Turin turns out to be an active and dynamic ecosystem in this regard. Talented innovators, entrepreneurs and professionals who wish to work on meaningful projects with a positive impact on society find a solid and responsive city under the Mole.
The areas of expertise in which social entrepreneurs operate range from urban to educational to anti-poverty and marginalization activities.
What is social innovation all about?
Social innovation startups have a dynamic and creative mood that fosters positive and sustainable change through the adoption of innovative and inclusive approaches. The hot and important topics that social innovation focuses on are:
Social problem solving
Social innovation offers new approaches and solutions to address problems of common concern. Current challenges such as poverty, food insecurity, access to education, environment and health.
Social inclusion and citizen involvement
Innovation dealing with social issues aims to ensure that disadvantaged or marginalized people have the opportunity to actively participate in society and enjoy equal opportunities.
Citizen involvement
The active involvement of citizens in the design and implementation of social solutions ensures greater participation and a sense of community ownership. Through collaboration and solidarity, a sense of shared responsibility for the collective well-being is created.
Environmental Sustainability
Social innovation is concerned with developing sustainable solutions to environmental challenges such as climate change, waste management and natural resource conservation.
Economic impact
Through social innovation, new economic models are created, and companies that adopt them commit to reinvesting their profits to solve issues of common concern.
Improvement of public services
Social innovation adopts new technologies and innovative organizational models to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public services, such as health care, education, transportation and justice.
The virtuous example of Torino Social Impact
We had the privilege of chatting with Raffaella Scalisi an expert in international business, communication and strategic projects at Torino Social Impact who told us some anecdotes about the birth of this very important entity in Turin.
Torino Social Impact was born in 2017 with a bold vision to transform the Savoy city into a global laboratory of social innovation. It brings together about 300 entities including businesses, financial operators, banks, foundations, third sector entities and institutions. This ambitious project aims to position Turin among the best places in the world to experiment with a new way of doing business and finance. Integrating sustainability and economic profitability with measurable social impacts.
The heart of Torino Social Impact beats thanks to a new generation of innovators, businesses and investors. Taking advantage of new technological opportunities,
Turin, with its unique resources, (scientific and technological expertise, a vibrant third sector and a social impact-oriented financial system) has been identified as the ideal environment to catalyze this transformation.
Membership in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) emphasizes the participants' commitment to work together to achieve common goals. Through this open collaboration, Torino Social Impact aims to create fertile ground for social innovation, addressing local challenges and contributing to a sustainable and socially inclusive future. The birth of Torino Social Impact represents an exciting chapter in the city's history, a declaration of intent that promises to shape Torino's future through social innovation.
The importance of social innovation in Turin and across Europe
The importance of social innovation at the European level reflects the need to address common challenges and promote a more equitable and sustainable society.
In late 2021, the European Commission drafted a plan to facilitate post-pandemic recovery that emphasizes the importance of the social economy. The 2030 Agenda also points attention toward a universal commitment to address critical challenges and build a sustainable future by 2030. The agenda consists of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that focus on people and their needs. They range from eliminating poverty to ensuring health and education for all to preserving the health of the planet.
Agenda 2030 and social innovation
Social innovation is closely related to the goals of the 2030 Agenda, which is designed "to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all." Here are some ways in which social innovation aligns with the 2030 Agenda:
Development of creative solutions
Social innovation encourages the design and implementation of creative solutions to address social, environmental and economic problems. This approach is key to achieving goals in new and more effective ways.
Active participation
The 2030 Agenda places a strong emphasis on the participation of all stakeholders, including citizens, businesses, nongovernmental organizations and governments. Social innovation promotes the active participation of these communities in generating solutions by encouraging collaboration and sharing of ideas.
Social entrepreneurship
Social innovation often results in business initiatives that integrate social impact goals with economic sustainability. These enterprises can contribute significantly to achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda by providing innovative and sustainable solutions.
Response to specific objectives
The 2030 Agenda sets specific goals in different areas, social innovation is adapted to respond specifically to each goal. For example, social innovation projects may focus on reducing inequality, access to education, promoting health, etc.
Measuring impact
The SDGs place a strong emphasis on measuring the effectiveness of actions taken. Social innovation encourages the measurement and evaluation of social impact, ensuring that initiatives contribute tangibly to progress toward the global goals.
