I TECH-OFF business incubator
I TECH-OFF (Information TECHnology spin-OFF) is a business incubator in the field of information technology and multimedia operating in the Emilia-Romagna region.

I TECH-OFF has several objectives and fields of activity:
  1. I TECH-OFF aims at reinforcing the ICT and multimedia sector in Emilia-Romagna, several types of activities being developed for supporting the ICT and multimedia community.
  2. I TECH-OFF aims at raising awareness on entrepreneurship, promotion initiatives being carried out among all types of actors (the research base and their personnel, students, businesses, unemployed people, etc.). Those initiatives are carried out by the Consortium I TECH-OFF or together with regional actors involved in the support to entrepreneurship.
  3. I TECH-OFF supports new ICT and multimedia enterprises through the provision of targeted services both on technological and business aspects. In particular, beneficiaries are (1) Groups of people (or single persons) coming from the university, research or professional world and (2) Newly founded enterprises with their registered office in the Emilia-Romagna region.
An efficient and innovative support path has been developed starting from the formulation of the business idea up to the business autonomy jump.

Three different phases have indeed been set named pre-incubation, incubation and post incubation. Documents to produce, selection criteria and of course services are different from one phase to the other.

Here below, a scheme presenting this innovative path:

Innovative path

In particular, I TECH-OFF offers to selected ICT and multimedia businesses and project holders the following:
  • Fully equipped offices
  • Hardware and software instruments
  • Direct and on line training
  • Consultancy on technological aspects as well as on economic, financial and legal aspects
  • Access to research competences and facilities
  • Assistance for raising funds
  • Assistance for team building and personnel research
  • Strategical partners research and networking services
  • Commercialization support: introduction to potential clients and access to business fairs
  • A personal tutor


I TECH-OFF has been financed by the Italian Ministry of Industry (Ministero delle attivitą Produttive) for a three years duration (April 2004 to April 2007). The implementation body of I TECH-OFF activities is the Consortium I TECH-OFF set by the three founding partners ASTER, University of Bologna and Fondazione Alma Mater.

The full description of I TECH-OFF's activities as well as a presentation of supported companies is available on the publication "I TECH-OFF business incubator: from start-up generation to new generation start-ups".

For further information the I TECH-OFF team is available at: info@itechoff.it