ELITE PROJECT WELCOMES 33 NEW COMPANIES

Oct 10 2012 -

Borsa Italiana today announces the launch of the second phase of ELITE, with 33 new companies joining the project. ELITE, which was launched in April 2012, is targeted at high profile, small and medium-sized companies that want to strengthen their managerial and financial structure, and ultimately work towards accessing financial markets and attracting institutional investors.

The project offers participating companies a suite of tools and services to raise capital, expand networking capabilities, increase their visibility and help them adopt a quoted-company approach.

At an event at Palazzo Mezzanotte to mark the occasion, the 33 companies, which were selected by an independent evaluation committee, were introduced to the public. Companies will be followed by an “ELITE team” as a point of reference at every step of the project. There are now a total of 63 companies participating in the project.

The 33 new companies represent a diverse range of sectors, sizes and locations. The companies have annual revenues of between €14 million and €160 million (average:€58 million), and an average annual growth rate of 24 per cent. They represent sectors including fashion, telecommunications, logistics, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, publishing, entertainment and aviation. They are composed of 12 firms from Lombardia; three from Piemonte; three from Toscana; three from Veneto; three from Marche; two from Friuli Venezia Giulia; two from Emilia Romagna; two from Lazio; one from Abruzzo; one from Liguria; and one from Campania.

Raffaele Jerusalmi, CEO of Borsa Italiana, said:
"SMEs are an important resource for our economy, they contribute to innovation and employment, invest in the host country, and make Italy dynamic and competitive. However, they do not always have access to the skills, networks and capital necessary to compete on an international stage. That’s why project ELITE was born. Through a focused and innovative process, this project can help develop SMEs’ potential and create new business opportunities by creating a network of institutions, Partner Equity Markets, private equity and institutional investors”.

Luca Peyrano, Head of Continental Europe Primary Markets at Borsa Italiana, said:
“Borsa Italiana is absolutely committed to facilitating a smooth link between supply and demand of SME capital, and to supporting the growth of SMEs. ELITE offers unquoted companies access to the expertise, networking and capital available to quoted companies. Through this project SMEs can build managerial systems and develop an approach to better deal with international financial markets. The 33 companies which were introduced to the financial community and the media today, join 30 ELITE companies selected six months ago, and they represent what Italy can do in terms of entrepreneurial excellence and ambition”.

ELITE’s institutional partners are: MEF (Ministry of Economy and Finance), Confindustria, ABI, Bocconi and Academy.

The companies joining the second stage of ELITE are:
Angelantoni, Antares Vision, Braccialini, BV Tech, Calzavara, Came, CesanaMedia, Eco Eridania, EMARC, Equilibra, Finefoods, FPZ, Gervasoni, GMM, GSI, Guarniflon, Iacobucci, IMM Hydraulics, IMT, Inglass, Mape, Miniconf, OMET, Pan Urania, SERI Industrial, Sestrieres, Sicurezza e Ambiente, Sogesi, Solar ventures, Sorgent.e, Tuvia, Zeis Excelsa, ZUCCHETTI.

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For further information, please contact:
Oriana Pagano +39 02 72426.360
Federica Marotti media.relations@borsaitaliana.it

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