Students' Green Challenge: an Initiative for Innovation and Sustainability
The Students‘ Green Challenge is an initiative promoted by NODES Spoke 2, in collaboration with the University of Turin, with the aim of stimulating students’ creativity and entrepreneurship through innovative challenges in the field of environmental sustainability and green technologies. This initiative represents a unique opportunity for participants to work in interdisciplinary teams, develop concrete solutions for real problems and interact with companies and professionals in the field.
The Challenge Structure
1. Kick-off Day
- Inaugural event during which the theme of the challenge, the partners involved and how to participate are presented.
- Matchmaking sessions to enable participants to form interdisciplinary teams.
- Presentation of the partner company and the concrete challenges the teams will have to work on.
2. Mentors' Day
- A full day of mentorship, with industry experts providing support on various aspects of the project, including scientific research, market strategy, business model and technology development.
- Opportunity to receive feedback and refine your ideas for the final presentation.
3. Pitch Day
- Closing event where the teams present their projects in front of a panel of experts consisting of representatives from the university, the partner company and NODES Spoke 2.
- Award ceremony for the idea considered most innovative and promising by the evaluation panel.
- Possibility of access to pre-incubation and professional development opportunities offered by the challenge partners.
The editions
First Edition (May 2024) - In collaboration with Edison Next Environment
The first edition of the Students' Green Challenge saw the participation of 30 students selected by the University of Turin and divided into six interdisciplinary teams. The partner company of the initiative was Edison Next Environment, a leader in the energy sector with a long tradition of innovation in the field of sustainability.
- Challenge theme: Environmental remediation and industrial sustainability.
- Objective: To develop innovative solutions for the regeneration and decontamination of brownfield sites, with a focus on new technologies for sustainable land management.
- Development: After an initial training and mentoring phase, the teams worked on concrete proposals for the implementation of environmentally friendly remediation strategies.
- Results: The winning team proposed a solution based on innovative biotechnologies for the remediation of contaminated soils, attracting great interest from the partner company.
The winning team: GREEN SPHERE
This first edition had a significant impact, demonstrating how students, supported by experts and companies, can generate ideas that can be applied in the real world.
Second Edition (November - December 2024) - In cooperation with CRF - Fiat Research Centre (Stellantis Group)
The second edition saw the participation of Stellantis Centro Ricerche Fiat (CRF), with a focus on sustainable technologies for the automotive sector.
- Challenge topic: Use of sustainable materials in electric vehicles.
- Objective: To identify innovative materials and production processes with low environmental impact to improve the sustainability of battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
- Key aspects:
- Use of recycled, bio-based and recyclable materials in automotive components.
- Definition of supply chain archetypes for the production and reuse of such materials.
- Strategies for reducing the carbon footprint of the automotive industry.
- Development:
- Students worked on projects that included experimenting with new lightweight alloys and bio-based polymers for car weight reduction.
- Mentorship sessions with engineers and researchers from Stellantis enabled them to validate design hypotheses and develop concrete proposals.
- Results:
- The winning project proposed the use of a new composite material with a zero-impact production chain.
- The teams had the opportunity to meet and collaborate with industry experts from company research labs.
The winning team: Improntix
This edition consolidated the Students' Green Challenge's reputation as a platform for concrete innovation, capable of generating solutions applicable in real industrial contexts.
Third Edition (March - April 2025) - In cooperation with Michelin
The third edition of the Students' Green Challenge is organised in cooperation with Michelin, the world leader in the tyre industry, focusing on sustainability in industrial production processes.
Theme of the challenge: Reducing the water and energy impact at Michelin production sites.
Objective: To identify technical and economic solutions for treating and reusing the condensation water generated during the curing process.
Key aspects:
Analysis of the vulcanisation process and the role of water vapour.
Development of methods for the recovery and purification of condensate water containing oil particles, rubber and chemical components.
Implementation of strategies to reduce the water and energy footprint in production processes.
Expected results:
Concrete proposals for the recovery and reuse of condensate water in vulcanisation processes.
Applicable strategies for reducing water and energy consumption in Michelin plants.
Opportunities for teams to present their solutions to a panel of experts.
This edition aims to strengthen the role of the Students' Green Challenge as a platform for collaboration between universities and industry, promoting sustainable innovation and offering students the opportunity to actively contribute to projects with a real impact in industry.
