GUIDELINES

We are looking for ideas(*) or early stage startups dedicated to solving problems experienced in Venice as well as other coastal and historical cities. Every MDXV edition will have specific themes. In 2023, the themes are: 

• Art and Architecture: sustainability, maintenance, and preservation

• Tourism of the future: fair accommodations and sustainable mobility 

• Water, Energy and Environment 

• Smart tools for cities and citizens

(*) At MITdesignX Venice, Intellectual Property (IP) is considered the property of the individuals and/or teams. MIT and SerenDPT will not stake IP or patent claims to new ideas developed at MITdesignX Venice. 

MITdesignX Venice seeks diverse, interdisciplinary teams  working on challenging ideas to design solutions and launch a real venture based in Venice.  Teams should be composed of at least 2 people and not more than 5.

EVERYONE is invited to submit an application, whether students, professionals, or community members of all backgrounds. 

An individual cannot  apply as a single proponent and cannot apply as a member of more than one team.

Ideal candidates are ideas with a connection to Venice, or to the problems the city experiences.

MITdesignX Venice is suitable for newborn teams or incorporated startups that are in the pre-seed or seed phase (*) or in the pivoting phase (unless technological pivoting).

(*) click here to find out more about the startup phases & pivoting.

Applications can be submitted online (in English) during the submission period. Applications are open from May 1st to July 31, 2023.

We encourage individuals and teams to attend preparatory events that are programmed before the submission deadline. 

• Attendance in the preparatory events is not mandatory. 

• Teams can submit an application without attending any preliminary event. 

• Participation in the preliminary events helps teams to hone their idea and make a better submission

Up to 10 ideas will be selected to participate in the Fall program.

Anyone can be a member of a team, regardless of age, origin or background.

Participants are required to speak a good level of English. The entire program (workshops and final pitch) will be held in English.

Applications go through a selection process that reviews ideas based on:

• human and social impact 

• feasibility

• uniqueness

• market fit and scalability

• team composition, diversity and skillset

Preference will be given to teams with one or more members from Venice or the Veneto.

Up to 10 teams are selected.

Each selected team will receive €4.000 to fund initial team expenses needed to develop the idea. 

If selected for the fall program, in-person attendance (at all fall workshops) by at least 50% of the team (*) is mandatory to receive funding. 

• €10.000 final prizes will be awarded to the top 3 startups based on the final pitch. 

• SerenDPT provides a workspace for the selected teams during the on-site workshops and will offer a facilitated permanence inside the Fabbrica H3 incubator after the end of the program. 

(*) rounded down to the closest integer: at least 1 attending applicant for teams of 1 up to 3 applicants;  2 attending applicants for teams of 4 or 5 applicants

• Only teams will receive funding (not individuals). The grant is allocated to the venture, not to individual team members. Individuals may receive payments based on reimbursements of costs approved for the team. If changes are made to a team’s composition, the grant follows the team accepted into the program and not the individual team members.

• Funding cannot be split. Only the original idea and team composition selected by MITdesignX will be eligible for the program and funding unless (a) a team member voluntarily quits the team and the remaining members continue or (b) an acceptable pivot by members of the remaining team continues with the program. 

• Detailed funding procedures will be provided to teams once the selection process is completed.