Four two-day sessions built on MIT's venture-design method, a network of mentors who've built ventures, and a closing Pitch Day. Equity-free, in English, at Fabbrica H3.

Equity-free acceleratorGiudecca, VenicePowered by MIT DesignX

Build a future-proof venture.

12editions
48startups accelerated
27countries
100+applications
Focus areas

Four themes Venice is building its future on

The focus of this call. If it's your field, wherever you're based, this is where we want to meet you.

01

Culture, Heritage & Tourism

Culture, Heritage & Tourism

Culture, places and experiences.

  • Heritage preservation & enhancement
  • Sustainable & regenerative tourism
  • Next-gen hospitality & HoReCa
  • Immersive & digital cultural experiences
  • Local identities, craft & communities
  • Cultural & creative industries
02

Cities, Mobility & Public Services

Cities, Mobility & Public Services

More livable, intelligent cities.

  • Smart cities & intelligent infrastructure
  • Shared, autonomous & micromobility
  • Urban resilience & adaptation
  • Digital twins & urban data platforms
  • GovTech & CivicTech, digital public services
  • Participation, transparency & civic trust
03

Climate, Energy & Environment

Climate, Energy & Environment

Energy and environmental transition.

  • CleanTech & ClimateTech
  • Renewables, storage & grids
  • Circular economy & resource management
  • Blue economy, water & coastal environments
  • Environmental monitoring & predictive modeling
  • Climate adaptation & mitigation

Venezia living lab dove tocca l'acqua

04

Work, Learning & Human Capital

Work, Learning & Human Capital

New models of work and learning.

  • Future of work & new organizational models
  • EdTech & lifelong learning
  • Skills development & reskilling
  • HR tech, talent & people mobility
  • AI agents & generative learning
  • Professional communities & historic centers

Venezia come proof-point

Fit check

Is Vortex right for you?

We back early-stage teams with ambition and a clear problem to solve. If that's you - let's build.

The right moment

01
Apply if
  • You have a clear idea and a first business hypothesis, not just a hunch.
  • You're shaping your business model and how it holds over time.
  • You're testing the model's key assumptions, but haven't proven it on the market yet.
  • You want a team and a method to make your venture solid and future-proof.

Come back later

02
Not yet if
  • You're at the hunch stage, with no defined business hypothesis.
  • You already have a model proven with customers, first sales, and you're scaling.
In practiceValidated need and an early prototype, model and team forming — early-stage, not an idea on paper nor an already-scaled company.
Vortex phases

A method, not a masterclass

Four phases of the MIT DesignX venture-design method, one per workshop.

What 'powered by MIT DesignX' meansThe method is MIT's; the people guiding you are the mentors and founders who came through the program in Venice. Continuity, not a downgrade.
01.UnderstandDeeply understand the need and who'll use the solution, by engaging people and stakeholders.
02.SolveClearly define the concept, product or service that delivers the solution.
03.EnvisionEnvision where to take the venture and the principles guiding decisions, development and funding.
04.DeployA master plan of priorities, people, processes and funds to deploy and scale the venture.
Benefits

What you get?

A network of mentors who've built ventures
The DesignX Playbook
A Pitch Day in front of investors and partners
Equity-free — your IP stays yours
Dates & format

Choose your Vortex workshop

Four two-day workshops (Thursday–Friday) from September to November, in person at H3, in English. Along the way, a Pitch Clinic and Pitch Rehearsals, up to the Final Pitch.

Workshop 1Sept 15–16 / 17–18
Understand
Workshop 2Oct 1–2
Solve
Pitch ClinicOct 9–10 / 16–17
Workshop 3Oct 22–23
Envision
Workshop 4Nov 5–6
Deploy
Pitch RehearsalsNov 13–14 / 20–21
Final PitchNov 25–30

In personEnglishH3 Giudeccasome dates still to be confirmed

founding team

Who leads the Vortex program

Mentors and founders who came through MIT DesignX in Venice.

