ERGO

Energies and Resources

for sustainability GOvernance

The company
The company was founded in late 2006 on the initiative of four
university professors and four researchers from the Sant'Anna
School of Advanced Studies with more than ten years experience in
the field of environmental management and support to public
administration to implement Environmental and Safety
Management Systems, the promotion of Product and Manufacturing
Standards, Territorial and Environmental Marketing and Energy

Planning.

The spin off approach

Ergo srl is the first spin off company in the service
sector of the SantAnna school that offer consultancy
services focused on environment and sustainability
management at 360
and covering all the main issue
related to Companies, Products,
Administration, Cluster and
Territories ("IMPACT focus").

Requirements for the spin off

accreditation

Support provided by the university

People working for the university in

the ownership (usually holding
more than 50% of the shares)
young researchers preferred
Clear and sustainable business plan
No overlapping (or, even worse,
competition) with the university
research activities
Having the explicit mission (and
task) to continue and develop the
research outcomes produced by the
university

Use of the brand (+ Sant Anna spinoffs Club)

Favourable conditions for covering
utilities costs (e.g.: telephone)
Support in obtaining public funds
(e.g.: the Ministry financed the start
up training and marketing
initiatives)
Partnership in mixed EU funded
projects (e.g.: external assistance for
operational tasks)
Training on the job for future
consultants

Ergo main activities/1

Ergo main activities/2

titolo

The international development

October 2013 saw the founding of Ergo Iberia SL, with its offices in Barcelona,
Spain. Ergo Iberia addresses its activities mainly to the markets in Spain and
Latin-America, providing specific consultancy services to businesses and public
authorities, with a broad focus on:
carbon management issues
energy issues
new specific certifications in the airport industry
the environmental issues of manufacturing
Ergo and Ergo Iberia adopt a strategy of total sharing of resources and knowhow
In 2014 Ergo srl open an infopoint office also in New York City (USA)

Ergo commitment for sustainability

The company has an Environmental Management
System certified under EMAS certification (EC
Regulation CE 1221/2009),
ERGOs Environmental Statement, stating its
strategies, improvement targets and reporting on its
environmental performance, can be downloaded on
www.ergosrl.net

On June 10th 2013 ERGO srl was one of the

founder promoters in the establishment of
'FONDAZIONE GLOBAL COMPACT NETWORK
ITALIA', and by doing so
is helping to create a more inclusive and
sustainable global economy.

www.ergosrl.net
Ergo

Pisa / Italy
Barcelona / Spain

SCUOLA SUPERIORE SANTANNA

Elisa Grassi
Ufficio Valorizzazione Ricerche (UVR)

Spin-off creation@SSSA

Vision of SSSA in the development of Spinoff

Excellence in applied research
Qualified and highly skilled researchers

Multidisciplinary teams
Entrepreneurial mission of SSSA
Impact to the regional ecosystem

Tools for entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship courses
Scouting

Internal procedures
Club Spin-off
Networking and matchmaking

Entrepreneurship Courses
Funded by the Region of
Tuscany
Coordinated by SSSA and
organized by all the
Universities in Tuscany
Training courses for
future entrepreneurs
(graduates, PhDs,
research fellows)

6
courses
UniFI
6 courses
3 UniPI
3 SSSA
5 courses
UniSI

Entrepreneurship Courses
7 courses (17 editions)
Total budget Euro 255.974,00.
Basic courses: essential elements for the design
and management of a new business
Specialized courses: training on specific themes
across sectors (ICT and Robotics); on specific
issues (Fund raising and Interationalisation).
Coaching: sectorial (Life Sciences, ICT and
Robotics)

Scouting through business plan competition

Start Cup Toscana: regional business plan competition for young
startup or business ideas
startcup.ilonova.eu

12 editions of the START CUP

organized since 2004 by SSSA
161 business plan collected
Winners of Tuscan
competition participate to
national competition
National Innovation Prize
www.pnicube.it

Procedure for Spin-off creation

Authorization by the Director of the Istitute
Proposal (identification of the main elements of the
business; innovative project; human resources, roles in
the company; IP aspects)
Proposal review (collect documents, support on BP)
Opinion by the Knowledge Transfer Committee

