Big Data as an agent of change for more equitable and sustainable growth. This is the great and pioneering challenge of Impact Deal, the first European acceleration programme for impact companies “signed” Fondazione CRT and OGR Torino with Microsoft.
The project, realised in collaboration with TOP-IX, The Data Science for Social Good Centre active in OGR Tech, Impact Hub, Ashoka and The Data Appeal Company, leverages the enormous potential of data in the service of entrepreneurial projects with social and environmental goals for the benefit of the whole community, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the NextGenerationEu and the PNRR.
How? An initial group of partners, including Banca Sella, TIM, Fondazione Snam and the City of Turin, who have joined forces in a Data Club, will work together to make their (open and proprietary) datasets available free of charge to selected companies at European level, with the aim of accelerating their social and environmental impact.
“Fondazione CRT’s support for social entrepreneurship and the Data for Good movement finds its natural evolution in the new specific acceleration programme launched in collaboration with Microsoft” – says Massimo Lapucci, Secretary General of the Fondazione CRT and CEO OGR Torino. “Data will be used to create social value in the service of the community through new models of collaboration and strong support for innovation, aimed at improving people’s quality of life. This will also help to reduce growing inequalities and achieve a new sustainable balance in relation to the environment and a more conscious use of the planet’s natural resources”.
“Together with OGR Torino and Fondazione CRT we are looking for innovators who who can use digital technology to create a positive impact in Italy, Europe and the world and hit the accelerator for sustainable change. It is now clear to everyone how smart use of data can be a real driver for development and competitiveness, unleashing the potential of organisations of all sizes and sectors. Technological innovations, especially Cloud and Artificial Intelligence, now allow us to identify and transform data and insights into valuable information that not only grows a company’s business, but also contributes to a more equitable and sustainable development, protecting the environment and improving the quality of life”, said Matteo Mille, Chief Marketing & Operations Officer of Microsoft Italy.
IMPACT DEAL: PROGRAMME
The Accelerator Programme for initiatives capable of combining economic, social and environmental sustainability is divided into two phases.
The first phase, which lasts about two months, consists of a course that teaches specific skills in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and entrepreneurship. In the second phase, which lasts about three months, companies are “trained” in business acceleration through the development of real projects and data-driven solutions thanks to mentorship and strategic partnerships.
The course includes a Demo Day, where accelerated companies present themselves to an audience of potential investors who have a particular interest in impact investing.
More information about on impactdeal.eu
