In 2024, the Foundation has allocated approximately €80 million from the Biomedical Fund to invest in 16 innovative start-ups and SMEs, primarily active in the Digital Health and Precision Medicine sectors.
Fifty percent of the resources will support the development of implantable or rehabilitative medical devices, 26% will focus on advanced diagnostic solutions, 20% will target experimental drugs, and the remaining 4% will be allocated to telemedicine and Digital Health initiatives.
Also in 2024, a call for proposals was launched with a budget of €40 million to provide non-repayable co-financing for industrial research and experimental development projects in Life Sciences. This initiative aims to foster collaborations with healthcare institutions and research centers while contributing to the consolidation of the biomedical sector and promoting technology transfer.
The Technology Transfer Fund has also issued a call for Agritech projects valued at €40 million, offering equity and quasi-equity investments for start-ups, SMEs, and university spin-offs. The goal is to advance precision livestock farming, circular economy, and nutrition, with a particular focus on the Mediterranean diet. In November, 32 projects were selected following one-to-one consultations with applicants, and the second phase of proposal evaluation is currently underway.
“The Foundation continues to fulfill its original mandate: addressing the absence in Italy of a national-level entity specifically tasked with supporting cutting-edge research in Life Sciences, which has strategic implications for public health and national security, as well as for embedding significant segments of the global research and industry value chain within Italy. The challenge lies in experimenting with new forms of public-private collaboration and risk-sharing. This is no easy task, given entrenched practices that hinder innovation and development. The challenge is clear, and we are committed to meeting it,” commented Prof. Giovanni Tria, President of the Foundation.
“Over the past year, the Foundation has experienced growth and strengthening in its team, its relationships within the national and international ecosystem, and its dialogue with research institutions, universities, foundations, associations, and businesses. Now, the Foundation must enhance its role as an institutional instrument supporting policies aimed at consolidating and enhancing the biomedical sector, a strategic asset of undeniable importance for our country,” concluded Maria Cristina Porta, Director General of ENEA Tech and Biomedical.