Italian Industrial Associations to Send Startups to Silicon Valley

Online, July 8, 2014 (Newswire.com) - M31USA announced its participation in two significant startup competitions in Italy. The Premio Best Practices Competition, organized by Confindustria Salerno, and the Start Innovation Competition, presented by Assobiomedica, are two important efforts in Italy to encourage invention and the adoption of Silicon Valley-style agile development and marketing techniques.

Confindustria Salerno, the industrial association for businesses located in the Italian province of Salerno, recently celebrated the eighth edition of its event, of which M31USA was a partner, by recognizing Bazzica Engineering SrI, Beta 8.0, and SBSkinn as the primary prize winners. Other honorees included Istech, Mai Piu Soli, Face4Job, Itt Focaccia di Salerno and Sip&t. The purpose of Premio Best Practices is to recognize manufacturers and services providers who have introduced an innovation with demonstrable and measurable results.

"We believe that innovation is not only important to Italian business - and representative of our long history - it is the key to our future strength and participation in the global economy," said Giuseppe De Nicola, President of Confindustria Salerno. "Our relationships with companies and experts in Silicon Valley is important to our enterprises of all sizes and types in Salerno."

Assobiomedica, the Italian federation representing medical device suppliers, just closed the review of the applications for its Start Innovation award, of which M31USA is a partner. This is the first year of the competition. The six companies with the best projects and products in the sector will be invited to send teams to Silicon Valley for a full immersion, led by M31USA experts and partners.

"Italian companies specializing in both diagnostic and biomedical technologies are doing great things, and even the high quality of entrants in our first competition proves it," said Stefano Rimondi, President of Assobiomedica. "We are very pleased that the winners will have the opportunity to observe Silicon Valley players first-hand under M31USA's guidance because this is still an extraordinary place for innovation from all points of view," added Vera Codazzi, Assobiomedica's project leader of Start Innovation award.

"It was an honor for M31USA to participate in the Confindustria Salerno competition this year, and we look forward to hosting the Assobiomedica winners in August," said Aldo Cocchiglia, CEO of M31USA. "The Entrepreneur's Journey is designed to bring European innovators and Silicon Valley professionals together - to build relationships and collaborate in ways that create success for all parties."

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Assobiomedica

A member-organisation of Confindustria (the Italian federation of industry), Assobiomedica represents entities that supply medical devices to Italy's public and private healthcare facilities. The federation covers thousands of products, including chemical reagents and equipment for blood and tissue sample analysis; heart valves and open heart surgery equipment; implantable medical devices, such as pacemakers, defibrillators, stents and orthopedic endoprostheses; electromedical equipment, such as CAT, NMR and PET machines; equipment for operating theatres and intensive care units, and substance-based medical devices (borderline). Representing the vast majority of companies in its sector, Assobiomedica is an authoritative interface for public and private healthcare institutions nationwide. It promotes the cultural, social and economic value of innovation, research and technological development, and contributes to the enhancement of the Italian health system as a whole. Since its foundation, Assobiomedica has played a pivotal role in improving life expectancy and quality of life.

For further information contact Assobiomedica Press Office
Sara Robibaro
Tel. +39 06 5903967
Mob. +39 393 9976490
Email: robibaro@assobiomedica.it

Confindustria Salerno

The association of the Industrialists of the Province of Salerno was founded in 1918. It adheres to the tenets of Confindustria, the principal organization of representation of the enterprises of small, average and great dimension of the province of Salerno.

Tel. +39 089 / 200811
Fax: +39 089 / 338896
Email: aisai@confindustria.sa.it

M31USA

M31USA accelerates European startups and SMEs from a US base in Silicon Valley; its European headquarters are in Padua, Italy. The company's services also include incubation of select startups and immersion tours of Silicon Valley, known as The Entrepreneur's Journey. For more information, visit www.m31usa.com.