"At B4i's Pre-Acceleration program we've found an immersive experience with intensive lectures and practical one-to-one sessions with mentors and business angels. Their network and everyone's commitment to helping startup teams thrive helped us solve problems we didn't know we had."Alessia Rosa, Nadim Conti, Valentina Lidoni and Pablo GiaccagliaPrevieni

"The B4i Pre-acceleration program was instrumental in shaping our entrepreneurial mindset. We were encouraged to 'get out of the building', which led us to successfully launch the very first version of our impact startup! Highly recommended."
Christian Pulieri and Fausto CapriottiMath Legacy

"The B4i Pre-acceleration program allowed us to validate our idea and identify the best business model. We would highly recommend it as it provides access to high level mentors and network, beautiful workspaces and constant challenges that push you to improve."Giuseppe D'Alessandro, Massimo Sabatini, Massimo Brochetta and Riccardo BottiroliForeverland food

"The B4i pre-acceleration program has played a key role in turning our business idea into reality through diverse, interactive training sessions and the access to the invaluable network of the Bocconi community."Giulio Simone and Irene SimoneZero Impack

The Pre-Acceleration program in brief

The B4i Pre-Accelerator is a free 3-month program offering comprehensive support and practical tools to help you validate your business idea and launch your Minimum Viable Product on the market.

Through a mix of entrepreneurial training, mentorship, legal support, exclusive perks, and access to the extensive Bocconi network, it helps aspiring entrepreneurs turn their ideas into real ventures.

The Pre-Acceleration program is open to startup founders and entrepreneurial teams of all backgrounds and experience levels. It is mostly online, making it compatible with any work or study commitments (even outside Milan), and no prior entrepreneurial experience is required.

The program includes 11 Saturday morning workshops, with a learn-by-doing approach, that cover the most important aspects of starting a business, such as customer discovery, market assessment, business model development, MVP design, marketing, financial planning, and more.

KEY DATES

Nov 10
- 2025
  - Applications opening
  - The application period opens: it’s time to propose your startup
Jan 7
- 2026
  - Applications deadline
  - The application period closes and our team begins the process of candidates selection
Mar 7
- 2026
  - Start of the program
  - The selected candidates begin their 3-month program
June
- 2026
  - End of the program
  - The initial ideas have now taken the form of a validated, investor-ready prototype - tested with real users and supported by a clear go-to-market strategy
July
- 2026
  - Demo day
  - Top-selected teams will pitch their ideas in front of a panel of evaluators including potential investors, customers and advisors

Our application calls open twice a year in May and November.
The two batches kick off in March and September and welcome up to 20 teams per batch.

What's included

11 practical workshops: a hands-on approach, with access to real-world examples, and peer discussions with other teams
Evening pills: interactive online and in-person sessions where top founders and experts unpack real startup challenges
Personalized online mentoring sessions to tackle real challenges and get hands-on, actionable guidance
One-on-one meetings with our speakers to apply learnings and get hands-on, actionable feedback on your project
Legal guidance at no cost with expert orientation to understand your next steps to protect your idea, your users, and your startup’s structure
+50 free and discounted tools, from CRMs to databases, everything you need to build smarter and faster.
A final Demo Day event for the top-selected teams to pitch their ideas to a audience of experts and potential investors
Continuous support from the B4i team, from validating your idea to refining your pitch, we’re with you every step of the work
Networking and community, meet a vibrant community of entrepreneurs, mentors, and industry experts

Legal Desks and business support services

Our Legal Desks offer startups a practical introduction to the key legal frameworks they need to navigate. As a core component of the Pre-Acceleration Program, they cover essential areas such as privacy, intellectual property, corporate law, tax advisory, and payroll. The program also includes a series of additional services (like business development and product workshops) — tailored to the startup’s legal status (incorporated or not), with dedicated support for govtech startups and beyond. For incorporated startups, specific services are made available through our involvement in the AI-PACT hub.

Is it for you?

The program is open to anyone (there’s no need to be a Bocconi student or alumnus/a) and is accessible to individuals from any background and expertise level. However, to be eligible, you must meet certain requirements:

Participants need to be in a team of at least 2 people, who must have reached the age of majority.
We expect participants to be able to speak English, since the program is entirely held in English.
Please note: we expect participants to attend all sessions and workshops.

While the program is primarily online, certain activities and networking events will be held in Milan to help grow the startup ecosystem.

Beyond the formal requirements, we’re looking for motivated founders with innovative ideas and a real commitment to entrepreneurship. Participants are expected to dedicate time and energy to the program, take it seriously, and be ready to challenge themselves in order to grow.