CicerOOs is an Italian startup that has developed a research platform based on semantic technology which addressed the travel industry. Within a web crowded of services, solutions, apps specifically focused on leisure&travel, CicerOOS aims to change the way users discovers and enjoys turistic informations on the internet, they want to build a tourism genome. This ambitious project has now received a first round of funding from Digital Investments and the fund Principia II, terms remained undisclosed. Gianluca Dettori, partners dPixel sit on the board of directors of the company.
The project is at the moment in private beta, but it will go public within October.
The startup, was founded in 2010 in South Italy (Lecce) by Daniele Cassini and Daniele Viva, after an inspiring experience in Silicon Valley with Fulbright BEST Program, and also thanks to a grant given by Puglia Region through the call Principi Attivi.
CicerOOS CEO Daniele Cassini stated: “The support, not only in financial terms, but most in mentoring that we receive from Principia and Digital Investiment (dPixel) is one of the key issues for developing the company, which is still in start-up phase. It will allow us to organize the company, complete the technology, develop it in multiple languages and prove the validity of the product”.
The co-founder Daniele Viva, also CicerOOS CTO, explained: “To achieve our mission we are building what we call 'the genome of tourism', ie the mapping of millions of places in the world through millions of data extracted from the semantic and social web and then processed with proprietary algorithms. The result is to allow everyone to discover easily the beautiful places in the world. “
Both investors expressed their confidence in the project.
Gianluca Dettori, Partner and Chairman of dPixel (Digital Investments) said
“I am very pleased to announce the investment in CicerOOS. In dPixel we strongly believe in this project, a service that promises to enhance the touristic assets of Italy in the world. Besides, I appreciate the fact that this startup was founded as a result of important initiatives such as the Fulbright Best program and Bollenti Spiriti (a smart initiative in South Italy), that in recent years have done much to encourage and support young entrepreneurs in Italy.”
Michele Costabile, Managing Director of Principia SGR added: “CicerOOs is another innovative investment that the fund Principia II realized to support entrepreneurship in South Italy. Moreover, this investment support also the innovation in a strategic sector (for Italy) such as tourism. We are confident that initiatives such as CicerOOs will not only create value and employment, but also give a concrete contribution to the revival of the territory “.
