Industrial PoCs

BioEnPro H2O extracts and co-valorises "sor'aqua, quale è multo utile et humile et pretiosa et casta" (St. Francis 1224). The INPUT matrices are the residual community resources to be valorised (Biomasses; Sludge; FORSU; Leachate; PSA) converted into OUTPUTs of BioEnergy, Products and Water. The objective is to develop and validate sustainable solutions (TRL6) for integrated and digitalised circular and granular bioeconomy technology platforms (SCADA; AI; IoT; Cybersecurity; Blockchain) with social communication. The mission is to provide a decentralised and modular ESG-compliant response model (e.g. Polo Tecnologico Km Blu in Collegno with Sea Marconi as promoter - www.seamarconi.com).     Contact: -

Polyurethane foams are excellent thermal insulators for refrigeration systems and to protect electric vehicle batteries. To date, there are no machines on the market equipped with digital analysis and predictive production control for polyurethane foam products. The CUSTOS project plans to digitalise the production of foams made by maximising the use of secondary raw material from recycled sources. The aim of the project is the sensorization of the machine, in order to use the data collected to improve control performance and to develop predictive algorithms, integrated in the control and accessible to the user through dedicated pages in the operator interface.     Contact: - Alessandro Mancini, amancini@cannon.com

Embedding a vegetal system in a heavily 'engineered' and man-made environment such as a pressurised space module is something little explored. LiW@Space studies, designs and prototypes a green wall monitored by advanced sensor technology and enhanced with artificial intelligence capabilities. The project is designed for closed environments; the green wall will allow environmental pollutants to be monitored and possibly degraded. The plants will be able to be eaten safely. In view of the extreme optimisation required by the spatial context, intelligent solutions for the use of water and substrates will also be studied with circular economy strategies.     Contact: Pierangelo Farina, p.farina@bluegroup.it

The textile sector represents a significant challenge in terms of environmental impact and sustainability. In the north-west region of Italy, the textile industry is a strength, but the adoption of sustainable practices is still limited. SMARTWATER aims to introduce advanced technologies for water reuse in the textile industry. The project will be aimed at building a modular system for water reuse in the textile sector that will allow up to 70% water savings and up to 35% energy savings for the treatment of wastewater and the recovery of chemicals that can be reused. This will be accompanied by Internet of Things (IoT) technologies for real-time monitoring of the substances in the treated water.     Contact: Maurizio Bettiga, maurizio.bettiga@italbiotec.it

The exploitation of organic materials, primarily intended as by-products/co-products of agro-food chains and vegetable waste, is a key target of research in the field of eco-sciences. VALO.RE.BIO is a project that aims at the application of circular economy models, such as biorefineries integrated with local agricultural supply chains, able to recover and give high added value to the ingredients contained in production by-products. The project idea stems from the need to combine innovative technologies for the production of functional ingredients for different markets (cosmetic, medical devices, nutraceutical-food) with the development of digital processes that can implement production processes in an 'intelligent' way, as well as allow their timely monitoring.     Contact: Federica Carlomagno, federica.carlomagno@roelmihpc.com

Traditional CO2 capture and storage technologies have demonstrated limitations in terms of efficiency, high costs and performance in the presence of humidity. The CO2-ADSORBENT project aims to develop advanced and sustainable technologies for capturing and recovering gaseous CO2 produced by flue gas in paint pyroscission plants, and then reusing the captured CO2 in the production of dry ice. An innovative aspect of the project is the integration of the Digital Twin, a virtual, dynamic model that allows the process to be simulated and monitored in real time. The implementation of the technology will reduce the environmental impact of industrial plants by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.   Contact: Attilio Bernasconi, a.bernasconi@meccrios.it

