FONDAZIONE PIEMONTE INNOVA

Their core work

Fondazione Piemonte Innova is a Torino-based innovation agency that helps SMEs in Northwest Italy access EU funding, scale their businesses, and exploit research results commercially. As a node in the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), they provide business coaching, innovation management advisory, and internationalization support to high-growth companies and startups. They also work on sustainable urban mobility planning and data-driven digital transformation for regional development.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2015-2018), FPI focused on foundational SME support — business coaching, Enterprise Europe Network services, and sustainable mobility planning. From 2019 onward, their work shifted decisively toward innovation management at a higher level: scale-up support, research results exploitation, EIC Pilot access, internationalization, and digitization strategies. This reflects the broader EU shift from basic SME support toward structured innovation commercialization pathways.

FPI is moving from general business support toward specialized digital transformation and research-to-market services, positioning itself as a regional bridge between EU funding instruments and SME growth.

How they like to work

FPI operates almost exclusively as a participant (5 of 6 projects), joining consortia rather than leading them — except for D3T, a smaller coordination effort. With 22 unique partners across 11 countries, they maintain a broad but not deep European network, typical of EEN nodes that connect regionally but collaborate widely. They are a reliable support partner rather than a scientific lead.

FPI has collaborated with 22 distinct partners across 11 countries, reflecting the pan-European reach of their Enterprise Europe Network activities. Their network is broad but project-role-specific, centered on innovation intermediaries and regional development bodies rather than deep research institutions.

What sets them apart

FPI bridges the gap between EU research funding instruments and the SME ecosystem in Piedmont, one of Italy's most industrialized regions. Their dual focus on EEN business services and digital transformation makes them a practical entry point for anyone needing to reach innovative Italian SMEs. Unlike research-heavy partners, they bring market understanding and commercialization pathways rather than lab capabilities.

Highlights from their portfolio

• D3T
  Their only coordinated project, focused on data-driven digital transformation — signals a strategic move into digital services beyond traditional EEN support.
• SUMPs-Up
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 118,250) and their only transport-sector project, a four-year programme on sustainable urban mobility across Europe.
• ALPS INN3
  Four consecutive phases (2015-2021) demonstrate sustained commitment to EEN innovation services, with visible evolution from basic coaching to scale-up and commercialization support.