How did the second edition of Spoke 2’s Students’ Green Challenge go?
Students’ Green Challenge 2nd Edition: Young talents at the service of sustainable mobility
Imagine a room full of male and female students from multidisciplinary degree programs, ready to shape the future of sustainability. This is the essence of the Students’ Green Challenge, now in its second edition. Organized by NODES Spoke 2 and its lead institution, the University of Turin (UniTo), in collaboration with the CRF (Fiat Research Center) of the Stellantis Group, this initiative brought together brilliant minds and bold ideas to tackle an ambitious challenge: rethinking the materials used in electric mobility to make them more sustainable.
A theme equal to the future
CRF, Stellantis' innovation provider, chose to launch a stimulating challenge for the students: to imagine a new approach to the use of green materials in BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles). The goal? To significantly increase the use of recycled or bio-based polymers and metals, aiming to reach 35% green polymers and 50% recycled metals by 2038, starting from the current 12% and 35%.
But that’s not all: participants were asked to design innovative and sustainable supply chains, rethink vehicle design to reduce CO2 eq emissions, and propose concrete, feasible solutions for every stage of the production chain, from the supplier to end-of-life material recovery.
Kick-off Day | November 21, 2024
The adventure began at Palazzo Badini, where students, mentors, and tutors met for the first time. Following institutional greetings, CRF outlined the challenge and expectations, while representatives from Spoke 2 and UniTo explained the work methods and the organization of the Challenge. The matchmaking session, crucial for team formation, gave life to multidisciplinary groups - a mix of skills essential for tackling such a complex challenge.
Mentoring Day | November 28, 2024
A week later, at the Luigi Einaudi Campus, the teams immersed themselves in an intensive mentoring day. With the support of experts and professionals, they refined their ideas, working on crucial aspects such as solution innovation, environmental impact, and the preparation of an effective pitch. It was a valuable opportunity to test the feasibility of their proposals and receive strategic feedback.
Pitching and Awards Ceremony | December 12, 2024
The grand finale took place once again at Palazzo Badini, where the teams presented their ideas before a jury of experts: Edoardo Braccio (Spoke 2), Silvia Avataneo and Vitoguido Lambertini (CRF Stellantis), Oriana Bertoia (Entrepreneurship and Spin-off Section of UniTo), and Matteo Pessione (OGR Tech).
Every project demonstrated great commitment, creativity, and vision. However, the award went to team Improntix, who won over the jury with an innovative and concrete idea to optimize the use of green materials in BEVs, contributing to Stellantis' decarbonization goals.
The other participating teams were: Waste2Gel, Una batteria tira l'altra, and ReLeaf Automotive.
More than just a competition: an innovation lab
The Students’ Green Challenge is not just a race, but a platform that connects young talents, universities, and companies to generate real-impact solutions. Participants not only had the opportunity to tackle real-world problems but also to come into contact with leading corporate entities like CRF and NODES Spoke 2, opening doors for their professional future.
Furthermore, an atmosphere of friendship, connection, and experimentation emerges and builds up, lasting well beyond the end of the experience.
A look toward tomorrow
The success of the second edition confirms how important it is to create spaces for dialogue between academia and industry to face the challenges of our time. The Students’ Green Challenge represents the future: sustainable, collaborative, and innovative.
We look forward to discovering what the theme of the third edition will be! To stay updated, we invite you to check the NEWS section of our website.
