Demo Day Taranto CirTech: Eleven Startups Leading Circular Innovation in Southern Italy

The final event of the acceleration program promoted by Tondo within the PNRR – MUSA Ecosystem took place yesterday in Taranto.


Taranto, September 24, 2025 – The Ionian Department of the University of Bari hosted yesterday the Demo Day of the Taranto CirTech program, the closing event of a path created to foster the birth and growth of innovative and circular entrepreneurial ventures in Southern Italy.


The project, developed by Tondo after winning a PNRR call under the MUSA Ecosystem (Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action), guided startups and teams of innovators through acceleration, post-acceleration, and pre-acceleration stages, with the goal of stimulating sustainable development, competitiveness, and territorial regeneration.


The day opened with institutional greetings: speeches were given by Prof. Fabio De Matteis for the University of Bari, Mayor Piero Bitetti for the Municipality of Taranto: “Thanks to Tondo and to these days of in-depth work. Progress is often seen as a compromise with negative consequences. Instead, occasions like this demonstrate that by bringing institutions, companies, and innovators together, we can turn problems into resources, adding value to Taranto and the entire region.” – Dr. Vincenzo Di Canio from the Commissioner’s Office for Remediation, Dr. Carlo Gadaleta Caldarola for ARTI Puglia, Dr. Andrea Sianesi for MUSA – “MUSA stands for Multi-Layer Urban Sustainability Actions and is one of the ecosystems of the PNRR. I commend the speed and effectiveness with which hackathons, calls for ideas, and acceleration programs have been carried out: a real success, despite tight timelines and bureaucratic challenges of the PNRR. I wish good work and a bit of good luck to all the startups and those who contributed to this initiative.” – and Dr. Francesco Castellano, CEO and Founder of Tondo – “This project started almost two years ago and involved a lot of work and commitment. Thanks to a PNRR call, we were able to access MUSA funds and launch a call dedicated to circular economy startups from Southern Italy. Today we saw eleven highly valuable projects, strongly connected to scientific research, and we not only awarded prizes, but most importantly, we created new connections between startups, companies, and local stakeholders. It is with a practical approach and with the skills we have developed over the years that we want to continue this journey.” – and Prof. Gianluigi De Gennaro for BaLab.


During the morning, the projects of the startups in acceleration – B&Y, 2pack, CrioPura, Myconic, BlueGeo, Techloop – and in post-acceleration – Be.Me, W3DS, AraBat – were presented, sharing the results of the program and the next steps toward the market. Two pre-acceleration startups – iMensa Circle and Phytoroots – also presented their work, out of competition.


At the end of the presentations, a selected jury announced the winners, awarding a total prize pool of over €45,000.


1st place: B&Y – The startup transforms powders, sludges, and stone scraps, normally destined for landfill, into a low-impact 3D-printable mortar for furniture and building components. The project combines circular economy, cleantech, and construction tech, offering a scalable and replicable solution to reduce waste and decarbonize the construction sector.


2nd place: 2pack – Develops a water-repellent paper-based material made from fishery waste and other non-food organic residues. The result is sustainable, recyclable, and cost-competitive packaging, compliant with European regulations on plastic alternatives.


3rd place: CrioPurA – Created a polymeric cryogel capable of removing heavy metals and phosphates from water, regenerable multiple times and customizable for existing systems. The technology, patented in Europe, China, and the USA, also allows the recovery of valuable elements, turning waste into resources.


The podium rewarded the most innovative solutions with the greatest potential impact on the circular economy, confirming the high level of the projects that emerged from the program.

Francesco Castellano

Francesco Castellano is a seasoned business leader and strategist with over 20 years of experience spanning research, finance, consulting, and entrepreneurship. He has held impactful roles, including serving as a consultant at Bain & Company, launching Uber operations in Turin, and working as Managing Director of a Swiss start-up. In recent years, Francesco Castellano founded Tondo, a hub of... Read more

Francesco Castellano is a seasoned business leader and strategist with over 20 years of experience spanning research, finance, consulting, and entrepreneurship. He has held impactful roles, including serving as a consultant at Bain & Company, launching Uber operations in Turin, and working as Managing Director of a Swiss start-up.

In recent years, Francesco Castellano founded Tondo, a hub of organizations dedicated to promoting Circular Economy approaches and supporting companies in transitioning to sustainable and circular practices. He is also the ideator and coordinator of the Re-think Circular Economy Forum, a high-profile event held across Italy to showcase innovative Circular Economy solutions.

Francesco Castellano collaborates with European institutions, serving as an expert for the European Commission’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative and mentoring startups in the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s (EIT) New European Bauhaus Booster Program. Through these roles, he actively supports the development and scaling of circular economy ventures across Europe.

He is also a sought-after speaker and lecturer, sharing his expertise on Circular Economy, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship at universities and international events. Francesco holds executive education certificates from prestigious institutions such as MIT, Harvard, and the University of Virginia, further solidifying his credentials in strategy, sustainability, and innovation.

Fluent in Italian, English, and Spanish, Francesco Castellano combines his diverse skill set with a passion for Circular Economy, Cleantech Innovations, and Entrepreneurship. His strong background in Corporate Strategy, Sustainability, Innovation Development, and Finance enables him to drive impactful change in every initiative he undertakes.

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