The venture builder project entirely dedicated to the nautical and logistics-port sectors has begun.
Maritime Ventures aims to create 10 new companies over the next 3 years to meet the growing digitalization needs of SMEs that develop components and services in the shipbuilding, recreational boating, cruise and port logistics sectors.
The Genoa Blue District hosted the presentation of Maritime Ventures, a venture building project entirely dedicated to the nautical and port-logistics sectors. The initiative was launched by CDP Venture Capital, which, in agreement with the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy, supported the establishment of a special purpose vehicle entirely dedicated to the development and launch of new entrepreneurial initiatives that will develop products and services for the digitalization and innovation of SMEs operating in the nautical and port-logistics sectors.
Maritime Ventures' stated goal is to create 10 new companies over the next three years to meet the growing digitalization needs of SMEs developing components and services in the shipbuilding, recreational boating, cruise, and port logistics sectors. These new companies will receive subsequent equity investments of approximately €30 million from CDP Venture Capital's Boost Innovation Fund, which could generate additionality in the market, bringing total investments to approximately €70 million.
Maritime Ventures will operate from two permanent offices in Genoa, thanks to the support of the Municipality, which will host the company's operational headquarters in the Genoa Blue District, and in Trieste, thanks to the contribution of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region.
The project is the result of an initiative by CDP Venture Capital and involves leading investors: the German venture builder Bridgemaker and the open innovation hub Cariplo Factory, which will operate as a joint venture managing the operations of Maritime Ventures; Fincantieri, the world leader in shipbuilding; and PSA Italy, which operates three container terminals in Italy that handle 25% of Italy's imports and exports; the Intesa Sanpaolo Group, the largest Italian bank and among the leading banks in Europe, which has invested in the project through the SEI Fund, Sviluppo Ecosistemi Innovativi of Neva SGR, the Group's venture capital firm; the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, which supports the development of the Genoa and Liguria regions; and Friulia, the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region's financial company, which supports regional development.
Confindustria Genova is an institutional partner of Maritime Ventures.
The Intesa Sanpaolo Group will also contribute through the consultancy of Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, a company dedicated to promoting and developing innovation—which controls Neva Sgr—and will support the interaction between project management and the ecosystem of SMEs belonging to the supply chains involved.
The presentation day opened with a video message from the Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, and was attended by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Genoa and the Regional Councillor for Economic Development of the Liguria Region. The proceedings continued with remarks by Agostino Scornajenchi, CEO and General Manager of CDP Venture Capital, and Lorenzo Franchini, Head of the Boost Innovation Fund, who outlined the importance of the connection between business, innovation, and investment, and the significance of the nautical and port sectors as strategic national supply chains.
Fincantieri CEO Pierroberto Folgiero and PSA Italy CEO Roberto Ferrari explored the vision of the major industrial groups leading the supply chain, outlining the digital transition needs of the nautical and port-logistics supply chains.
The round table discussion "Innovating supply chains to ensure the country's industrial competitiveness" followed, featuring Alberto Anfossi, Secretary General of the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, Alessandro Balboni, Head of Innovation Business Development at Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Andrea Fioravanti, Senior Investment Officer of Friulia, and Vittoria Gozzi, Vice President of Confindustria Genova.
Enrico Noseda, CEO of Maritime Ventures and Chief Innovation Officer of Cariplo Factory, concluded the proceedings.
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