CDP Venture Capital launches CrossConnect accelerator dedicated to physical and digital infrastructures

CDP Venture Capital has launched CrossConnect, a new acceleration program fully dedicated to startups developing innovative solutions or services for infrastructure. This initiative is part of the CDP Venture Capital National Accelerators Network, a system fostering the growth of startups in high-potential markets. The network currently operates 20 vertical programs across Italy.

CrossConnect is backed by over €6 million in total funding, €5 million of which comes from CDP Venture Capital’s Accelerators Fund. These resources will be allocated to initial investment tickets and follow-on rounds for the most promising startups after the acceleration program. The initiative is co-invested and operated by Plug and Play and ELIS. Also joining as Corporate Partners include Eni, through Joule, its business school, Saipem, a global leader in engineering and construction for large-scale energy and infrastructure projects, Buzzi and Sonatrach Raffineria Italiana.

CrossConnect encompasses all market segments that enable the development of infrastructure and major works aimed at meeting community needs efficiently and sustainably. Key areas of focus include digital technologies applied to infrastructure management and monitoring (such as AI for predictive maintenance, digital twins, and drones), innovative solutions for transportation and civil infrastructures (roads, ports, railways, airports), as well as energy infrastructure for production, transmission, and storage, with a particular emphasis on renewable sources.

Research areas also extend to advanced technologies for water resource production and efficient management, as well as GreenTech and circular economy solutions, including green hydrogen production, chemistry, biorefining, and CO₂ capture. These are just some of the domains that will define the accelerator, whose scope will expand according to the needs of corporate partners, with the inclusion of additional sectors such as telecommunications and digital infrastructures.

The accelerator will run for three years, during which the partners will select up to eight startups annually. Each selected startup will receive an initial investment ticket of €150,000 and participate in a four-month acceleration program. The top-performing teams will also have the opportunity to secure additional post-acceleration investments of up to €400,000 to develop their solutions further.

''Infrastructure represents the connective tissue of a country: from essential services for citizens such as water, energy, transport, and communications, to the networks vital for economic and industrial development, such as logistics and distribution centers, and even venture capital, which serves as a bridge of resources from investors to new entrepreneurship,'' said Agostino Scornajenchi, CEO and General Manager of CDP Venture Capital. ''With the launch of CrossConnect in Catania, we aim to provide capital, expertise, and our network to help accelerate the growth of new digitally-driven enterprises capable of transforming the strategic infrastructures of the future.''

''CrossConnect is part of the digitalization process of infrastructure in our country, with the ambition to establish a national hub for Italian Infra-tech and the Mediterranean region,'' said Tommaso Maschera, Director of Plug and Play Italy. ''We aim to bring Silicon Valley’s innovative approach to Catania, fostering strategic connections between startups and large corporations, and accelerating innovation in key sectors crucial for the country’s development and a sustainable digital transition.''

CrossConnect will be headquartered in Catania, within a coworking space near the Cathedral of Saint Agatha. This space will serve as a collaborative hub for startups, companies, and local entities, fostering growth and innovation within a dynamic ecosystem.

The call for the first CrossConnect batch is open until December 5. Startups from Italy and abroad who want to establish a presence in Italy are invited to apply.

www.cdpventurecapital.it
www.plugandplaytechcenter.com

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