Among the main changes introduced by the new Regulation, Article 2 identifies the following types of business initiatives:

• “Spin-offs with or without Sapienza’s participation”: limited companies aimed at the industrial, commercial and social application of research results obtained at the university, or whose purpose is the production of innovative goods and services related to such results and/or of high technological content, conceived and developed as part of research activities or using the university's resources;
•  “Start-ups”: limited companies, whose purpose is the production of innovative goods and services related to such research, established on the initiative of students, drawing on knowledge acquired during their studies and/or through participation in initiatives, training programmes or projects promoted by Sapienza

The process is divided into three (3) stages:

1 – The first stage of the approval process for a spin-off or start-up proposal at Sapienza University is known as the preliminary assessment stage. During this stage, the relevant office within the University assists the proposers in defining their business project.

This support takes the form of a series of targeted meetings with the proposers, aimed at defining the project’s vision and objectives. The office then provides assistance in drafting the documentation required for the submission of the proposal to the Spin-off and Start-up Commission.

2 - A second stage, involving the evaluation of the proposal, is entrusted to the Spin-off and Start-up Committee. The Committee, comprising experts from various fields, is tasked with carefully examining the proposal and issuing an opinion that is mandatory but not binding on the final decision-making bodies.

The Commission’s assessment focuses primarily on four key aspects:

• Technological Innovation: namely, the degree of originality, potential market impact and ability to differentiate itself from existing solutions.
• Entrepreneurial Team: the team’s skills and how well they complement one another, their experience and their motivation.
• Economic and Financial Sustainability: the financial plan, its coherence and the ability to generate sufficient revenue.
• Technology Transfer Links: the connections between the proposal and the research context.

3 – A third and final stage, involving the approval of the proposal by the governing bodies – the Academic Senate and the Board of Governors – which deliberate on the matter, approving the proposal as a Sapienza spin-off and start-up and authorising tenured academic staff to participate in the entrepreneurial initiative.

You must complete the following steps:

• draw up the business plan: a document describing the innovative nature of the product/service, analysing the market segment – with particular reference to potential customers and competitors – and setting out the economic and financial viability of the initiative. Drawing up the business plan is a crucial step in the process of submitting a spin-off or start-up proposal to Sapienza. This document must describe in detail various key aspects of the business project. First and foremost, the business plan must highlight the innovative nature of the proposed product or service. This involves clearly and precisely highlighting the elements of originality and differentiation compared to solutions already available on the market. The description must highlight the added value that the spin-off and the start-up intend to bring to the relevant sector. A thorough analysis of the market segment is another essential element of the business plan. This analysis must identify the target audience, namely the potential customers for whom the product or service is intended. The market segment analysis must also include a mapping of competitors, i.e. companies offering products or services similar to those proposed by the spin-off and the start-up. Finally, the business plan must demonstrate the economic and financial viability of the initiative. This means presenting a detailed financial plan setting out investments, costs and revenues.
• obtain the approval of the Department Board, comprising tenured academic staff involved in the start-up, for the business proposal and for the participation of tenured staff (it is essential to ensure that participation in the business initiative does not compromise the teaching and research activities of the academic staff).
• send the documentation (proposal form, business plan, Department Board resolution, proposers’ CVs) to spinoff@uniroma1.it. The required documentation includes the following items:

  1. Proposal Form: This is a specific form, provided by Sapienza University, which sets out the key information on the spin-off, the start-up and the proposers

  2. Business Plan: As explained above, the business plan is a fundamental document that describes the business project in detail.

  3. It must include a description of the product or service, a market analysis with particular focus on potential customers and competitors, the financial plan and the development strategy.

  4. Department Board Resolution: This written resolution confirms the Department’s support for the business proposal and the participation of permanent staff in the initiative. The Department Board assesses the business proposal and the involvement of permanent staff, ensuring that participation in the initiative does not compromise the teaching and research activities of the academic staff

  5. CVs of the Proposers: The CVs of the proposers enable an assessment of the skills, experience and qualifications of the team intending to lead the start-up

Submitting all the documentation to spinoff@uniroma1.it enables the Spin-off and Start-up Office to begin the preliminary assessment phase. During this phase, the office’s staff meet with the applicants to further define the project and provide support in preparing the documentation to be submitted to the Spin-off and Start-up Commission.

No. Non-tenured staff (students, PhD students, research fellows, etc.) may also submit an application, provided they submit a letter of support from a tenured member of staff at Sapienza, in accordance with Article 3 of Sapienza’s Spin-off and Start-up Regulations. The proposal must, however, be approved by the Department Board with regard to the proposer’s field of research. Access to submitting a spin-off proposal is not restricted to tenured staff at Sapienza University. PhD students, research fellows and other ‘non-tenured’ staff may also initiate the process for setting up a spin-off. However, to ensure a strong link with the academic environment and supervision by an expert, non-permanent staff must submit a statement of support from a permanent Sapienza academic staff member attesting to their use and exploitation of the know-how and skills generated within a research context. This declaration, drawn up in accordance with Article 3 of Sapienza’s Spin-off and Start-up Regulations, confirms the tenured academic’s interest in the project and their commitment to providing support and guidance to non-tenured proposers. The spin-off proposal, even if submitted by non-tenured staff with the support of a tenured academic, must still be submitted to the Department Board for approval.

No. Under Article 2 of the Regulations, students and PhD students may apply for the Start-Up scheme. However, to ensure a strong link with the academic environment and supervision by an expert, non-tenured staff must submit a statement of support from a tenured Sapienza academic staff member attesting to the application of the knowledge acquired during their studies at Sapienza. This statement, drawn up in accordance with Article 3 of Sapienza’s Spin-off and Start-up Regulations, confirms the tenured academic’s interest in the project and their commitment to providing support and guidance to non-tenured applicants. The Start-up proposal, even if submitted by non-tenured applicants with the support of a tenured academic, must still be submitted to the Department Board for approval.

