Floriano
Next Age Acceleration Program Coordinator at AC75 Startup Accelerator
About
I'm Floriano, the Next Age Acceleration Program Coordinator at AC75 Startup Accelerator, where I focus on Silver Economy and early-stage investments. My career has taken me from mechanical engineering and composite materials to product management, entrepreneurship education, and now startup acceleration. I'm passionate about transforming the ageing population trend into an innovation opportunity and believe strongly that 'slow startups win.' Through my work, I offer hands-on mentoring, investment access, and connections to a global network. I'm always looking to connect with founders in the AgeTech space, scientists exploring commercialization, and fellow investors who value concrete action over talk.
Networking
What I can offer
- ›Hands-on startup mentoring and advisory
- ›Investment through the NextAge program
- ›Access to a global network of corporates and scientific institutions
- ›Expertise in designing/delivering teaching, training, and investment programs for institutions
- ›Connections for startups
Looking for
- ›expanding my professional network
- ›exploring mutual opportunities in startup acceleration and venture capital
Best fit for
Current Interests
Background
Career
Started with engineering internships, founded composite materials consulting business, moved to product management at Agfa Healthcare, transitioned to entrepreneurship education and startup mentoring, co-founded multiple ventures including Frolla, and now focuses on Silver Economy startup acceleration and investment
Education
Dott. Ing. in Mechanical Engineering from Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna (1994-2004), Erasmus research period at Strathclyde University Glasgow (2003), MSc in Composite Materials from Imperial College London (2004-2005), Executive Program in Technology and Innovation Management from ISTAO (2009), Certificate of Completion in Startup School from InnovAction Lab (2011)
Achievements
- ›As Next Age Program Coordinator: From 0 to investing €3.5M in acceleration tickets and follow-ons in 22 startups from Italy, Spain, the USA, Germany and Singapore
- ›Co-Founder at Frolla: 5 disabled people full-time employed, over 25 trained, 28k Instagram followers, collaborations with Lamborghini and 3M, 4th Christmas sold out in a row
- ›Founder of Collabobeat: Took it from an idea on a napkin to a 20,000€ grant, then a pilot site in a 1000-bed teaching hospital, to technology adoption by a leading Oncology Information Systems company in Italy
- ›Co-Founder of Surgery Academy: Awarded with a 20,000€ grant and acceleration program at TIM #Wcap accelerator
- ›As Head Startup Mentor at The Hive: Helped Appennello become the leading paint&sip format in Italy and Heyfoo go from almost bankrupted to over x0.000€ in yearly revenue
- ›As CMO at FUEL Inc.: Been from 0 to 7 leads in 4 weeks and 2 PoC in the following months for the Bubble product
- ›At Agfa Healthcare: Appointed responsible person for the first-ever Orbis installation in Italy at the pilot site
Opinions
- "slow startups win"
- Believes in the transformative power of inclusive work: "if the world of work had been an inclusive place, Frolla would never have been born. I think this should make us reflect..."
- Values concrete action over talk in innovation, quoting InnovAction Lab's motto: "Basta chiacchiere e zero fuffa!" (Enough chatter and zero fluff!)
- Strongly advocates for vertical acceleration programs because they foster founder collaboration within a sector
- Views the ageing population trend not just as a challenge but as an opportunity, aiming to "transform the Silver Tsunami into an Innovation Tsunami"