Fondazione Golinelli

In 1988, the Italian entrepreneur and philanthropist Marino Golinelli decided to embark on a new venture. Having built his success in the pharmaceutical industry with his company, which would eventually become Alfasigma, Golinelli sought to give back to society. He established the Fondazione Golinelli in Bologna, creating what is considered a unique example in Italy of a private, operational philanthropic foundation modeled after those in the United States. The foundation's core mission was to foster education, training, and culture to promote the intellectual and ethical growth of young people and society. Golinelli, a self-made man with a degree in pharmacy, believed deeply in the power of science, art, and knowledge as the foundation for human progress. Initially, the foundation focused on scientific education and supporting schools. A significant event in the foundation's journey occurred in 2015 with the inauguration of the Opificio Golinelli. This project involved a major urban regeneration, transforming a 9,000-square-meter industrial site into a modern citadel for knowledge and culture. The Opificio serves as an open ecosystem integrating the foundation's diverse activities, including educational labs, startup incubation, venture capital, and spaces for exhibitions and events. Today, Fondazione Golinelli has evolved into a philanthropic holding company that manages various entities, including a startup accelerator called G-Factor. It has supported millions of students and thousands of teachers across Italy, demonstrating a scalable model for long-term investment in human capital. Golinelli's playbook was clear: reinvest wealth into creating an integrated system that connects education, research, and business to equip future generations.