year professional-oriented bachelor's degree programs (Laureate a orientamento professionale, LP) across 4 universities and 8 cities in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Programs combine classroom teaching, laboratory work, and mandatory company internships (480 hours / 48 CFU) and lead to direct professional habilitation through a qualifying practical exam. The foundation also operates a free MOOC orientation platform (Step by Step!) for prospective students.

Product overview

Fondazione Super (Scuola Universitaria per le Professioni Tecniche Emilia-Romagna) is a foundation created in 2021 through collaboration between universities, businesses, and territorial actors to promote professional-oriented university degrees (classi LP) in the Emilia-Romagna region. The organization coordinates 12 three-year degree programs across 4 universities (Alma Mater Studiorum Bologna, Ferrara, Modena e Reggio Emilia, Parma) and 8 cities, organized in 3 disciplinary areas: (1) Tecniche industriali e dell'informazione (industrial and IT techniques, including Meccatronica, Tecnologie per l'industria digitale/intelligente, Compositi polimerici, Tecnologie dei sistemi informatici), (2) Tecniche agrarie, alimentari e forestali (agricultural/food sciences including QuAM and TeGIC), and (3) Edilizia e territorio (construction and territory including three programs in Costruzioni/Tecniche per l'edilizia). The portfolio also includes a dedicated MOOC orientation platform (formatorisuper.it) and a Problem Solver tutor service. Programs combine theoretical learning (1/3 classroom, 1/3 laboratory, 1/3 internship) and lead to professional qualifications through qualifying examinations. Partner companies number over 100 across the regional network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Step by Step!: MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) free orientation course promoted by SUPER for high school students to support post-diploma choice decisions.

Products and services

• Tecnologie per l'industria digitale
• Tecnologie per l'industria intelligente
• Meccatronica
• Compositi polimerici
• Tecnologie dei sistemi informatici
• Metodologie chimiche per prodotti e processi
• Qualità e approvvigionamento di materie prime per l'agro-alimentare (QuAM)
• Tecnologie e gestione dell'impresa casearia (TeGIC)
• Costruzioni, Infrastrutture e Territorio
• Costruzioni e gestione del territorio
• Tecniche per l'edilizia e il territorio
• Interprete in Lingua dei Segni Italiana (LIS) e Lingua dei Segni Italiana Tattile (LIST) – InLIST
• MOOC "Step by Step!" – Piattaforma Formatori Super

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates earn direct habilitation to professional orders (Collegio Geometri, Periti Industriali, etc.) upon completing a practical exam included in the degree.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 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