The goal of the city of Turin is to align with European policies. Turin wants to be at the forefront and, from the seriousness with which realities such as Torino Social Impact or Social Making, we are confident that The Piedmontese capital is on the right track!
What are the most significant startups in the Turin ecosystem?
Innovative social impact startups are gaining ground in Italy, contributing to the solution of various social and environmental problems. These emerging enterprises combine entrepreneurship and innovation to address challenges in the interest of society. In this report, we will look at some of the most interesting and promising social impact startups born in Piedmont and mapped by ToTem.
AWorld
AWorld developed an App that raises people's awareness of a more sustainable lifestyle through gamification techniques.
The stakeholder engagement platform for sustainability integrates data collection, artificial intelligence and education to dynamically guide individuals toward a sustainable lifestyle and reduce their carbon footprint.
Established in 2019, it has more than 35 employees and won the Impact Now 2019, the Zurich Innovation 2020 and the Startup Of The Year 2021 awards.
The UN (United Nations Organization) chose it to make the official app used to support the global "ActNow" campaign against climate change.
Escape4Change
Escape4Change is a socially oriented innovative edutainment and gamification company.
Using the tool of play to design and implement educational activities, he invents and offers Escape Rooms and games on topics such as racism, climate crisis, urban green, food waste and circular economy.
If you get out of a classic Escape Room by finding the solution to puzzles, Escape4Change proposes analysis and solving big problems with the help of gamification.
Escape4Change was founded in 2021 and participated in the OGR Torino pathway with xEdu, the leading business accelerator in Europe for Edtech startups.
Discentis
Discentis is a startup founded in 2022 in Turin, Italy, Discentis provides high-quality solutions and training for teachers who wish to improve the educational experience of students. The goal is to create a more just society in which education can be a means of empowerment and opportunity for all.
It provides comprehensive support to schools and educators, enabling them to create inclusive and effective learning environments that improve student achievement and opportunity.
Bmind
Bmind offers online psychotherapy services and wants to bring new solutions to the current market through artificial intelligence applied to the world of psychology and psychotherapy.
Founded in 2023 in Turin and incubated at 2i3T, the Business Incubator of the University of Turin, it offers online psychological support carried out by video call through the counseling of certified professionals.
Formile
SMEs' point of reference for corporate training is. Formile : "Formile was born from years of working in the corporate and vocational training sector. Faced with a wide and complex range of courses on offer, people are finding it increasingly difficult to identify the right course for them."
Formile's technology makes it possible to gather the bulk of Italy's educational offerings and classify them automatically. Once an initial skim has been made, a team of consultants selects the three best choices for your needs.
Founded in 2023, it won the SocialFare award.
Job4Good
Job4good is the Italian platform entirely dedicated to matching job supply and demand in the Third Sector. The goal is to help professionals and organizations achieve maximum impact in the Third Sector.
Orti Generali
Orti Generali was established with the aim of building a social enterprise model for the transformation and management of agricultural areas in the Turin metropolitan area. Focused on ecological sustainability and social equity, it offers the possibility of farming in groups, families, as an association or individually. There are 150 gardens available plus an educational hub where courses can be taken.
Winner of the Premio Nazionale del Paesaggio In the 2022/2023 edition.
Homes4All
Homes4All Ltd. benefit BCorp redevelops and manages properties for social purposes, both within the City of Turin and nationwide. It creates an ecosystem in which families in need find decent and affordable homes and investors make ethical and profitable investments. It brings to life a highly innovative model of widespread social housing that generates positive social and environmental impacts.
Musictogo
MusicToGo is an innovative platform created by a group of musicians in Turin. The goal is to make it easier for musicians to book rehearsal rooms and recording studios. A way to innovate the world of music, shortening the distances between musicians and places to play (rehearsal rooms, recording studios, music schools).
The future of social innovation
Each innovative project is a step toward realizing concrete solutions to complex challenges and shows us that a better world is possible through concrete action and a willingness to think beyond conventional patterns.
Social innovation is a very strong engine of progress and enables shaping a future in which everyone can contribute to the common welfare. It is a kind of key to unlocking the potential for a better world. It is possible to turn challenges into opportunities and build a more inclusive society oriented toward the common good.
Do you have an idea that deals with social innovation? Enter you too in the Turin innovation ecosystem by reporting your startup to us and joining the ToTeM Torino Tech Map.
