| |
Elemize, a company that has created a platform to reduce power system imbalances, has won the “Call for Disruption in Energy” competition, launched in June by Intermonte, Consilia, Ascomfidi and Enel to promote innovative energy and green economy projects. The start-up will receive backing in structuring an equity crowdfunding campaign, as well as in an acceleration programme in support of their business.
More specifically, Elemize will have access to a business-mentoring programme run by Enel, investor relations and content providing services offered by Intermonte through Websim, and legal and management advisory services offered by Consilia. The company will also benefit from a reduction in the placement fees provided by Intermonte SIM and Ascomfidi and much more favourable conditions than those prevailing on the market, with no setup fees or guaranteed minimums.
The solution developed by Elemize uses an algorithm, software and big data to reduce imbalances in the electrical system by optimising distributed energy storage with renewable energy installations. In this way, electricity flows are automatically distributed in prosumer buildings (producer-consumer). Elemize (elemize.com) was chosen from a group of five finalists, which also included: Risvolta (energy production from plants); Power Street Generation (generation from the movement of cars); Crossing (chemical components for textiles) and Fiorentine (waste management).
“We are proud to join forces with first-class partners such as Intermonte, Consilia and Ascomfidi on this project, which demonstrates how the combination of different skills and players can play a primary role in the growth of start-ups,” says Ernesto Ciorra, Head of Innovation and Sustainability at Enel. “Our Group is committed to developing the Italian entrepreneurial system, acting as an industrial partner and fostering contacts between start-ups and the institutions that can support them, including financially, in order to offer comprehensive support for their growth.”
“Alternative assets have an increasingly important position in the portfolio of investors looking for returns in an environment of zero interest rates,” explains Fabrizio Barini, head of new business development at Intermonte SIM. “Crowd-investing is a form of asset class with high potential in Italy: we estimate up to 50 billion euros of private savings could be tapped. Our role in the equity crowdfunding industry is to provide an investment opportunity for our customers and to enable start-ups to begin their journey towards the stock market, where our core business is concentrated.”
"In the future of Italian SMEs and start-ups, it will be important to maintain a competitive edge that can respond effectively to market changes. Equity crowdfunding offers an opportunity to structure a plan for access to credit that is not based solely on banks, however important they remain. In addition to financial support, it enables these companies to access the knowledge and expertise of their new shareholders and to reap the undeniable advertising windfall brought by the social aspect connected with crowdfunding,” says Christian Bosco, corporate consultant for Equitystartup, the equity crowdfunding portal of Ascomfidi Nord-Ovest. “Beginning this year, equity crowdfunding is accessible not only to innovative companies, but to all SMEs and start-ups, thus becoming a comprehensive alternative for their initial funding. Our portal offers all the direct and collateral skills required to support businesses and investors.”
|
ufficiostampa[.]enel.com 
