H-FARM and STMicroelectronics Sign MoU to Launch "MAKE IT IN ITALY!"
Ca’ Tron and Agrate Brianza (Italy) / 13 Jul 2015STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, and H-FARM, an innovative platform that supports the creation of new business models and provides support to companies in the digital transformation of their operations, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their collaboration aiming to accelerate the natural process of innovation of Made-in-Italy corporate champions. The effort leverages ST’s know-how in semiconductor design and processing and H-FARM’s expertise in promoting corporate innovation.
The first initiative of this collaboration, called "MAKE IT IN ITALY!", anticipates the availability and use of ST products, expertise, and professionals for companies that will call H-FARM for guidance to help them innovate their products, solutions, or processes.
For more than five decades, ST’s devices and IP have been found in electronics products in daily use in every part of the world. A world leader in key semiconductor technologies, ST continues to innovate in areas where electronics has been present for decades, such as cars and television sets, and in more recently-borne sectors, such as mobile phones or set-top-boxes. As a global innovator, ST is currently enabling the Internet of Things, smart driving, energy efficiency. Today electronics is expanding into new sectors and services unfamiliar with the potential and benefits of integrated circuits. Among these are some flagship sectors of Italian manufacturing industry, including fashion, food, and furniture.
H-FARM’s mission is to promote the best entrepreneurial initiatives and talents to bring those skills closer to the world of Italian enterprises. H-FARM will provide its integration services to develop projects and training that create a bridge between different industrial sectors, connecting those without expertise in electronics, but open to the innovative capabilities of the latest electronic devices, including very low-power microprocessors, motor controls and communication, motion and environmental sensors, and miniaturized microphones.
Zoppas Industries, a leader in home automation in Italy, is among the companies that have started a process of technological innovation with the help of ST and H-FARM.
"We are excited to sign this MoU with ST and are honored to be their partner in supporting an initiative that demonstrates their commitment on behalf of Italian companies. Technology consumerization combined with digital technologies is making it possible for product innovation to trigger better and leaner business processes while improving the user experience. We are helping open huge opportunities," concludes Riccardo Donadon, founder of H-FARM, “that may increase the value of Italian products in the world and make them even more unique."
“We share with H-FARM the awareness that time is a crucial factor to safeguard and increase the value of Made-in-Italy products in world markets through innovation powered by technology. The MAKE IT IN ITALY! program is a challenge to involve hundreds of companies with enormous mutual benefits coming from exchanging knowledge, because ST has always learned from listening to its customers and their needs," said Pietro Palella, CEO of ST Italy. "Helping to grow manufacturing in Italy is a social responsibility that ST fosters daily through its own innovation ecosystem and by supporting schools, universities, start-ups, and small businesses throughout Italy.”
About H-FARM
H-FARM is an innovative platform that supports the creation of new business models and provides support to companies in the digital transformation of their operations. Its goal is to help Italian companies become open to innovation and to the vast opportunities that digitalization represents. Founded in January 2005, it was the first to choose a model that puts together the seed Venture Capital structure and the corporate acceleration services, focusing on traditional business models in a digital perspective. Every year H-FARM analyzes over 1000 projects and selects the best 20 to be funded and accelerated in the H-CAMP program for 16 weeks. In the first 10 years, it has invested in more than 140 companies of which 80 through direct investments and the others through two investment firms created with the help of H-FARM (Club Italia Investimenti and P101).
In 2015 it has finalized 7 acquisition operations to important international and Italian companies (WPP, Comdata, Teamsystem).
About STMicroelectronics
ST is a global leader in the semiconductor market serving customers across the spectrum of sense and power and automotive products and embedded processing solutions. From energy management and savings to trust and data security, from healthcare and wellness to smart consumer devices, in the home, car and office, at work and at play, ST is found everywhere microelectronics make a positive and innovative contribution to people's life. By getting more from technology to get more from life, ST stands for life.augmented.
In 2014, the Company’s net revenues were $7.40 billion. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com.
For press information please contact:
H-FARM
Giulia Franchin – gfranchin@h-farmventures.com 349 2654049
Chiara Andretta – candretta@h-farmventures.com 347 0682566
