esi: Who are you, what do you do and what makes you an expert on your start-upcountry?
Enrico: Digital Magics sets up and launches internet start-ups, also investing equity capital. It starts from talents and ideas, thus transforming them into successful, disruptive businesses operating in the digital economy, both in Italy and worldwide. The Digital Magics model is unique in Italy and is based on the Digital Magics LAB: the team that identifies, analyzes and launches new initiatives, providing the start-ups with mentorship, financial, administrative, strategic, logistic, technological, marketing and communication services as well as business management support to accelerate the company’s development.
esi: What is cool about your start-upcountry, what inspires you and keeps you thriving?
Enrico: In Italy there are many talented people that actually cost much less than in other developed countries. Italians are well known for being creative and able to think out of the box in any company environment. On the basis of our experience in the digital field, Italians also have excellent skills in the innovation of processes, are able to reconsider business models and manage to find the best and most disruptive solutions.
esi: What makes you shake your head about your start-upcountry, what needs to be improved?
Enrico: Italian start-ups starve for money, although in the last two years things have improved thanks to the of the Italian legislation for the venture capital industry. Anyway Italy, despite the slow development and low resources, in the last ten years had exits that are comparable to the German ones but with a support from the State that was 1/100.
esi: What’s some cool fact we are likely not to know about your start-upcountry?
Enrico: Things are happening now! There is an exponential growth in any aspect related to innovation, start-up, entrepreneurship, people, government, press and so on. Italy is taking its first steps to become a start-up nation. The Italian Government approved a Ministry of Economic Development (MISE) Law Decree (no. 179 dated 18th October 2012) on “Further urgent measures for Italy’s economic growth” for specific measures aiming to promote the creation and development of start-ups. This Law Decree – also known as the Decreto Sviluppo Bis – converted with amendments by Law 17th December 2012, no. 221. MISE also organized a Task Force made up of twelve members, including entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, academics, journalists and civil servants.
esi: Thank you for the interview.
About the interviewpartner:
Enrico Gasperini is Founder and Executive Chairman of Digital Magics.