The market for probiotics is expanding due to their increasingly established health benefits. The production of probiotics leads to the generation of waste (so-called spent broths) that contain substances that are still valuable. PRO-ECO wants to minimise the amount of waste to be disposed of from the probiotic production process. To do this, it studies how to extract valuable components from the spent broths to produce postbiotic beverages and supplements (i.e. the remaining bacterial cells, which will undergo inactivation, the by-products or post-fermentation metabolites). Once extracted and purified, the postbiotic compounds can be used as functional ingredients, cosmetics and personal care products, feed additives and agricultural applications.   Contact: Giancarla Dondi, gdondi@progefarm.it

The spread of homes or facilities equipped with a photovoltaic system calls for special attention to be paid to solar energy storage systems in relation to cost and battery life. In normal households, it frequently happens that there are imbalances between the power delivered by solar panels and the power absorbed by household loads. These imbalances are counterbalanced by the storage system, which leads to natural ageing of the chemical batteries. SMARTY envisages the introduction of a set of supercapacitors alongside the main chemical battery that can take over these imbalances. The advantage of supercapacitors is that they can withstand far more charge/discharge cycles than any chemical battery without a substantial degradation in performance. The aim is to reduce chemical battery turn-over.   Contact: Gianni Lisini, g.lisini@ticinumaerospace.com

Water used in urban and industrial settings (waste water) requires purification treatment; this treatment leads to the production of so-called sewage sludge. The problem of sewage sludge disposal has become very important due to its increasing production.   The STABIRA project analyses, through the realisation of a prototype system, a sludge treatment reactor for a municipal and industrial sewage plant. The objectives are the radical reduction of biological sludge at source; the agricultural reuse of sludge and the transformation of the wastewater treatment plant into a producer of material and energy resources.   The project will be developed by the sole partner GIOTTO WATER Srl, a leading company in the field of water and sludge purification, which intends to make use of the consulting services of the University of Pavia - Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, for its expertise in the field of purification processes and digital components.   Contact: Emanuela Giacomotti, emanuela.giacomotti@giottowater.com

The search for new preparations for textile finishing and functionalization operations has always played a fundamental role in the textile value chain, particularly with the discovery of new fibres of synthetic origin. Moreover, the awareness of contributing with virtuous behaviour to environmental protection requires textile companies to critically re-examine the current production and development methods of their products.   The ADTEXT innovation service makes it possible to analyse current finishing techniques (finishing treatments) in the textile sector and search for areas of improvement, through chemical and physical analyses that can guarantee a lower environmental impact with the same end result.     Contact: - gdanelli@tot.it

Organisations are aiming to increasingly diversify their energy supply and reduce their consumption, in order to respond to the various challenges they have been facing in recent times, particularly related to the decarbonisation strategies that companies are adopting. The service involves supporting the creation of a software platform that allows, through the collection of data from the various energy assets, to identify and quantify the most suitable energy supply scenarios to cover the organisations' needs, taking into account costs and environmental objectives.     Contact: - Valeria Pellerey, v.pellerey@trigenia.it 

The innovation service required is necessary for the development of a project dedicated to the production of biomethane through a high-performance, compact system for decentralised applications, which differs from solutions currently on the market that are based on large, centralised plants.   Contact: Diego Pellicani, diego.pellicani@scrt-research.com

Circular economy plants are greeted with great concern and scepticism by the local population (NIMBY syndrome). The NARCISO innovation service lies in the assessment of the social impact potential of a model for the recovery of organic waste for the production of renewable fertiliser matrices for agriculture and biogas, converted into electrical, thermal and biomethane energy, based in Vellezzo Bellini (PV). In particular, the aim is to quantify the socio-economic and sustainability benefits brought to the community and the territory.   Contact: Federica Barone, federica.barone@neorisorse.net

The transition of the fashion industry towards a more circular model is far from easy due to some issues in the used clothing supply chain. The innovation service required is to develop various Artificial Intelligence and logic algorithms that automate the process of classifying and sorting end-of-life garments, in order to direct them more easily towards the best form of circular recovery (reuse, upcycling, recycling, etc.).   Contact: Elena Ferrero, elena@atelier-riforma.it

