In the frame of the Italy – China Science Technology and Innovation Week 2016, Città della Scienza will host the first edition of the Italy – China Best Startup Showcase, event dedicated to the best experiences of Italian and Chinese innovative startup that marks the start of a bilateral program in support of innovative business projects.

The program is coordinated by the Città della Scienza and PNI Cube together with MIUR – Ministry of Education – and MiSE – Ministry of Economic Development – for the Italian side, and MOST (Ministry of Science and Technology) and ITTN (Institute of Technology Transfer Network) for the Chinese side.

The Showcase is a matching initiative between market-proven startup and Italian and Chinese investors, which will involve at least 20 startups (10 Italian and 10 Chinese) interested and ready to internationalization, which will have the opportunity to present themselves to an audience of qualified lenders, incubators and Chinese and Italian experts, only to deepen contacts through one-to-one.

The Showcase program will be divided in two parts: the first one (26th October, from 11.15 to 13.00) with the round table “Investing on Young Talents and Startups“, in which there will be – among other hosts- Stefano Firpo, Director General of the Ministry for Industrial policy of MiSE: roundtable will focus on Campania Region commitment, in line with the Government in pursuing a strategy that encourages the internationalization, offering new opportunities for business projects. In the afternoon (from 14.00 to 17.00) there will be a pitch elevator session of a maximum of 10 Italian and 10 Chinese startups, who will have the opportunity to present themselves to a qualified investor parterre, incubators and experts coming from both countries.

The program aims to become, in the medium term, a good practice of debate and exchange on startups issue, providing both countries’ businesses with opportunities, tracing a collaboration path and exchange of experiences and resources between companies and stakeholders involved.

On 27th October, during the opening ceremony of the event, at the the presence of the two Ministers Giannini and Wan Gang, there will be a session presenting both the report of the Showcase Edition, and the launch of a another initiative to support new Sino-Italian business, the China-Italy Innovation Entrepreneurship Competition (CIIEC), organized by the Politecnico di Milano. On the afternoon of 26th (just after the Showcase) and in the late morning of 27 October (after the Opening Ceremony), there will take place one-on-one meetings between startups and investors that took part at at the Showcase.