It is called Lake Como Venture Lab and is the programme through which Confindustria Lecco and Sondrio, in partnership with the Lecco Campus of the Politecnico di Milano and with the support of the Como-Lecco Chamber of Commerce, is launching an ambitious challenge: to create, at the heart of one of Italy’s leading manufacturing districts, the leading ecosystem for deep-tech start-ups in the mechatronics and medtech sectors. Not a generic incubator, but an environment designed to transform cutting-edge research into businesses capable of competing on global markets.
This focus lies at the heart of the programme’s philosophy and defines its unique position within the Italian landscape. The objective is clear: to foster the creation of industrial deep-tech start-ups that demonstrate strong potential for scalability and growth right from the outset.
In announcing that a conference to present the programme will be held on 1 April, at which time the application process for interested start-ups will be revealed, details of the programme will be announced, including the range of services available to start-ups such as workspaces, support from the laboratories and researchers at the Lecco campus of the Politecnico di Milano, interaction with local entrepreneurs, the Marco Campanari, President of Confindustria Lecco and Sondrio, points out: “We are now seeing the culmination of a process of growing awareness that, for the region, it is necessary on the one hand to plan for the future and invest in the ‘champions of tomorrow’, and, on the other, it is strategic to combine the prestigious presence of the Politecnico di Milano with the exceptional expertise of the industrial system specialising in advanced manufacturing sectors that have established its global excellence, helping to build a start-up-oriented ecosystem strongly geared towards the creation and growth of innovative start-ups. Indeed, in a complex and rapidly changing landscape, even a region with a strong manufacturing base and some of the country’s highest performance indicators – such as that represented by the provinces in this area – is called upon not only to support today’s leading companies but also to launch key initiatives to encourage the creation of new, highly innovative and high-performing businesses, thereby helping to maintain a competitive and excellent ecosystem in specific sectors.
Lake Como Venture Lab is characterised by a strong sector-specific focus, concentrating on areas in which the Lecco region excels.
This element is central to the programme’s philosophy, clearly defining its positioning and uniqueness compared to similar programmes that drive the ecosystem, thereby aiming to foster the creation of highly innovative start-ups operating in the industrial deep-tech sector within the two verticals of mechatronics and medtech, which demonstrate from the outset the potential for scalability and, consequently, growth over time, a key factor in the creation of value, innovation and economic growth, as well as the ability to establish industrial partnerships and create jobs.
The mechatronics deep-tech sector encompasses high-tech mechatronic systems, next-generation robotics, advanced enabling technologies for the modernisation of industrial processes, predictive maintenance systems, mechatronic innovation in complex industrial processes, and intelligent mechatronic systems for heavy industry.
The medtech sector encompasses the development of innovative medical devices, related biotechnology, medical robotics, advanced rehabilitation techniques, diagnostic technologies, and the use of AI in healthcare systems.
Lake Como Venture Lab’s ambition translates into a tangible investment: significant resources allocated to facilitate access to world-class infrastructure and expertise, including dedicated spaces, laboratories, specialist know-how, mentorship, and technical, practical and scientific support – all the tools needed to take an idea from the proof-of-concept stage to market validation.
Confindustria Lecco e Sondrio is leading the project as coordinator, overseeing the design and implementation of the ecosystem, its day-to-day management, and the establishment of strategic links with investors, businesses and key players in the public and private sectors. The selected start-ups will also have free access for one year to the services and opportunities offered by the Association, including direct visibility within its network of businesses.
The Lecco Campus of the Politecnico di Milano offers a stimulating and innovative environment and acts as a scientific partner within the programme, contributing to awareness-raising and selection activities, ensuring the availability of incubation spaces for start-ups, scientific mentoring, and access to laboratories and facilities for the creation of prototypes and proofs of concept. It also helps organise training initiatives, start-up boot camps and workshops designed to engage students and thereby contribute to the growth of an entrepreneurial culture.
“The Lake Como Venture Lab represents a crucial step towards strengthening the link between research and new entrepreneurship,” says Marco Tarabini, Vice-Rector of the Politecnico di Milano. “Today more than ever, it is essential that academic research also finds concrete avenues for application, transforming itself into innovation capable of generating value for the productive system and for society. In this process, the laboratories and expertise of the Politecnico di Milano can play an enabling role, supporting start-ups from the technological development phase right through to validation.”
Another partner in the project is the Como-Lecco Chamber of Commerce, which provides tangible financial support by offering an annual pre-seed grant to selected start-ups to cover the costs of incubation, scientific mentoring and access to the research facilities at the Politecnico di Milano.
Federica Pasini, a professional with over ten years’ experience in the startup and technological innovation ecosystem, has been appointed to lead Lake Como Venture Lab, of which Startupbusiness is a partner. Pasini has built her career through complementary roles of increasing responsibility: from direct involvement in innovation projects and start-up scouting within leading corporate environments, to her experience as a founder, which has allowed her to experience first-hand the challenges of launching and developing an innovative business.
The initiative is structured as a multi-year programme and designed to create and implement a stable and efficient ecosystem; it is based on incubation cycles lasting up to 12 months each, with a maximum of three start-ups involved per cycle, hosted at the Lecco Campus of the Politecnico di Milano in the incubator’s dedicated facilities.
Start-ups will be selected through a dedicated annual call for applications and a subsequent start-up pitch competition.
The roadmap includes a launch conference for the programme on Wednesday 1 April 2026 at 11am at the Politecnico’s Lecco campus (click here to register for the launch event).
The call for applications will lead to a pitch competition to select and establish the first cohort of start-ups, which will begin the incubation programme immediately after the summer of 2026.
The success of the initiative is linked to a broader strategy, shared by the partners, aimed at establishing permanent measures to support innovative entrepreneurship and a business culture, with the aim of creating a stable ecosystem in the region that is capable of fostering ‘leading’ companies in their respective sectors (the opening photo shows a view of the Lecco campus of the Politecnico di Milano, which will host the programme’s start-ups).
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