GUIDELINES

• The only MIT startup creation & acceleration program in Italy.

• Application and access to the program for teams is completely free.

• EQUITY-FREE ACCELERATOR: at MITdesignX Venice, Intellectual Property (IP) is considered the property of the individuals and/or teams. MIT and SerenDPT will neither stake IP or patent claims to new ideas developed at MITdesignX Venice nor take equity from the participating startups in exchange for training. 

What is the aim of the Program?
SerenDPT is a Benefit Corporation with the mission of repopulating Venice.  It promotes sustainable growth and supports startups that can generate high-quality jobs and bring vitality back to the city. At the end of the program SerenDPT offers incentives for participating teams to locate at FabbricaH3 innovation hub in Venice historic city center.

SUSTAINABILITY & POSITIVE IMPACT ORIENTED IDEAS

We are looking for ideas or early stage startups dedicated to solving problems in the following sectors: 

• 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
  
  MITdesignX Venice seeks diverse, interdisciplinary teams working on challenging ideas to design high-impact solutions and launch a real venture based in Venice. Ideal candidates are ideas with a connection to Venice, or to the problems the city experiences.

2+ MEMBER TEAMS & EARLY STAGE STARTUPS

Minimum TRL (Technological Readiness Level) NOT required.
It is not necessary to have a registered startup at the time of application.

Ideas can be submitted by anyone, regardless of age and origin or background (whether students, professionals, or community members). 

FROM IDEATION TO LAUNCH

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.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS ARE TEAMS OF PEOPLE WITH A BUSINESS IDEA

Teams should be composed of at least 2 members and not more than 5.
Anyone can be a member of a team (*), regardless of age and origin or background (whether students, professionals, or community members).  
It is not necessary to have a registered startup at the time of application. 

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

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

MITdesignX Venice is a IN-PERSON PROGRAM on site, at H3 Factory, in Venice, Italy.
SerenDPT provides free workspace for the selected teams during the on-site workshops.

In-person attendance (at all fall workshops and Final Pitch) by at least 2 applicants for each team is mandatory to access prizing and benefits. 

All the expenses for attending the program in person are borne by the participants.

MITdesignx Venice is a unique course offered by MIT Professional Education in English.
Participants who complete the program will be issued a certificate of participation signed by the executive director of MITdesignX and will be authorized to use the MITdesignX Venice logo for information purposes about the existence of an association relationship between the graduating startup and the program.

In 2024 Final Prizes(*) amounted to  €32.000

• €10.000 awarded by Fondazione di Venezia to the top 3 startups based on the final pitch.
  1st Place = € 5.000
  2nd Place = € 3.000
  3rd Place = € 2.000

• €12.000 in kind awarded by SerenDPT
  Free hospitality and mentoring for 12 months in the H3 Factory incubator for 2 startups who commits to locate to the Venice HC
  2 desks to each startup per 12 months = ~ €6.000

• €10.000 in kind awarded by Bizplace
  Advisory services for 2 startups = ~ €5.000
  
  

(*) Only participants who complete the program by satisfying the rules of attendance will be eligible for the final prizes. (Check the rules of attendance). Prizes are awarded to the venture, not to individual team members. Prizes cannot be split. 

Applications can be SUBMITTED ONLINE (in English) during the submission period.

Applications in 2025 are open from June 1st until July 31st.
Up to 10 ideas will be selected to participate in the Fall program.

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

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

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

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

Up to 10 teams are selected.