Upwell

What Upwell does

Upwell, legally operating as Taste Roots Soc. Coop., is an Italian cooperative and digital consulting firm headquartered in Cori, Latina, Italy, founded in 2017. It is a small team of approximately 6 professionals offering four integrated service lines: digital transformation (website creation, e-commerce, digital strategy), digital content and marketing, EU/national/regional funding consulting, and aquaculture and international cooperation for Africa and Latin America markets. Upwell positions itself as a one-stop digital agency for Italian and European SMEs and entrepreneurs, consolidating services that would otherwise require multiple specialized vendors.

The company's business model combines traditional professional services fees for digital work with a distinctive outcome-based pricing model for EU funding consulting, where payment is contingent on winning the grant. Upwell also participates as a partner in at least four active European projects (RegioGreenTex, AWARE, BLOCK by BLOCK, Fit for the Future), spanning textile circularity, vocational cybersecurity education, blockchain education, and regenerative leadership. The firm has built a network of 19 European partner organizations including universities, research centers, and innovation clusters, which supports its ability to participate in cross-border EU-funded initiatives.

Upwell's customer base spans four distinct segments: Italian and European SMEs seeking digital presence, entrepreneurs seeking EU funding, international development organizations in Africa and Latin America focused on aquaculture, and EU vocational education institutions. The cooperative ownership structure means member-workers share ownership rather than external shareholders. No external funding rounds, acquisitions, or material growth milestones are disclosed in available sources.

Name

Upwell

Legal name

Taste Roots Soc. Coop.

Website

https://upwell.dev

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Upwell is a 6-person Italian cooperative and digital consulting firm offering integrated digital transformation, marketing, EU funding advisory, and aquaculture capacity-building services to European SMEs, entrepreneurs, and international development organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Management Consulting Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Strategy & IT Advisory (BPAEAAAA)

Keywords

• Digital transformation consulting
• European funding consulting
• Web development services
• Digital marketing services
• Aquaculture consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Cori

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Digital Consulting Services: Professional consulting fees for digital transformation, web development, e-commerce setup, graphic design, and marketing services. Pricing appears to be quote-based and project-specific.
2. European Project Consulting: Assistance with identifying, writing, managing, and reporting on European, national, and regional funding calls. Unique success-based model: 'Per i nostri clienti, abbiamo un'offerta unica: il pagamento è solo a fronte del successo. Se vinci, vinciamo tutti.' (Payment only upon success).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Upwell is a multi-service consulting firm offering four integrated service lines: Digital Transformation (websites, e-commerce platforms, digital strategy), Digital Content & Marketing (visual content, photo, video, written storytelling, social media), Business Development (European, national and regional funding identification, project writing, management and reporting under a success-based payment model), and Aquaculture & International Cooperation (capacity building, facility design, marine ecosystem preservation and certification support for Africa and Latin America markets). The firm also acts as a partner in EU-funded projects spanning textile circularity, vocational cybersecurity, blockchain education and regenerative leadership.

Product overview

Upwell Development Consulting is a multi-service consulting firm offering four integrated core services: Digital Transformation (websites, e-commerce, digital strategy), Digital Content & Marketing (visual content creation, social media), Business Development (EU funding search, project management), and Aquaculture & International Cooperation (capacity building for Africa and Latin America markets). The company also manages several EU-funded projects including RegioGreenTex (circular textile economy), Aware (cybersecurity in vocational training), BLOCK by BLOCK (blockchain in education), and Fit for the Future (regenerative leadership). The portfolio is structured as a unified consulting offering rather than a software platform with discrete modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Transformation (Trasformazione Digitale) Digital strategy and execution consulting for SMEs, including new website builds, e-commerce platforms and adoption of digital tools, designed to help businesses grow and convert customers online.
• Digital Content & Marketing (Contenuti digitali & marketing) Development of visual content (photos and videos) and written content together with social media management, designed to tell a business's story and reach its target audience.
• Business Development (Sviluppo d'impresa) End-to-end European, national and regional funding support for entrepreneurs and businesses, including identification of suitable calls, proposal writing, project management and financial reporting, offered under a unique success-based payment model where clients pay only if the grant is won.
• Aquaculture & International Cooperation (Acquacoltura & cooperazione internazionale) Capacity building, training, facility design, marine ecosystem preservation and certification support for the aquaculture sector, primarily serving organizations and communities in Africa and Latin America.

