The energy of innovation lit up the stage at SFS ExtraTime – Almaviva, the startup competition that highlighted the best entrepreneurial ideas in a setting of excellence and strategic vision. The 2024 edition, coordinated for the fifth time by Vincenzo Filetti, featured eight startups selected from numerous applications from Italy and abroad. Of these, six were Italian (four of which are based in Rome) and two were international (Czech Republic and France/UK).

Here is the list of participants: Aced Sports, Aileven, Clava Sport, PickEat, Powerset, TruCrowd, Valeur Sport, Weego. The event was inaugurated in the Training Room with an introduction by Glauco Ciprari (Almaviva), set in a competitive yet friendly atmosphere that included, among others, former footballer Arianna Criscione and volleyball player Carlotta Oggioni. The competition, as previously announced, was structured as a knockout tournament. Four startups advanced past the first phase, the “first half,” thanks to the quality of their ideas and their presentation skills: Aced Sports, Weego, TruCrowd, and PickEat.

The semifinalists then competed in intense head-to-head matches for a spot in the grand finale. TruCrowd and PickEat emerged as finalists, advancing to the ExtraTime stage, where they presented three pitches to a qualified jury. The showdown was thrilling, with both contenders fiercely competing for victory until the very end. In the end, PickEat secured the final prize with a groundbreaking vision for the food & beverage industry.

The voting sessions were interspersed with two panels featuring notable speakers such as Federico Smanio (Director of the WeSport accelerator), Carolina Chiappero (Juventus FC), Vincenzo Vitale (Sei Ventures), Massimiliano Montefusco (RDS), and Andrea Dal Piaz (Dock3). The panels were moderated by Vincenzo Filetti, the head of the startup competition. As anticipated, the evaluation of the startups was entrusted to a highly qualified and diverse jury of experts from various sectors.

The jurors posed numerous questions to the participants, delving into their business models, scalability potential, and the social impact of their projects. Here are the names of the jury members: Carolina Chiappero – Juventus FC; Giacomo Ciammaglichella – Studio Legale Massaro e Ciammaglichella; Vincenzo Vitale – Sei Ventures; Marco Meola – Startup Expert; Berenice Marisei – Lazio Innova; Glauco Ciprari – Almaviva; Andrea Dal Piaz – Dock3; Daniele Buzzurro – Startup Grind; Davide De Luca – Silicon Drinkabout; Lorenzo De Meo – Olympyalex; Dario Ferretti – Pick Roll; Marcello Ferraguzzi – OCDEC; Irene Carpinelli – Theorema; Guido Fabbri – GeoSmartcampus; Massimiliano Montefusco – RDS. The experience further confirmed that innovation is the ideal key to addressing future challenges. “The competition not only celebrated the present but also laid the foundation for a more innovative, sustainable, and interconnected tomorrow”, said Vincenzo Filetti.

“SFS ExtraTime – Almaviva is not just a competition but a catalyst for ideas aiming to rewrite the rules of the game. It’s the place where tomorrow’s projects are born, and where innovation meets talent”, added Gianfilippo Valentini, Founder and CEO of Go Project.