Novara Silicon Valley 2011

[paolo marenco]

locandina_NovaraSiliconValley2011.pptx

In this Forum the Attendees of Novara SiliconValley conferences can discuss the topics after each conference

[Nicolò Costanzo]

Good evening everybody! The first conference about "Incubatore d'imprese Novara" was really interesting! I ve found the project of Geo4Map really amazing! This is the indication that from a bad situation (Deagostini) it is possible to make new projects and idea. I think sometimes the new technologies need also the old one... Like the new e-maps are borning are very usueful, but an old paper map it's always practical! See you next time!

[Alberto Vagadore]

I agree with Nicolò: I have also found this first conference really interesting. I was really impressed of the possibility of the help of incubators when you want to start an entrepreneurial activity. I think that today, since there are many companies in our "global word" and the competition is fierce, the help of incubators is very important: infact in the incubator, you can find a lot of knowledgeable people who can suggest you the right way to start your entrepreneurial activity. With this help, for a lot of young people is easier try to begin their business activities!

 

About the project Geo4Map I have also found it fantastic. I think that this new technological method to provide maps to people is amazing. Today technological innovations allows to have some information that only few years ago it was unthinkable (an example is the project of a smartphone which allows to see some historic city as they were in the past).

 

[Paolo Albertino]

Hi guys!!!! I agree with you: yesterday was a really interesting conference. I think that the project of Geo4Map is a good example of what old enterprises(like DeAgostini) should do to survive in our times. Only with the spirit of innovation an enterprise can remain competitive on the market for a long time. And I think this is what DeAgostini want to do. It was amazing to know how many types of map Geo4Map can do, each of them for a different target of people.And of course applications for new smartphones are very interesting!!!

[Federico Cesarino]

Hi everybody! As I understood by the class meeting the "Incubatore" is a sort of venture capital or business angel which aims to help small businessmen in opening a start up, developing it in the years, expanding their market, planning a business, claiming the money from possible investors and trying to create something innovative to reach, maybe, a leadership position in the future (if it concerns a not existing product) or to get a considerable slice of an existing market if it concers an existing product.

I think it's a great idea for new entrepeneurs which are trying to develop an own business.

What I didn't get is: where's the profit of the Incubatore? I mean, I know that the companies has to pay for the facilities provided by the Incubatore but do you become partner of the entrepeneur as well like it is for a venture capital? The entrepeneur has to share its incomes with you?

 

And I would like to answer to the question presented in class by Mr Lener. He asked us: "why innovative ideas don't arise from Economists?".

I think the answer it's easy: we are used to think as Manager and we study how to manage a business not how to create it. As shown in class all the companies part of the Incubatore are very specialised in what they do. Most of them come up from the field of Health and Care, Medecin, Pharmacy, Nutrition or IT and Informatics. As you can see these are all field of studies very specialised. Economics is just a University with the target to train people in managing the business created by someone else.

[Alberto Vagadore]

I think that the entrepreneur hasn't to share its incomes with the incubator because the service offered by the incubator has to be seen like a "consulting service". In my opinion incubator isn't a member of the company and, therefore, he hasn't any profit from the business activity.

I agree with you about the motivation that there are few students of Economics who start an entrepreneurial activity: the problem is that we study how to manage a business not how to create it!! That can be a problem, because I think that, if University offers to us some courses to learn how to create a company, the contribution of an Economics degree in this field can be very useful!!

[Paola Baroli]

I agree with you, Federico. We economists haven't any good idea for the new companies. One of the main reasons of this, in my opinion, is that we study a loto of economic models, that often aren't the "picture" of the real world.

Another point is that a good idea can be developed everywere, but the economists' role is fundametal to run a company properly, to make correct choises, to understand what really wants. 

 

What is important, for me and also the meeting of 24th March, has shown, in that olny one person can't run a good business, but is necessary a group of experts. So, today, ins't true the motto: "the perfect number of partners is odd an lower than 3".

So, we have to find the right partners, because we can't ne alone in our future.

[Paolo Albertino]

I think that incubatore doesn't work to reach a profit. Its goal is only to help the birth of new start up and follow them for the early years. And entrepreurners don't have to share their profits with Incubatore because it is financied by State, Regions, Cities, University and some organizations. I think it can be compared to a no profit organization.

[Alberto Vagadore]

I agree with Paolo, but I also think that incubators aren't sufficiently financied by State, Regions and Universities. Infact incubators are not yet widespread and popular in our Country such as in many other States. In my opinion in Italy there are many young people who want to start a business, that do not even know of the existence of incubators. This could be a problem for our country especially in comparison with other states around the world!

[paolo marenco]

good comments guys and girl!  I think today there is a great impulse also in Italy to create start ups ...also from people with your skill, look for me in facebook, I'll intro in a great group ( 1300+ members in 6 months) Italian Start up Scene where you can find every topic, stimulus, useful link about making a start up in Italy and in the US ( mainly but not only).. a good starting point!

 

[Elisa Piva]

Hi everybody!

Mr Lener had asked a big question last thursday!

I agree with Federico when he said that most of the innovative ideas come from very specialized field, in particular Medicin, Pharmacy ect... I think that Economists like us have a general background of EVERYTHING, but in practice we don't have ANY idea! I also agree with Paola when she mentioned the huge number of models that we have to study, but they are so far from the reality. 

Generally speaking, I think that an Innovative Idea comes out only from people who really deal with a problem. To make this sentence clear i want to remember what Mr Lener said about the lady that invented a special crutch. This girl NEEDED this crutch.

The point is that is pretty obvious that the innovative ideas comes out in the field of Medicin, because people really need it!

Anyway, what I've said doesn't mean that Economist are not able to have innovative ideas, but the way that University works doesn't help us.

 

We need more pratice, not only models. That's why I think that experiences like this one can really help us to open our narrow-minds.

 

Have a good saturday night! :)

  

[Alberto Vagadore]

I think all that said Elisa is right. However, in my opinion there is another problem for young people who want to create a company: the costs! In Italy the costs to open a new company are higher than in other countries. This can be a seroius problem infact today is very hard to find the capitals that you need when you decide to open your personal business. Nowadays for a lot of us is impossible to obtain funding from our banks!! So I think that our economic situation doesn't help us and it's a big problem for all the young entrepreneurs!

[Elisa Piva]

Alberto, unfortunately you're totally right!

In Italy there's a big problem with young people: how many times have you heard sentence like "You are 30 years old, and you still live with your parents?"  The answer is simply "Yes, I don't have money!". Unfortunately, in our country the unemployment rate is very high and it has recently reached 8,3 %. Our government does nothing concrete to help us. Do you remember Renato Brunetta and his proposal to oblige young people to go to live alone when they reach the age of 18?? Unbelievable! You can't solve the problem without thinking about the unemployment!

 

I think that the governement has to reduce the costs of employment for the firms and provide incentives when firms hire young people.

If we have a serious and well paid job, in the future we can obtain funding from banks and decide to run our personal business, as Alberto said.