I-Tes is an Italian technology startup based in Piedmont that develops innovative solutions for thermal energy storage and energy efficiency, with strategic applications in industrial decarbonisation and the Blue Economy. The company works on technologies designed to reduce costs, weight, and environmental impact, making a tangible contribution to the energy transition and to the scalability of new, sustainable industrial models.
Why I-Tes Was Involved in EEN2EIC and Enterprise Europe Network Services
I-Tes was awarded the Seal of Excellence following the submission of an EIC Accelerator project proposal in March 2024. This recognition highlighted the strong technological and market potential of the initiative, positioning the company as an ideal candidate for a tailored support pathway focused on access to investment and engagement with qualified investors.
Within this framework, I-Tes was invited to participate in the support services offered by the EEN2EIC project and by members of the Enterprise Europe Network involved in the initiative. The company was subsequently contacted by Confindustria Piemonte, the EEN2EIC Local Node for North-Western Italy (Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta and Liguria).
The Value of the Services Provided
The objective of the EEN2EIC support pathway was to help I-Tes strengthen its ability to engage with the financial market by improving the effectiveness of its interactions with investors. The service took the form of targeted coaching aimed at developing a structured, clear, and focused pitch deck.
Initially, I-Tes took part in a pitch simulation with EEN experts, who highlighted strengths and areas for improvement in the presentation and provided practical guidance to enhance its impact. Subsequently, the company participated in an e-pitching session with investors from across Europe, organised by APRE—the coordinator of the EEN2EIC project—together with its partner Bpi France.
As a result of this process, the startup gained a new level of awareness regarding how to structure and communicate its business proposition.
As highlighted by the founder of I-Tes, Eng. Roberto Semino:
“EEN2EIC marked a real turning point: I became aware of how to structure the presentation work and, above all, how to manage time effectively. Today, I am able to tailor the presentation to the seconds available, while always keeping the value of our solution clear.”
Benefits Achieved and Concrete Results
Thanks to the EEN2EIC support, I-Tes was able to rapidly capitalise on what it had learned, using the improved pitch in several strategic contexts. The new approach proved decisive in securing access to a second presentation round in July 2025 with Faros, an accelerator focused on the Blue Economy and part of the National Accelerators Network by CDP Venture Capital.
In October 2025, I-Tes was invited to present its technology to an audience of leading industrial partners and investors, including Enel, RINA, and Fincantieri, who ultimately decided to invest in the project. The outcome was tangible: a €300,000 seed investment.
As Eng. Roberto Semino explains:
“The recommendations we received through the EEN2EIC support—on structure, key messages, and time management—were extremely formative. I applied them both to the July 2025 presentation with Faros and to the October pitch in front of a table of 10–11 investors, which led to the investment. Today we are in the execution phase, and investors such as Eureka, Tech4Planet (Technology Transfer Hub by CDP Venture Capital), and Faros have complimented us on the quality of our business plan and our technology.”
Effective communication, combined with the technological robustness of the solution, has enabled I-Tes to enter an advanced stage of development, strengthening its credibility with investors and industrial stakeholders alike.
How I-Tes Capitalised on the Support Received and Next Steps
The value of the EEN2EIC service extended beyond contributing to the initial investment: I-Tes transformed the experience into a structural asset to support the company’s future growth.
In the coming months, I-Tes plans to launch a seed-up round by the end of the year, with a fundraising target between €3.5 million and €7 million. At the same time, the company is continuing its acceleration journey within the Faros accelerator, with the support of Deloitte, to further consolidate its development and scalability strategy.