It ended yesterday in Milan Netcomm Forum, the reference event for the Italian digital world, and we of GEL Proximity – partner of Netcomm – certainly could not miss it!
In fact, we were protagonists of the interesting (and we’re not just saying this because we were there) panel dedicated to the theme “Open innovation, startups and new strategies for businesses” that involved, in addition to our CEO and Founder Lorenzo Maggioni, Gianluca Dettori, President Primo Ventures; Silvia Campioni, Chief Innovation Office of Gruppo Lactalis Italia; and Andrea Sianesi, President of Politecnico Foundation and PoliHub, moderated by Francesco Cerruti, general manager of Italian Tech Alliance.
Open innovation, startups and new strategies for businesses: the experience of GEL Proximity
This was a unique opportunity during which we had the opportunity to tell our journey and, most importantly, discuss new retail models and strategies that require changes to business models and technologies, understanding how large and medium-sized companies can collaborate with innovation centers, startups and others to accelerate their change and development processes in retail and marketing.
Business and Research: how to strengthen collaboration
“Compared to a few years ago, there is greater closeness between the worlds of research and business, although there is still a structural problem such as the lack of entrepreneurship education,” explained Andrea Sianesi. “In other words, those who attend universities are still little exposed to the issue of how to do business: we train very good technicians who, however, often miss the opportunity to do startups. This must be the university’s task; on the enterprise side, on the other hand, the task must be to sow in order to develop. This is a patient investment, but one that ensures a long-term return,” Sianesi concluded.
“The most difficult thing to change,” Silvia Campioni stressed, “is to change the corporate culture. A difficult process that requires patience and strategic awareness for it to germinate.”
GEL Proximity: a case of success
But let’s get to us. In this context, the experience of GEL Proximity fits in as a success case. “For our history,” Lorenzo Maggioni explained, “open innovation has always been a mindset. The initial knowledge of the market proved crucial; we worked to create a technology that could offer facilitation to companies that approached GEL, and the benefits were immediate.”
Our Story
In fact, GEL’s idea was soon transformed into a concrete project thanks to its victory in 2019 in Switch2Product, a renowned startup competition organized by Polihub and Deloitte. “The acceleration path in Polihub,” Maggioni continued, “was instrumental in becoming aware of the potential of the business idea. In July 2020 GEL Proximity was recognized among the prestigious spin-offs of the Politecnico di Milano, and in May 2022 MBE Worldwide – a leading global platform offering solutions in eCommerce, shipping, logistics, and printing and marketing services to support SMEs and individuals – acquired a majority stake in GEL: “An operation that, however, does not cancel our identity as a startup that continues to work to offer businesses a practical and efficient solution for shipping and returns.”
Who we are today
Today, GEL Proximity is the world’s first technology that places Last Mile Logistics at the center of the purchasing process, directly managing the relationship between checkout and the Proximity solution chosen to pick up or return a package. In fact, GEL Proximity enables eCommerce integration with 125,000 already active Pickup Points and Lockers across the country and internationally, offering end consumers an efficient, convenient and more sustainable solution than traditional Home Delivery.
If you are an eCommerce manager and would like to integrate GEL Proximity technology to your online store, you can contact us here to receive more information now.
