Special events and activities

To promote an entrepreneurial culture among young people, public authorities and major sector organisations organise every year a series of national and territorial events and campaigns. Some of these include:

• The Young Entrepreneurs Movement of Confindustria actively contributes to promoting entrepreneurial culture among young people through conferences, projects with the business world and local initiatives that encourage dialogue, training, and awareness. Among these, the Talentis – GI Startup Program stands out, which consists of a series of events, meetings, and contests dedicated to business ideas and Italian startups.

• The GammaDonna Association promotes and enhances entrepreneurial initiatives of women and young people. It operates as a talent scout for innovative business models and promotes entrepreneurial culture through projects, dedicated initiatives and the dissemination of testimonials from female entrepreneurs who are leaders of inclusive and sustainable business models.

• Impresa in Azione is an entrepreneurial education program promoted by Junior Achievement Italy, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Merit. It targets students in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th years of upper secondary schools nationwide. Recognized as valid for the PCTO (Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation), the program involves the creation of mini-companies for educational purposes, directly managed by students. Thanks to its practical and work-oriented approach, it fosters the development of entrepreneurial, technical and transversal skills.

Networks and partnerships

At the national level, there are numerous networks and structures committed to promoting youth entrepreneurial culture, often supported or recognized by public bodies. 

Among these are:

• Various organisations that contribute to promoting entrepreneurial culture among young people through training activities, events, mentoring programs, and networking opportunities, such as the Young Entrepreneurs Movement of Confindustria, CNA Young Entrepreneurs, Young Entrepreneurs of Confcommercio, ANGA – Youth of Confagricoltura, and other youth sections of the main trade associations active at both national and regional levels;

• PNICube is the national network of University Incubators and Start Cup Competitions, founded in 2004 to promote the entrepreneurial valorisation of academic research by involving students and researchers in the creation of innovative enterprises. With 56 members including universities, incubators, and innovation entities, the network operates in 18 Italian regions through 17 regional Start Cups;

• Rete Project – Youth, Skills, Work promoted by the Department for Youth Policies in collaboration with Invitalia, fosters entrepreneurial culture among young people aged 16 to 35 through a network of territorial hubs, training courses, support for business creation, and paid internships.