Named customers3 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.

• ADRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the Upwell network, appearing alongside other European institutional partners on the partner page.
• AEIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the Upwell network, appearing alongside other European institutional partners on the partner page.
• ATEVALcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the Upwell network, appearing alongside other European institutional partners on the partner page.
• CentexbelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian textile research center partner in European projects including RegioGreenTex for circular economy initiatives.
• CitevecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese textile and clothing technology center partner in European project initiatives.
• Città Studi BiellacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian educational institution partner specializing in textile and fashion studies.
• Eura MaterialscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the Upwell network for materials and circular economy projects.
• ITAREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the Upwell network, appearing alongside other European institutional partners on the partner page.
• OVAMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlemish public waste management agency partner for circular economy and sustainability projects.
• NextcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the Upwell network for innovation and sustainability initiatives.
• RISEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institutes of Sweden partner for innovation and sustainable development research.
• Rota GuidocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the Upwell network, appearing alongside other European institutional partners on the partner page.
• Smart-upcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIncubator/accelerator partner for entrepreneurship and business development support.
• TechteracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench textile competitiveness cluster partner for textile innovation projects.
• Universidad ExtremaduracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish university partner for academic collaboration and research in European projects.
• Universidade de AveirocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese university partner for research and academic collaboration in European initiatives.
• UTADcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro partner for academic research collaboration.
• Wageningen University & ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch leading agricultural and environmental research university partner, particularly for aquaculture and sustainability projects.
• WSOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the Upwell network, appearing alongside other European institutional partners on the partner page.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Websolute: Italian digital agency providing website development, e-commerce, digital marketing, and SEO services to SMEs and enterprises. Direct competitor for Upwell's core digital transformation offering.
• PNO Consultants: Large pan-European consulting firm specialized in EU funding advisory, innovation funding, and EU project management. Direct comparable for Upwell's EU funding identification, proposal writing, and consortium coordination services.
• European Service Network (ESN): Network of European consultancies supporting EU project design, management, and dissemination. Comparable to Upwell's cross-border consortium model and shared participation in EU-funded projects.
• Sytac: Italy-based digital consultancy offering web development, e-commerce, content, and digital marketing services to Italian SMEs. Direct peer for Upwell's digital transformation and content marketing service line.
• ICONS Innovative Consulting: Italy-based EU project management and innovation consulting firm active across Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, and other EU programs. Direct peer operating in the same Italian/European ecosystem as Upwell.
• Civitta Group: European-origin consultancy providing EU project management, innovation funding, and grant advisory across Central and Southern Europe. Closely comparable service mix to Upwell's business development offering.

Broad incumbents

• Accenture Italy: Global management and technology consultancy providing digital transformation, marketing, and EU advisory services to enterprises. Overlaps with Upwell's digital strategy and marketing offerings as part of a much broader portfolio.
• Deloitte EU Advisory: Global professional services firm with a substantial EU funding and grants advisory practice serving enterprise and public-sector clients. Overlaps with Upwell's business development offering but at much larger scale and broad portfolio.
• PwC EU Funding Practice: Big-four advisory with dedicated EU grants and incentives teams in Italy and across Europe. Competes for the same EU funding advisory mandates but as one of many services within a global portfolio.

Others

• EIPA - European Institute of Public Administration: Maastricht-based public-sector training and EU policy advisory institution. Adjacent rather than directly competing, but operates in the same EU funding capacity-building and policy ecosystem that funds Upwell's projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upwelldev

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 Upwell