“Collaborate, facilitate, inform and support, because doing business in Sicily is no longer so complicated”

A graduate in economics and commerce, enrolled in the order for a few years, Riccardo is a partner in a firm of accountants in which he deals with startups and business development, especially for the search for sources of funding (banks, subsidized finance, venture capital, etc). Although he does not disdain any kind of business, he has a predilection for social enterprises which, in fact, he supports in various ways. Its presence in the Hub is a guarantee of the circulation of up-to-date and qualified information that is always useful for those who are already a company and for those who want to start business routes in Sicily.

«Social enterprise for the social and labor reintegration of prisoners»

Synthesizing humanity, entrepreneurship and farsightedness, Giovanni founded the social cooperative L’Arcolaio in 2003 with the main purpose of offering qualified paths of social and work reintegration to the prisoners of the Syracuse district house.
The main activity of the coop is the organic confectionery production: since 2005 the “Dolci Evasioni” brand produces almond pastries sold today throughout Italy. But the Arcolaio goes on: since 2010 it manages the internal canteen and now also the catering! Thus the inmates, members of the cooperative, in addition to the preparation and backstage work confront “the outside” by shortening distances and lengthening the vision. The Arcolaio is a founding member of the Val di Noto Community Foundation considering “the strengthening of social economy experiences as an evolutionary and rebalancing factor of the market”.

«Promoting the use of bicycles in urban and tourist contexts»

Chiara is an expert in communication and passionate about sustainable mobility: originally from Milan, she decided to leave the northern fog behind to dive into the blue / ocher of Syracuse. She is co-founder of movimentocentrale, the first bike cafe in Sicily, which will open in spring 2015 in Ortigia, and is proposed as a crossroads for initiatives and services linked to the world of urban cycling and cycle tourism.

“Making the world better by creating zero-impact and eco-sustainable events”

Immediately after earning a degree in Political Science, Flavia begins a self-taught path in the floral sector. In 2007, following the conclusion of professional training courses promoted by Federfiori, she started working as a freelance in the wedding sector. In 2012 and 2013, in addition to setting up for weddings, she created the Salvatore Guarino Catering company’s stand at “Sposami” in Ciminiere; since then, numerous experiences in the sector have followed one another. In 2014 she received the mention of best florist at the event “Sicilia Fashion District”. Flavia’s goal is to design and create events and fittings for them using raw materials with an impact as close to zero as possible. Trigger a virtuous circle: choosing flowers grown by the companies located in the area closest to the place where the event occurs; make use of the provision of local artisans preferring it to the purchase of foreign imported products; promote those parts of the regional territory that have the potential requirements for the realization of zero-impact events.

“I’m an entrepreneur who likes constant movement, so I never gets bored!”

Graduated in language applied to business and law, after spending 10 years in the restaurant industry as a hostess and manager, Vanessa left Paris 7 years ago to move to Syracuse. Not finding a similar job position in Italy, she reinvented herself in the translation sector, first as a freelancer and then opening a brokerage agency that translates all types of documents through a network of mother tongue collaborators.

“Making the world more sustainable through sharing economy models”

Johannes is an enthusiastic entrepreneur and musician always eager to share ideas. He took his first step into the business world in 2011, launching his first start-up, Elys Energiekonzepte. In 2012 he graduated in Pure Mathematics and in 2013 he starts working as a management consultant. In 2015 he quit his job to devote himself to his new project, Boatify; a web and mobile platform where boat owners, skippers and other users can share boats and other services related to navigation.

“coordinate and work together to improve tourism in Sicily”

Gianluca has always been involved in tourism: incoming in Sicily is his passion. After years of experience in the sector, covering and experimenting with different roles, he approached Relational Tourism: a trip can be lived in various ways but the travel experience can never disregard human relationships.
It is precisely for relational tourism that he thinks, together with some partners, of a new web platform that can convey through stories, faces and images the beauty and authenticity of a territory and the people who live there.
Networking is for him a personal need before being the key to a well-structured, attractive and quality tourist offer: the South-East is the part of the island on which Gianluca bets and, for this reason, he is willing to discover every possible contact and to develop common synergies and projects.

 

“connect people and make a dream come true”

Muhammad was born in Pakistan. He graduated with a degree in electronics from the University of Peshawar, worked in system computerization for National Banks, then went to England, where he received a Master’s degree in control systems and instrumentation engineering from the University of Huddrsfield and worked as a control systems engineer (PLC and SCADA) in the food&beverage industry. After landing in Italy, he started his own consulting firm in the information technology sector: his goal is to help individuals and small businesses to make software and hardware systems innovative, functional and inclusive and based on best practices and proven design methodologies. The aim of its work is to improve people’s daily lives using technology, especially for the poorest people in developing communities.

“My success is in the diagnosis: to understand the needs and offer the right services for energy efficiency”

Professional and entrepreneur, Energy Management Expert and director of Gladiotech S.r.l. Consultant for the diagnosis and evaluation of energy consumption and for economic and financial interventions for energy efficiency. He believes in the development of the green economy and follows a series of projects for sustainable urban mobility and the reduction of polluting emissions into the air also through a greater diffusion of electric and hybrid vehicles.