The project that the company Optimon intends to implement aims to develop a system for the management of "on-demand" waste collection activities. In particular, the objective is the realisation of a product/service that can have as users all those companies and, in a broader sense, realities, which manage waste collection activities in territories with low population density, characterised mainly by two recurring elements: few collection points to be managed, distributed diffusely in territories with potentially large distances.   Contact: CESARIO MICHELE, m.cesario@optimon.it

The aim of this innovation service is to study the elements necessary to realise a process that decreases the high CO2 and nitrogenous/phosphate waste productions of the biogas industry or industries with comparable emissions. The process is based on the cultivation of algae as an alternative for capturing CO2 whose waste/biomass is reused in the biogas production process. Research and laboratory analysis is aimed at understanding the behaviour of algae.   Contact: Costantino Davide Arriviello, arriviello.davide@gmail.com

The request for the innovation service stems from business needs related to increasing digital security. On many projects, passwords are shared using insecure methods and systems; moreover, the storage of passwords is often left to employees and most do not use a secure tool. The aim of the project is to create a centralised password manager that can enable fast, secure and reliable sharing of all passwords for the various projects, overcoming the above-mentioned problems.   Contact: Michele Carelli, m.c@spsistemi.net

Currently, the attention of the cosmetics industry for hair and scalp care is focused on the study and development of new products that optimise the performance of hair dyes, improve hair's resistance to washing and smoothing treatments, and give hair softness, volume and elasticity.ARIADNE aims to develop a system for the concentration/purification of α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids (α,β-UCAs) from agro-industrial waste managed by self-learning software.  This solution would allow an industrially profitable recovery for the production of a conditioning conditioner formulated with natural ingredients that act directly on the keratin structure of the hair, bringing beneficial changes and ensuring long-lasting results.   Contact: Giuseppe Ciccarella, giuseppe.ciccarella@unisalento.it

The 'C.A.U.S.A. - Cosmetics Advanced Upcycling Solution Approach' project is an ambitious initiative that aims to transform the cosmetics industry through the use of lipid esters made from waste vegetable oils, while promoting environmental sustainability and innovation.  The project promotes the adoption of sustainable approaches to fine chemicals: the replacement of hazardous solvents with environmentally friendly options and the introduction of chemistry. A key element of the project is the advanced digital component. This will enable real-time monitoring and control of chemical processes, improving operational efficiency and helping to reduce overall costs.   Contact: Vincenzo Benessere, benessere.vincenzo@isuschem.it

Citrus production processes generate a large amount of waste. The aim of the Extracitrus project is the realisation of a virtuous, innovative system, based on the principles of the circular economy, for the valorisation of waste using supercritical fluid technology to obtain extracts with high added value, to be used in the food industry or as active ingredients for cosmetics. The entire valorisation process will focus on fundamental aspects such as traceability and analysis of environmental and economic impacts.   Contact: Carlo Pappone, carlopappone@mater.it

ReGenFlow is an innovative project focused on the development of an advanced treatment system for crusher water, called Dirty Water Sense Filter (DWSF). At the heart of the DWSF system is a filter with appropriately functionalised biochar derived from appropriate biomass. The functionalised biochar possesses specific adsorption properties of polyphenols in solution that are known to be harmful to the microbial communities in soils whose presence is important for soil productivity. The DWSF system is supported by sensor technology that evaluates the effectiveness of the filtration process. Sensors monitor key parameters such as flow, temperature and water quality at the filter inlet and outlet. In addition, the ReGenFlow digital platform, based on artificial intelligence and machine learning, analyses the collected data and provides detailed information on filtration effectiveness and system status. This approach enables optimised management of the filtration process, improving efficiency and reducing operating costs. In addition, the DWSF system is equipped with a control and automation system that efficiently monitors and adjusts the parameters of the filtration process. This system can be integrated with the ReGenFlow platform, allowing remote control of the system and optimisation of performance based on collected data.   Contact: Antonio Proto, aproto@unisa.it

