SEED Program - Sustainable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development

The University of Parma promotes and supports academic entrepreneurship through a multidisciplinary pathway designed to foster the transformation of research results and innovative ideas into concrete and sustainable business ventures.

The SEED Entrepreneurial Education Program - Sustainable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development pursues the following objectives:

• promote and accompany academic entrepreneurship, supporting female researchers and aspiring entrepreneurs and women entrepreneurs in transforming innovative ideas into concrete and sustainable projects;
• contribute to the development of strategic entrepreneurial skills, through the dissemination of knowledge, cultural approaches and operational methodologies useful for business management in complex and dynamic contexts;
• strengthen synergies between the university, businesses and the territory, in order to contribute to the construction of an innovation ecosystem, for the benefit of the
  academic community and local and regional actors.

Through structured training activities, practical and workshop-based seminars and moments of confrontation with professionals and experts, the SEED pathway offers participants the opportunity to connect with qualified networks of innovation and the entrepreneurial system. The path therefore not only imparts skills but also fosters the building of relationships and connections useful for the development and consolidation of projects.

SEED is divided into a maximum of 45 hours of frontal online teaching (via MS Teams), about 10 hours dedicated to conducting in-person thematic seminars, about 10 hours of preparing a paper, and about 10 hours of mentoring and networking.

The teaching hours are organized into 4 modules consisting of a total of 15 online courses taught by professors from the University of Parma or proven experts in the field:

• Business Economics and Organization;
• Marketing;
• Tutela dell’innovazione;
• Sostenibilità.

The period of the modules is between May 18 and July 30, 2026.

In addition to the face-to-face classes, the training includes a cycle of in-person seminars, of a practical and laboratory nature, organized at the University of Parma facilities.

It is foreseen, the possibility to take part in a one-to-one mentoring pathway, dedicated to deepening one's entrepreneurial project.

At the close of the SEED pathway, in the second half of September 2026, a in-person workshop dedicated to the presentation of entrepreneurial projects will be held.

It is expected, in case of attendance equal to 75% of the total hourly load, the recognition of no. 6 CFUs to those enrolled in PhD programmes.

Participation in the SEED program is totally free, so there is no participation fee.

May participate in SEED individuals or work teams. Participants must possess at least one of the following requirements:

1. be holders of research grants or research contracts ex art. 22 law no. 240/2010 as amended by art. 14 law no. 79/2022, at the University of Parma at the time of application submission, or have finished the research grant, or research contract as defined above, at the University of Parma for less than 12 months;
2. be enrolled in PhD programs at the University of Parma at the time of application submission, or have been a PhD student at the University of Parma for less than 12 months;
3. be in office at the University of Parma as a fixed-term researcher pursuant to Article 24 of Law 240/2010 (RTD-a and RTD-b) or as a fixed-term researcher in tenure track (RTT) pursuant to current regulations;
4. being beneficiaries of the opportunity to participate in the SEED program, having participated in initiatives organized or promoted by the University of Parma that provided for such an award;
5. be a representative member (or delegate) of a University of Parma spin-off.

A minimum of 8 and a maximum of 30 participants are admitted to the training.

A maximum of 30 auditors are admitted to the use of the frontal teaching hours.

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To apply, the following documents must be submitted:

• application form (Annex 1);
• documentation proving that you meet at least one of the requirements for admission to the call;
• valid identification document of the applicant or each team member whose application is being submitted.

Applications may be submitted electronically to formazioneimprenditoriale@unipr.it by Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 12 noon. Applications received after the indicated time or not complete with the required documentation will not be considered eligible.

Before submitting your application, we recommend that you read the Call for Applications carefully.

For any information write to formazioneimprenditoriale@unipr.it.