Applications are now open for the 7th edition of the Global Start Up Program, the acceleration path abroad developed by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) and aimed at innovative Italian start-ups interested in strengthening their technical, organisational and financial capacities to face new markets.
The initiative is part of the action to support the internationalisation of the Italian production system promoted by the Italian Trade Agency with the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to accompany innovative enterprises, start-ups and SMEs in the main international innovation ecosystems.
The programme, free of charge and reserved for innovative start-ups registered in the Special Register of the Chambers of Commerce, will take place between September and November 2026 at international accelerators selected by the Italian Trade Agency.
The Global Start Up Program, in fact, offers selected start-ups the opportunity to participate in an intensive journey at international accelerators identified by the Italian Trade Agency. The activities, scheduled between September, October and November 2026, include mentoring sessions, networking events, meetings with investors and corporate partners, training activities and pitching moments, with the aim of fostering the growth of Italian innovative companies and their positioning on foreign markets.
The 2026 edition will be held in six international venues. For the first time, each location has been associated with a technology vertical specification and a programme tailored to the industry sector of interest: Bangalore for Advanced Manufacturing; Munich for Artificial Intelligence; Paris for Greentech Innovation/Cleantech, Deep Tech and Industry 5.0; San Diego for Biotech/Pharma; Singapore for Fintech/Insurtech; Zurich, new headquarters for the 2026 edition, for Digital Health.
The best start-ups in each path will be enhanced in a dedicated final event, scheduled in Milan at the Italian Trade Agency’s Office at the end of November 2026. The winning start-up will also have the opportunity to be hosted free of charge by ITA at the 2027 VivaTech Paris, while the finalist start-ups will be able to take part, during 2027, to further dedicated moments in Italy and abroad.
Applications for the 7th edition of the Global Start Up Program have been open since 7 May 2026 and may be submitted until 11.59 p.m. on 31 May 2026.
Interested companies may consult the acceleration programmes web page on the Italian Trade Agency’s website and submit their applications in accordance with the procedures set out in the call for applications.