Mentor photo 1 — TODO replace with real mentor
About Andrea

Andrea is an experienced mentor, supporting last four editions of MITdesignX as well as academic programs, innovation pathways, and transformation initiatives. Works with startup teams, research groups, and corporate boards, facilitating complex decision-making processes and the evaluation of technological and organisational trajectories. Deeply believes in listening supported by maieutic inquiry, collective intelligence, and participatory leadership as drivers of change.

Andrea MarellaMentor
Mentor photo 2 — TODO replace with real mentor
About Davide

Davide is a Service Designer and Innovation Managerand founder of Anomaly. He crafts scenarios and experiences that help brands and organizations redefine their future through envisioning, scenario planning and AI. He has worked with iconic brands across fashion, food service, heritage and museums, sport and tech. He teaches at the Arrigo Pedrollo Conservatory in Vicenza, where he heads the Department of Contemporary Music and New Technologies and mentors interaction and sound designers.

Davide TisoMentor
Mentor photo 3
About Fabio

Fabio, a native Venetian, is a professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, USA, where he has directed the Venice Project Center since 1988. He holds a PhD from MIT and is the founder of SerenDPT, which is dedicated to fostering new entrepreneurship to repopulate the historic city of Venice. He brought the MITdesignX Venice accelerator program to Venice, which gave rise to Vortex powered by MITdesignX.

Fabio CarreraMentor
Mentor photo 4 — TODO replace with real mentor
About Luca

Luca is CEO of SerenDPT Srl Benefit Corporation and Board Member of Eggon Srl. Active in the startup ecosystem since 2009, he founded his first startup before the introduction of the Italian Startup Act and has supported three successful exits. Over the years, he has taken part in numerous acceleration and mentorship programs, working with more than 50 startups on growth, innovation and business development.

Luca GiumanFounder and mentor
Mentor photo 5 — TODO replace with real mentor
About Sara

Sara is a sustainability executive with 20+ years of international experience across luxury, fashion, and industrial sectors. I bring strategic vision, innovation, and ESG expertise to develop sustainable growth models, strengthen governance, and deliver lasting impact.

Sara MarianiMentor
Mentor photo 6 — TODO replace with real mentor
About Tommaso

Tommaso is a strategist and designer of tech innovation, services, and products. Founder of Osmo and Anomaly, he develops venture models and evolutionary scenarios for companies and startups across various industries. With a decade of experience in the AI industry, he defines effective go-to-market strategies, transforming cutting-edge technologies into impactful, market-ready solutions.

Tommaso CesanoMentor
Mentor photo 7 — TODO replace with real mentor
About Gianpaolo

Gianpaolo Ferrarin is the co-founder of Eggon, a company that helps startups, businesses, and organizations develop innovation projects and new business models. He works closely with entrepreneurial teams on problem validation, value proposition design, business sustainability, and growth strategies. Over the years, he has collaborated with startups, SMEs, universities, and acceleration programs, supporting the transformation of ideas and technologies into viable ventures. As a mentor, he brings a pragmatic, execution-oriented approach, helping founders focus on the most critical assumptions, make evidence-based decisions, and build ventures with a strong potential to succeed in the market.

Gianpaolo FerrarinMentor

Church Cosma e Damiano (Giudecca)

A former church on the Giudecca, now an innovation hub run by SerenDPT. A real working space, a vaporetto ride from the heart of Venice. Here Venice takes the lead: the experience, not the themes.

Vortex stages

How selection works

01Apply
02Shortlist
03Interviews
04Cohort

What to prepare to apply

01

Problem & needs, market (TAM/SAM/SOM), model, team, prototype.

How we assess maturity

02

Open KTH model: six dimensions and expected levels.

Apply to the selection
Our partners

With the support of

Logo_MITdesignX_partners
Logo_SerenDPT
Logo_OSMO_partners
Logo_Anomaly_partners
Logo_Eggon_partner
Questions & Answers

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Equity-free and no training fee.