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Venture Booster Program: acceleration journey begins for the 3 selected startups

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Three innovative startups accelerating toward a sustainable future

The Venture Booster Program officially kicked off on October 13, 2025. Promoted by NODES – Nord Ovest Digitale E Sostenibile in collaboration with LifeGate Way, the initiative supports startups and entrepreneurial teams committed to the dual digital and ecological transition.

Following the public call that closed on October 6, three innovative projects were selected to take part in an intensive, tailor-made acceleration journey running until December 15, 2025:
 

  • Altered Materials
    Biodegradable bio-encapsulation for precision and sustainable agriculture.
    Agritech, sustainable innovation and scalable technologies using hydrogels and biopolymers to improve fertilizer efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
     
  • NAPTER
    Hybrid nanocarriers for RNA therapies in cardiology, with clinical applications and potential impact on cardiovascular disease treatment.
    Healthtech, medtech and deep science converge in this frontier project developing targeted RNA delivery systems for post-infarction therapies.
  • New Oil Factory
    Self-structured oleogels for healthier and more sustainable food formulations, additive-free and low-impact.
    Foodtech, nutritional innovation and sustainable ingredients designed to replace animal and tropical fats in food products, delivering health and environmental benefits.

 

A tailor-made journey

Each startup is supported by a dedicated tutor and follows a custom acceleration path that includes:

  • Business model development and validation
  • Fundraising and pitch preparation
  • Legal, IP and patent protection
  • Strategic positioning and sustainability

The first training session took place on October 15, with a workshop titled “Human Sustainability & Company Culture”, led by Elga Corricelli and Helga Ogliari – a moment of cross-cutting reflection on the human values that guide the growth of sustainable startups.

 

The initiative is part of the strategic actions of the NODES Ecosystem, funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) under the PNRR – Next Generation EU, with the goal of promoting the emergence and development of innovative, sustainable and interconnected business models.

Through the Venture Booster Program, NODES aims to concretely support the growth of high-impact entrepreneurial projects, enhancing the role of the ecosystem as a platform connecting research, business and territories.



Learn more

Program overview | Launch news

 

 

 

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