The TerraFertilis project aims to innovate sustainable agricultural practices by focusing on optimising composting and the effective use of microorganisms to produce nutrient-rich soil. Using advanced digital technologies, composting becomes more efficient and productive. Advanced sensors enable real-time analysis, identifying optimal conditions for microbial growth and improving the effectiveness of the composting process. The project includes a database of the microorganisms involved in composting, facilitating the selection of the most suitable strains. TerraFertilis also aims to identify valuable substances in agricultural waste through rigorous chemical control, promoting reuse in agriculture.   Contact: Carmen Porcaro, direzioneambiente@c-c-s.it

TRUST focuses on the dynamic and environmentally sustainable management of the fleet of waste collection vehicles, urban monitoring and regulatory tools for incentive pricing for the application of TARIP (Punctual Waste Tariff). Unlike TARI (waste tax in Italy), TARIP relies on the direct participation of citizens, whose cooperation in reducing the amount of non-recyclable waste as much as possible is rewarded. By dynamically optimising collection routes, time, energy consumption and pollutant emissions are reduced. The vehicles also act as urban monitoring stations, providing data on air quality and road condition, which are acquired in real time via a LoRa communication infrastructure. In addition, a market analysis will be conducted for the industrialisation of the developed technological solution and the definition of new pricing models that favour the deployment of TARIP.   Contact: Fernando Capone, fernandocapone@asiabenevento.it

The UMARI project engages in the Agenda 2030 challenge to ensure sustainable patterns of production and consumption by focusing on the efficient management of agricultural waste in Calabria, Italy. The goal is to extract and enhance phytocomplexes from plant residues, which are rich in bioactive molecules with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Using enzymatic and fermentative pretreatments, the project aims to maximise the yield of these molecules in phytoextracts, offering benefits in nutraceuticals, cosmetics and agriculture. Software based on blockchain technology will manage the UMARI value chain, providing a digital passport searchable by consumers, while shelf life prediction software will assess the stability of new products. An innovative response to the challenges of sustainability and traceability in the production and use of bioactive extracts.   Contact: Giovanni Notti, g.notti@geolabservizi.it

The project aims to develop a digital module to help manufacturing industries categorise, monitor and valorise waste residue, integrating with zProduction software and other enterprise SaaS. The module will provide functionalities for waste categorisation, waste calculation in cost estimates, waste residue logistics management and waste production forecasting.     Contact: - Andrea Francica, CEO di Sandeza - andrea.francica@sandeza.com

The GreenMatch project focuses on the integration of the monitoring and management of Officina Meccanica TAU Srl's machinery fleet aimed at production optimisation and energy management, through DNDG Srl's advanced IoT system. The objective is to match the company's energy needs with the potential self-production of energy from renewable sources and facilitate the integration with a future Renewable Energy Community (REC) in the industrial district.   Contact: - Valentina Taulino, Officina Meccanica TAU Srl Email: ufficio-acquisti@meccanicatau.com  

The unsustainable use of materials and ineffective waste management represent significant environmental challenges. The BLUE HORIZON project focuses on pigment innovation, transforming rice husk, an abundant agro-food waste, into Egyptian blue, a sustainable pigment with unique properties. In addition to reducing waste, the project aims to use these pigments to train artificial intelligence-based process control algorithms, thereby optimising production and recycling processes. This approach not only contributes to the reduction of the ecological footprint but also to the advancement of circular economies.     Contact: - Marco Nicola, Adamantio srl, nicola.adamantio@gmail.com

WINTERAID is not a simple upgrade of existing systems, but a revolutionary application of intelligent vision systems in winter road maintenance. Innovatively integrated with on-board vehicle actuators, it aims to reduce the amount of materials used (salt, brines, mixtures of various types) and their polluting and corrosive impact on the environment and road infrastructure.     Contact: - Fabrizio Abello, Giletta SpA - fabrizio.abello@buchermunicipal.com  

