ESG, DIGITAL, AND FEMALE STARTUPS: T2I LAUNCHES THE NEW EDITION OF THE “LUCIANO MIOTTO STARTUP AWARD”
Following the success of the 2024 edition—which attracted over 86 applications from across Italy (21 of which were from the Veneto region)—registrations are now open for the eighth edition of the “Luciano Miotto Business Start-Up Award ,” an initiative conceived by our partner t2i – Trasferimento Tecnologico e Innovazione, a consortium owned by the Chambers of Commerce of Treviso-Belluno | Dolomites, Verona, and Venice-Rovigo. The award is in memory of Luciano Miotto, a visionary entrepreneur with a passion for the future and innovation, who passed away prematurely in the summer of 2018.
The project was created with the aim of promoting digitalization and innovation in Italy, encouraging synergy between startups, research centers, and businesses, particularly favoring young, innovative startups with the greatest growth potential. This mission has always been pursued by t2i through its Certified Incubator, the first certified public incubator fully owned by the Veneto Chamber of Commerce (accredited by the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy). In 2025, 62 innovative startups and SMEs were supported, along with over 700 hours of personalized consulting for new business launches.
“Luciano Miotto was not only a visionary entrepreneur and a member of the Chamber of Commerce, but also a friend with whom I shared values, vision, and commitment to the local area,” commented Mario Pozza, President of the Treviso-Belluno | Dolomiti Chamber of Commerce. “His passion for innovation and business lives on in this Special Sustainability Award, promoted by the Treviso-Belluno|Dolomiti Chamber of Commerce, and is renewed over time thanks to the commitment of his family, especially his brother Carlo and daughter Alessia, who preserve his memory and successfully continue his business. With this initiative, we want to continue to pass on his entrepreneurial spirit to new generations of startups.”
Open to innovative and digital entrepreneurial projects from across Italy, the call is aimed at individuals, project teams, or start-ups offering or intending to offer innovative solutions in the following sectors: Hi-tech & Digital; Industry 5.0 and Artificial Intelligence; Social Innovation and the Circular Economy; Technologies and Innovation for Internationalization; Environmental, Economic, and Social Sustainability (ESG); and Green Economy.
Also returning to this year’s edition is the Special Female Startup Award, created to recognize young businesses whose core (members and shares) are at least 51% women. New this year is the Special Sustainability Award, sponsored by the Treviso-Belluno Dolomiti Chamber of Commerce, which demonstrates the Chamber’s commitment to integrating sustainability as a driver of innovation and competitiveness.
Interested parties can submit their applications by February 13, 2026 by completing the form available for download at this link and sending it to incubatore@t2i.it. For more details on the competition rules and how to participate, please consult the announcement at this link.
Within 30 days, the projects will be evaluated by a technical jury composed of representatives from the business world, associations, t2i, and experts from Invitalia, who will select the ten finalist startups. The top four, along with the two finalists for the women’s, team, and sustainability awards, will be awarded at an event organized in collaboration with Confindustria Veneto Est.
The Luciano Miotto Business Start-Up Award includes technical collaboration with Invitalia for t2i, a partner of the Invitalia Startup System, collaboration with Confindustria Veneto Est, and sponsorship from Imesa Spa and Asac srl, companies founded and led for a long time by Luciano Miotto.
This year, too, thanks to the support of Imesa Spa, the two finalists, the winner of the Special Female Award and the Best Team Award, will receive cash prizes: the first place winner will receive a €3,500 prize and a six-month acceleration program at the t2i Certified Incubator. This program will be tailored to the startup’s real needs and may include a variety of topics, from intellectual property to social media assessment, marketing and communications, mentorship and networking, training, and access to public funding and tenders.
The second-place winner will receive a €1,500 prize and will receive a mentoring session dedicated to needs assessment, digitalization, and business model development/review. The projects winning the Special Female Startup Award and the Best Team Award will also receive a €1,500 prize, as well as a six-month free home incubation contract at the t2i Certified Incubator. Finally, the winner of the Special Sustainability Award will receive a personalized ESG orientation program.
Invitalia offers winners guidance and support in applying for funding under the incentives managed by the Agency.
Attachments:
Bando Start Up Competition Miotto 8 edizione t2i
Domanda di Ammissione – Premio Miotto 8 edizione
Contacts
For information and clarifications, please contact the t2i-Technology Transfer and Innovation organizing secretariat: incubatore@t2i.it – tel. 0425 471067
Press office contacts: Community – Reputation Advisers
Alessia Omerini: alessia.omerini@community.it – 350 9340538
Francesco Astolfi: francesco.astolfi@community.it – 335 7897492