Approval by the Board od Director and Academic

Senate

Supporting the spin-off creation

UVR gives advices to researchers to create a new spin-off company (i.e.
business idea evaluation, BP preparation, inner procedures to be recognized
as University spin-off)
UVR instructs the necessary paperwork for the evaluation of proposals by
the Knowledge Transfer Committee, for the preparation of the investigation
that is being analyzed by the Board of Directors and the Academic Senate
After their creation, UVR keeps to be in touch with the spin-off companies
for training initiatives, meetings with VC
SSSA offers to spin-offs some facilities: use of spaces and equipment at the
Institutes
UVR offers information to join financing regional, national and EU.
UVR participates at matchmaking events on behalf of researchers of Scuola
SantAnna and Spin-Off companies
Since 2010 UVR has collaborated with Ericsson for the management of the
EGO Price for new company ideas; in the 2012 two SSSA spin-off entities were
awarded first and second place

Spin-off companies @SSSA

Sixth Sense srl
2015

Probiomedica s.r.l.

Smartlex srl

LOLIETTOOIL s.r.l.

2013
Pigekos.r.l.

Biocare Provider s.r.l.

Better than
Real s.r.l.

Eye-Tech s.r.l.

2009
2008

Prensilia s.r.l.

Asidev s.r.l.

Redhub s.r.l

Kiwi s.r.l

Ekymed srl

Win Medical s.r.l.

Fastenica s.r.l.

Ergo s.r.l.

Forsense s.r.l

Medea s.r.l.

Dedalo s.r.l
Encrea s.r.l.

2011

Rekno s.r.l.

Fibersense s.r.l

2005

SEM+ s.r.l.

Lab11 s.r.l.

Smania s.r.l.
Humanot s.r.l

Robotech s.r.l.

Henesis s.r.l

2007

Photrix s.r.l. 2006

2004
Era Endoscopy s.r.l.

Amic s.r.l

Fabrica 136 s.r.l.

2001

IUVO s.r.l.

Wearable Robotics s.r.l.

Infibra Technologies.r.l.

Cesue s.r.l.

Leaning
technologies s.r.l.

Espres 3D s.r.l.

2003

VICS s.r.l.

3D Finisher srl
2014

2012

Great Robotics s.r.l.

Vr Media s.r.l.

Evidence s.r.l.

2002

Aedit s.r.l
Technodeal s.r.l.

Scientia Machinale s.r.l

Domotica 2000 s.r.l.

Idea s.r.l

Mint Publishing s.r.l.

Pragma s.r.l

Humanware s.r.l

2000
Synapsis s.r.l

Icube s.r.l

1991/1997

2010

Spin-Off companies@SSSA
Integrated value: + 128%

Total number of spin-off: 48 (1991-2015); 38

members of Spin-off Club
Number of employees (Dec. 2013): about
200
Total revenues (Dec. 2013): about 10M

Spin off Club

Spin off Club is an association created in 2005 through which SSSA promotes
the relations with businesses, fosters collaboration between them, and
creates opportunities for growth and promotion
38 spin-off are members of the Club nowadays

UVR manages the secretariat of the Club, organizing meetings and

events, sending to the associated spin-off communications, creating
opportunities with potencial investors etc

Match-making events
UVR presents last research results and/or activities from researchers and SpinOffs

UVR participates on behalf of researchers of Scuola SantAnna and Spin-Off

companies in technological and match-making events:

Borsa della Ricerca (2010 e 2015)

SMAU Toscana Tecnologica (2014-2015)
Match-Making CNR (2014)
Meet in Italy for Life Science (2014 pross. ediz. 2015)
Toscana Promozione

U.O. Valorizzazione Ricerca@SSSA

Monia Gentile

Andrea Piccaluga

Elisa Grassi

Alessandra Patrono

Barbara Morelli

Rosita Minardi

Chiara Maiorino

www.sssup.it/UVR

uvr@sssup.it

Tel. +39-50-883584