The startup scene in Italy

Bologna’s Chamber of Commerce reported 254 active innovative startups in the city during 2025. The Chamber’s figures showed the count fell 9% over the year ending 2025, and that 82% of the registered startups provided high-value-added services, including 40% in computer programming, while 18% were in industry. (Claims 87265, 87266, 87267.)

The Emilia-Romagna Region reported 282 registered innovative startups in Bologna province in September 2025. This provincial register figure and the Chamber’s city-level count have different geographies and reporting snapshots and should not be treated as directly comparable. (Claims 87269, 87270.)

The University of Bologna’s March 2026 feature reported 62 accredited spin-offs and student startups, including 35 ventures accredited over five years; the group recorded €26.4 million in turnover in 2024 and had 344 staff and collaborators. The University also links Sinbiosys, founded in June 2020, to research at its Department of Chemistry, and describes its work on sustainable nanomaterials for optical sensors, energy conversion, plastic recycling, traceability and sorting. (Claims 87272, 87273, 87274.)

The Metropolitan City’s investment portal identifies technology, robotics and automation as strengths of the Bologna metropolitan area and says local research centers work closely with firms. It describes the Big Data Technopole near central Bologna as planned research infrastructure for high-tech companies and laboratories, including the Leonardo supercomputer. (Claims 87278, 87279.)