FAQ

How do I apply for the Next Energy Call?

Applications can be submitted via the NextEnergy website, filling out the form for the appropriate Call, and uploading all required documents (CV, video presentation, etc.).
Participation is free of charge and does not entail any constraints or commitments. All required documents can be submitted in either Italian or English.

Can people living abroad participate?

Italian citizens living abroad and foreign citizens with regular Italian leave to remain permits can participate in the “Call for Talents” and the “Call for Ideas“. Please remember that all programmes will be carried out in Italy and in Italian, meaning that adequate knowledge of Italian is needed.
For the “Call for Growth“, the tender foresees the participation of start-ups mainly operating within the EU but, in line with an Open Innovation approach, the participation of companies from outside the EU is not excluded, provided they are able to ensure their participation during the “Engage” stage.

Are the documents uploaded to support the applications public?

The documents will be accessible only to the platform manager and the Selection Committee. Personal information will be processed in compliance with the current regulations on the processing of personal data. All relevant privacy information can be found on the dedicated page.
In any case, the tender establishes that candidates authorise Terna and Cariplo Factory to publish their project online and to present it during conventions, congresses, etc.

I participated last year, can I participate this year?

The requirement for a degree received within the last 12 months obviously prevents candidates from participating more than once in the “Call for Talents“, but for the other two Calls those who presented applications for previous editions may apply again, whether with the same project, a modified project or an entirely new project.

Can I participate using a project that is also involved in other competitions/calls?

The presentation of a project does not impose any constraints on exclusivity, so it is possible to participate in other competitions.

Is the insertion of a video CV/pitch video during the application optional?

For the “Call for Talents” and the “Call for Ideas“, if a video is not uploaded the application is considered not valid.

What are the new features for fourt edition?

The most significant change is the greater integration of the Next Energy 4 objectives with those of Terna’s strategic plan which is summarized in the thematic frame “A leading role in the energy transition”. From this follows the second element of novelty or the raising of the TRL required of startups: ideas move from levels 2-5 of last year to the current 3-6 while for growth the required TRL is 6-8.

What does the "Call for Talents" offer?

The offer consists of ten six-month internships at Terna, including an initial training period held at the Terna Campus in Rome, followed by on-the-job training at one of Terna’s offices as part of an innovative project management team.
The selected talents will be awarded a grant of € 1,500 per month, gross before taxes.

What does the "Call for Ideas" offer?

The projects, up to a maximum of 10, will access the incubation programme, selected by a Jury with an equal number of members selected by Terna, the Cariplo Foundation and Cariplo Factory.
The incubation programme consists of a two month period at an incubator selected by Cariplo Factory on the basis of the needs of the individual teams and their geographic location.
At the end of this phase, the teams will meet with the Jury again for an elevator pitch session. The best project will receive a € 50,000 voucher, to be used exclusively to purchase additional services to allow the team to go to market.

What is involved in the incubation programme coordinated by Cariplo Factory?

Cariplo Factory identifies and coordinates incubators located throughout Italy on the basis of skills associated with the issues dealt with by the various areas of application of the calls
and on the basis of geographical location. This approach, designed around the specific requirements of the various projects selected, aims to create a tailor-made incubation programme for each individual team.

If during the incubation process an invention is developed, what happens? Who owns the patent?

Ownership of results developed during the programme remains that of the participating teams.
The coaching team, which is bound by confidentiality requirements, may involve an intellectual property expert on the team to provide specialised support. If no patent request has yet been filed at the time of the final event, the subject of the patent must be submitted to the members of the Jury confidentially, so as not to compromise its ability to be patented through a public presentation. Finally, if the results of the incubation programme give rise to works which could be protected in terms of copyright or intellectual property rights, Terna will be granted the right of first refusal in the event of transfer/sale of the property rights or right to profit from the same.

What does the "Call for Growth" offer?

Up to a maximum of 5 startups will be selected, which will access the Cariplo Factory Open Innovation platform, through a process aimed at defining the synergy areas of activity between the individual startup and Terna.

What happens during the "Engage" stage?

Intensive involvement activities begin during this stage, in which the start-ups work together with Terna, supported by partner solutions to structure a pilot project that tests the technology and the business model. The “Engage” process aims to develop a pilot and testing project that may later be implemented through a specific agreement with Terna.