Mario Venturi, assistant chief of the Milan police headquarters, invented the KeyCrime program 14 years ago, an example of a successful merger between computer science and investigation that has made it possible to significantly reduce the number of robberies in the city. KeyCrime is an advanced system whose algorithm revolves around the concept of crime series, because every robbery has a sort of “fingerprint”, that is to say the repetition of methods, timing and mistakes.

The startup’s software processes up to 11,000 variables for each crime, giving substance to the theory behind predictive policing (prediction of where and when future crimes will occur).

Today Mario has decided to turn his brilliant intuition into a job, he left the first floor of via Fatebenefratelli in Milan, leaving behind patrol cars, shiny glass and neon lights, to become an entrepreneur.

“In leaving the police, I am leaving behind a family”, declared the policeman in a recent post on Facebook, because for a few days he has been “only” the CEO of the company that is developing KeyCrime and that will launch it on the market.

This smart (and useful) system, in recent times, has been under observation by British and American universities and beyond. The major international media (from Bloomberg to HBO) have come to Italy to see it in operation and an investment fund has even revealed itself ready to inject capital to build a business around its development. “KeyCrime is owned by its inventor” – explains Venturi – “and the Milan police headquarters have had it and will always have it on permanent loan for their use”.

This will continue to be the case even with updates and new versions. “Because the police station is my family,” he concludes.

Source: Startupmagazine.it