Digital Bio-Leather is a new synthetic leather for the fashion industry, obtained from wine processing waste, without the use of solvents or water. It uses an innovative catalytic polymerisation process to optimise the mechanical characteristics of the material, significantly reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions.     Contact: - Francesco Merlino, CEO di Vegea - f.merlino@vegeacompany.com

RiparianEye-Biomass is an innovative Earth Observation project that aims to limit the loss of biodiversity in riverine environments by turning the problem of invasive plant species into resources, with a Circular Economy approach. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and aerial imagery, it will produce a digital platform for the efficient reuse and management of biomass focused on the production of biohydrogen and high value-added biomolecules for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic sectors, including a LifeCycle Assessment to quantify the impact of different options.     Contact: - Andrea Comino - a.comino@zirak.it

The RiVision project consists of the development of a smart system for the management and control of PET selective collection machines. The aim is to develop a reliable, functional and efficient reading system that minimises the margin of error on the recognition of the packaging introduced and is secure on data processing and credit allocation to the customer. To achieve this, a vision system managed by artificial intelligence will be studied, which will work synergically with the barcode reader.     Contact: - Alessandro Persia, Ripet S.r.l. - sandro@ripet.it

The 'The Circle' project is developed on two levels: the first concerns the chemical-physical characterisation and synthesis of new green composites from waste materials from the construction sector, with a focus on eco-cement materials, bituminous conglomerates, low carbon concretes and new green cements. The second level concerns the creation of a SaaS Cloud platform for the traceability of these materials, facilitating compliance with Green Public Procurement requirements and improving the traceability and compliance of materials used on construction sites.     Contact: - Ing. Marco C. Alessio - marco.alessio@cismondisrl.com

The PI4ESG service facilitates the digital transition through the implementation of a digital platform based on artificial intelligence (AI) components dedicated to the collection, analysis and processing of green and ESG sustainability data. This platform will be designed with a modular, integrable and scalable architecture that will cover all phases of the data journey, from data collection to analysis and processing to support strategic decisions related to the green transition and ESG sustainability.   Contact: - Stefano Pirilli, Seed Capital Pro stefano@seedcapitalpro.eu

The service request is aimed at obtaining the necessary scientific, technical and technological expertise to be able to respond to the two primary objectives of the SAFE project, i.e. the transition to a sustainable (environmental health protection objective) and safe (human and animal health protection objective) stable. Within the scope of the environmental sustainability objective, the service request includes technical-scientific support to test prototypes of technosurfaces (new grounds) for equestrian footing that are sustainable with a view to reducing the use of non-renewable natural resources (sand and water). Within the objective of protecting human and animal health, technical-scientific support is requested for the stable microclimate analysis of particulate matter and the respirable fraction of silica (SiO2) that may have a negative impact on the respiratory system of horses and operators. In addition, such support is required and for the application of objective postural, movement and physical activity analysis technologies to protect the health of horses and riders during training and competition.     Contact: - Marta Tagliaferri, marta.tagliaferri@scuderia1918.com

Over the past 2 years, Sargomma, in collaboration with the artist Alessandro Ciffo, has developed silicone sheets for interior design applications (interior and exterior coatings) created from industrial processing waste. In order to industrialise the production of these coverings and make the product ready for marketing, Sargomma needs further research, development and prototyping services (by Alessandro Ciffo); and product design and web design consultancy (by Maurizio Prina) with the aim of creating a complete product range and setting up digital tools to allow the potential customer to preview the performance of the chosen slabs/tiles (colour, shape, chosen environment, etc.) before they are produced.     Contact: - Giulia Delgrosso, Sargomma S.r.l. SB, giuliadelgrosso@sargomma.it