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

• Consorzio del Parmigiano ReggianosecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Cheese consortium co-financing two scholarships (€18,000 each, up to €21,000 with internship bonuses) for students enrolled in the Tecnologie e gestione dell'impresa casearia (TeGIC) program at Università di Parma. Applications must be submitted with a letter of presentation from a supply chain entity.
• Consorzio per la Tutela del Formaggio Pecorino RomanosecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Cheese consortium establishing three scholarships of €8,000 each for TeGIC students at Università di Parma for AY 2026-2027, marking its first collaboration with the university on scholarship support.
• Regione Emilia-RomagnacoreOthers · 1 January 2026Primary public funding source via PR FSE+ 2021/2027 (Delibera Num. 106 del 02/02/2026, Rif.PA 2025-25658/RER). Co-finances the 'Azione di sistema' project for LP degree system qualification, running 2026-2028 with €5.97M+ budget.
• UAS4Europe (European Universities of Applied Sciences network)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026European network of Universities of Applied Sciences for international partnership building, exchange of good practices, and shared teaching modules in support of LP program internationalization.
• Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di BolognacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Founding university member and primary academic deliverer of LP degree programs in Bologna. Provides academic infrastructure, faculty, laboratories, and admissions processes for Tecniche per l'edilizia e il territorio, Meccatronica, Compositi polimerici, Tecnologie dei sistemi informatici, and Metodologie chimiche per prodotti e processi degrees.
• Università degli Studi di FerraracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Founding university member delivering the LP degree in Tecnologie per l'industria digitale in Ferrara.
• Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio EmiliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Founding university member delivering LP degrees in Tecnologie per l'industria intelligente and Costruzioni e gestione del territorio.
• Università degli Studi di ParmacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Founding university member delivering LP degrees in InLIST, Qualità e approvvigionamento materie prime agro-alimentari (QuAM), Costruzioni, Infrastrutture e Territorio, and Tecnologie e gestione dell'impresa casearia (TeGIC).
• Politecnico di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Founding university member contributing academic governance expertise to the foundation's strategic direction.
• Università Cattolica del Sacro CuorecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Founding university member participating in the governance and academic oversight of LP degree programs.
• Confindustria (Emilia Area Centro, Romagna, Piacenza)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Primary industrial association partner representing manufacturing and services companies across Emilia-Romagna. Contributes to curriculum co-design, internship hosting, and placement support for LP graduates. Representatives serve on the Consiglio di Indirizzo and Consiglio di Gestione.
• Scuola Politecnica ITS Emilia-RomagnacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021ITS (Istituto Tecnico Superiore) partner for creating structured 'passerelle' (bridges) between ITS Academy and LP degree programs, enabling credit recognition and continuing education pathways.
• Unindustria Reggio EmiliasecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Regional industrial association contributing to the foundation's governance and representing manufacturing companies in the Reggio Emilia territory.
• Unione Parmense degli IndustrialisecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Industrial employers' association in Parma contributing to governance and industry alignment for LP programs, particularly in the food and agro-industrial sectors.
• Clust-ER (Emilia-Romagna Innovation Clusters)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Regional innovation clusters (digital, agrifood, health, energy, manufacturing) collaborate on training needs analysis and curriculum alignment with regional economic priorities.
• Over 100 Partner Companies (aggregate)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Companies hosting mandatory student internships (tirocini curriculari), co-designing curriculum content, and recruiting graduates. Includes named partners such as HERA, LATERLITE, STONEX, MICROGEO, and industry consortia. Each degree program has dedicated company partners.
• Fondazione Alma MatersecondaryOthers · 1 January 2021Provides outsourced accounting, administrative, legal, and management services to Fondazione Super, enabling the foundation to operate with a lean staff structure.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Confindustria Emilia (Area Centro, Romagna, Piacenza): Confindustria is a core founding partner that participates in Fondazione Super's governance and contributes to curriculum co-design and graduate placement. While not a direct educational competitor, it is the most strategically comparable ecosystem stakeholder shaping regional technical-talent pipelines alongside the foundation.
• UAS4Europe (European Universities of Applied Sciences network): UAS4Europe is the European network of Universities of Applied Sciences of which Fondazione Super is a member. The network represents the international institutional analogue to Fondazione Super's mission — practice-oriented higher education embedded in regional industry — making it the closest international ecosystem peer.
• Fondazione Alma Mater (Bologna): Fondazione Alma Mater provides outsourced administrative, accounting, and legal services to Fondazione Super. As another university-linked Italian foundation operating in the higher-education support space, it is a structural institutional peer for foundation governance and operations, though it does not deliver degrees.

Broad incumbents

• ITS Academy Italy (national network): The national ITS Academy network delivers two-year post-diploma technical programs co-designed with industry across Italy. It is a structural parallel to Fondazione Super's LP degrees, serving the same employer cohort with a similar work-based learning model, and the foundation's own ITS bridges highlight this direct comparability.
• Fondazione Politecnico di Milano: Politecnico di Milano is a founding member of Fondazione Super and one of Italy's leading technical universities. It serves a much larger national/international audience with practice-oriented engineering and design degrees, making it a broad incumbent in the same professional-technical higher-education space where Fondazione Super competes regionally.
• Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore: Another founding member of Fondazione Super, Università Cattolica is a large multi-campus Italian university with a broad professional and vocational offering. It overlaps with Fondazione Super's mission of preparing graduates for professional practice, but at a much larger national scale.

Direct peers

• Politecnico di Torino: Politecnico di Torino is one of the Italian universities that has launched its own Laureate a orientamento professionale (LP) degree programs, directly competing with Fondazione Super's model in the same regulatory category. Both deliver three-year professional bachelor degrees co-designed with industry in northern Italy.
• Scuola Politecnica ITS Emilia-Romagna: Founding partner of Fondazione Super and the regional ITS Academy. Both deliver practice-oriented technical education co-designed with industry in Emilia-Romagna, and Fondazione Super offers structured 'passerelle' (bridges) for credit recognition between ITS and LP degrees — making them directly comparable dual-education providers in the same territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@fondazionesuper4258
• Facebookit-it.facebook.com/ScuolaUniversitariaProfessioniTecnicheER
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondazione_super
• Instagraminstagram.com/fondazione_super

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Fondazione Super