Proposing a single-member company is not prohibited by the Regulations, but the presence of a team of proposers—who will become shareholders of the company—adds value to the proposal, which will be evaluated by the Spin-Off and Start-Up Commission.

Although Sapienza’s Regulations do not explicitly prohibit a single applicant from submitting a start-up proposal, the presence of a team of applicants – who will become shareholders in the company – represents ‘added value’ for the proposal.

Not necessarily; individuals and legal entities from outside the university may also participate as partners in the spin-off/startup, but Article 3 of the Regulations stipulates that the Sapienza component must hold a majority stake, representing 51% of the company’s ownership structure. Therefore, while participation by shareholders from outside the university community—whether individuals or legal entities—is permitted, it is necessary to maintain a Sapienza majority within the company, with a shareholding by members of the Sapienza community (faculty, researchers, students) of no less than 51%.

There are several reasons for preferring a majority stake held by Sapienza:

1. Preserving the connection with the university: ensuring that Sapienza members hold a majority stake helps maintain a strong link between the spin-off/startup and the university environment
2. Promotion of Sapienza’s research and know-how: the spin-off or startup can represent an opportunity to promote the research, technologies, and know-how developed within Sapienza, contributing to technology transfer and the creation of value for the university.

Yes, pursuant to Law 240/10 (please read the Italian version of this section for more details)

Authorisation is granted by the Board of Governors, once the proposal has been approved. Furthermore, any academic staff member who undertakes assignments or holds formal positions within the spin-off must notify the administration in accordance with Sapienza’s Spin-off and Start-up Regulations.

Authorisation to take part in a spin-off is granted by the Board of Governors only once the entire approval process for the proposal has been completed. This means that the proposal must have successfully passed all previous stages, including assessment by the Spin-off and Start-up Committee and approval by the Academic Senate.

Once authorisation has been obtained from the Board of Governors, any academic staff member who takes on roles or holds formal positions within the spin-off is required to notify Sapienza’s administration.

This notification must be made in accordance with the procedures set out in Sapienza’s Spin-off and Start-up Regulations, ensuring transparency and traceability regarding the academic staff member’s involvement.

The disclosure requirement is intended to prevent potential conflicts of interest and to ensure that the academic’s involvement in the spin-off does not interfere with their academic duties.

Involvement in the spin-off must be compatible with the institutional research and teaching commitments required by the status of lecturer/researcher.

Yes, the spin-off/start-up may use Sapienza premises (a room or laboratory) subject to the signing of an agreement between the start-up and Sapienza governing the use of the premises. An annual fee of 154 euros per square metre is payable to cover running costs. Use may be exclusive or shared. In the case of shared use, the total cost is halved to 50 per cent. The agreement is valid for three years, with the possibility of renewal in accordance with the Spin-off and Start-up Regulations.

In order to use Sapienza’s premises (rooms or laboratories), the spin-off or start-up must enter into an agreement with the University. This agreement will set out the terms of use of the premises, the responsibilities of the spin-off or start-up, and the associated costs.

An annual fee is payable for the use of the premises, calculated on the basis of the floor area in square metres. The fee is 154 euros per square metre.

The use of the premises may be exclusive or shared:

• Exclusive: The spin-off/start-up has exclusive use of the space.
• Shared: The space is shared with other spin-offs/start-ups or with other Sapienza activities. In the case of shared use, the total cost of use is halved to 50 per cent.

The agreement is valid for three years, with the possibility of renewal in accordance with Sapienza’s Spin-off and Start-up Regulations. The Department Board’s resolution must be sent to spinoff@uniroma1.it. The agreement for the use of the premises will be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval. The agreement will be signed by the legal representative of the spin-off/start-up and the Rector.

The Department Board must approve the use, and the resolution must be sent to spinoff@uniroma1.it. The agreement governing the use will then be submitted to the Board of Governors for approval. Finally, once the company has been incorporated, the agreement will be signed by the legal representative and the Rector.

The first step is to obtain a favourable resolution from the Department Board of the proposers involved in the spin-off/start-up. Once the Department Board’s resolution has been obtained, it must be sent to the email address spinoff@uniroma1.it. This enables Sapienza’s Spin-off and Start-up Office to take charge of the application and initiate the procedure for drawing up the agreement.

Subsequently, the Spin-off and Start-up Office will draw up an agreement governing the use of the premises, which must be submitted to the Board of Governors for approval.

Only after the company has been formally incorporated will the agreement be finalised. The agreement will be signed by the legal representative of the spin-off/start-up and the Rector of Sapienza, thereby formalising the agreement and bringing it into effect.

Yes, the spin-off/start-up will be able to use the Sapienza brand; a technology transfer agreement will be drawn up, free of charge for the first three years and subject to a fee for the following three years, which sets out the terms of use of the brand and ensures that Sapienza’s image is portrayed correctly and in line with its values.

For the first three years of operation, use of the trademark is free of charge. This represents a significant advantage for spin-offs and start-ups in their early stages, enabling them to benefit from the prestige of the Sapienza brand without incurring any additional costs.

For the following three years, a fee is payable, calculated as a percentage of the start-up’s average turnover, thereby recognising the added value that use of the trademark brings to the business.

The use of the Sapienza brand represents a competitive advantage for spin-offs and start-ups. The brand is associated with research, innovation and quality – values that can help to strengthen the credibility and reputation of the spin-off or start-up.