Great participation at the presentation meeting of the projects selected for the accompanying path of DELFIN (actions for the development and consolidation of a financial ecosystem for the birth and growth of social enterprises in rural areas) organized by Finpiemonte and Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini.

In order to support social entrepreneurship, a Pilot Project is being developed, which foresees a path to accompany the implementation of 10 business ideas with a social impact, selected among 55 proposals received.

The meeting, articulated in different interventions, initially analyzed the theme of the social needs of the internal areas and the responses received from the territory.

Professor Barbera from the University of Turin and the Collegio Carlo Alberto exposed the critical issues facing entrepreneurs in mountain areas, proposing actions to turn these critical issues into opportunities for the rebirth of the territories themselves. The main responses that the territory needs go from simplifying the bureaucratic spiral, to facilitating access to finance, to designing a widespread welfare model.

Following this, the representatives of the Nemo- Innovare in montagna cooperative offered an overview of all the applications received, highlighting how the greatest number of proposals focused on the valorisation of local products, the rediscovery of the territory and sustainable tourism and the promotion of psychophysical well-being.

It was then the turn of the real protagonists of the meeting, the projects: the representatives of the 10 selected projects had the opportunity to present their project idea to the audience of stakeholders, highlighting their needs.

The main needs reported can be summed up mainly in the need for access to funding, institutional support, the creation of a network at a local level that recognises their work and enhances it also economically, and the need to be recognised as actors for the creation of fairer and more sustainable forms of economy.

Very interesting was the presentation by Professor Bogetti of the SAA – School of Management, who illustrated the different phases of the accompanying path which, through frontal lessons, tutoring and mentoring activities, will take the projects from project idea to business project.

Finally, the speech by Elisa Rosso from the Time2 Foundation to present the excellent results of the Prossimi call for proposals, aimed at supporting development, innovation and social inclusion initiatives in inland and mountain areas, provided stimuli for reflection on the need for a system at local and territorial level.

In conclusion, the meeting showed that one of the cornerstones for the development of marginal areas is certainly the need for a strong local ecosystem to support new projects. It is fundamental to encourage and facilitate collaboration and integration between the various stakeholders active in the territory in a perspective of integration between public and private and systemic synergy.

In this, the Delfin project wants to be a piece of the system and to give its contribution by encouraging the development of the 10 selected business ideas.