StartUp&Go Entrepreneurship Project at Tempesta-Galateo Lecce

Students at the IC Tempesta-Galateo school in Lecce have launched a student-led startup called “Custodi ResponsAbili” to address and improve behavior within the school environment. The initiative was developed through the “StartUp&Go” educational laboratory, a project managed by teachers Vissicchio and Delle Donne.

How does the StartUp&Go project work?

The “StartUp&Go” laboratory provides a framework for students to apply entrepreneurial principles to real-world problems found within their community. Managed by teachers Vissicchio and Delle Donne, the lab encourages students to move beyond traditional classroom learning by designing and implementing their own organizational solutions.

By utilizing a startup model, the project shifts the responsibility of school conduct from a top-down disciplinary approach to a peer-led initiative. This methodology allows students to identify specific behavioral issues and develop a structured “company” or organization to mitigate those problems.

What is the goal of the Custodi ResponsAbili startup?

The specific output of this laboratory is the startup “Custodi ResponsAbili.” The initiative focuses on the central question of how students should behave at school.

The project aims to foster a sense of accountability and responsibility among the students in Galateo. By framing the effort as a startup, the students act as the primary stakeholders in maintaining the school’s social and physical environment, transforming the way they perceive their roles within the institution.

What is the institutional context of IC Tempesta-Galateo?

IC Tempesta-Galateo is a middle school (Scuola Secondaria di I Grado) located in Lecce. For the 2025/2026 school year, the institution continues to offer two distinct educational paths.

The school provides an ordinary educational curriculum as well as a specialized musical address known as the “A. Galateo” program. The musical track allows students to study various instruments as part of their core education.

As a middle school, the institution spans three years of study. Upon completion of this cycle, students earn the “Licenza conclusiva del I ciclo di istruzione,” which marks the end of their first cycle of compulsory education.