Democenter-Sipe Foundation encourages interaction between businesses and the University, thus supporting the creation of relationships that will lead to research projects and contracts. Collaborations essential to innovation. The Foundation also assists firms in conceiving, drawing up and presenting innovation projects so that they can obtain essential public funding. Resources fundamental for innovation. Democenter-Sipe Foundation is this and much more, a concrete and effective partner at the disposal of businesses that want to take up the challenge of innovation.

In a single year, the activities of Democenter-Sipe Foundation involved a total of 391 businesses. Of these, no fewer than 74 submitted applications for funding in public calls for proposals for innovation, obtaining a positive response. The public grants awarded to businesses for funded projects totaled over 14 million euros. This is only an example, but it is a clear indicator of the utility of a concrete and effective center at the disposal of businesses that want to take up the challenge of innovation.

Democenter-Sipe Foundation is a consortium that brings together public bodies, business associations, bank foundations and over 60 locally based enterprises. It has its headquarters on the campus of the ‘Enzo Ferrari’ Engineering Faculty in Modena, the ideal place for exploiting - through our services - the results of research conducted within the University, for the benefit of businesses. It takes its capabilities into the communities where the firms operate, thanks to front offices opened in Fiorano, Maranello, Vignola and Carpi and the Quality Center Network for the Mirandola biomedical industry. Democenter-Sipe Foundation belongs to the Emilia-Romagna regional High Technology Network and over time has started up numerous partnerships – including with the Area Science Park of Trieste and Coventry Chamber of Commerce – with the aim of finding the best answers to the needs of businesses that turn to it.

Democenter-Sipe Foundation activates its competencies on behalf of businesses, promoting their collaboration with the University through five modes of action.

Industrial research activities
Thanks to its capacity to select project ideas, the availability of scientific know-how and equipment and solid ties with specialized partners, Democenter-Sipe Foundation participates in European research projects and engages in contract research for bank foundations and institutions.

Innovation and technology transfer activities
Thanks to up-to-date knowledge about technologies and production systems, Democenter-Sipe Foundation can assure services such as planning and conducting of innovation and technology transfer activities for international and institutional projects or for feasibility studies on behalf of businesses.

Information and promotion services
The Foundation organizes events to disseminate information on the consolidated applications of technologies, workshops and demonstrations or actions to build technological awareness, also for individual firms.

Custom training services
Democenter-Sipe organizes master’s programs in collaboration with the University and business associations and guarantees businesses targeted training to support technology transfer actions, technology update initiatives for homogeneous groups (for example supplier chains) and support for the introduction of technological skills.

Fee-based services
The Foundation places its facilities at the disposal of firms in order to determine and identify opportunities for improving products and processes through instrumental analyses, laboratory tests, measurements, use of special equipment, technical consultancy, bibliographic and patent analyses, benchmarking and surveys.