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On Thursday 18 April 2024, twenty-five students from the Department of Economics of the Economics and Management of Innovation and Sustainability (CLEMIS) course of the University of Insubria went to the headquarters of ComoNext Innovation Hub, partner of Spoke 3, to participate in two challenges that will see them engaged for about two months. Prof. Alfredo Biffi of the Department of Economics of Insubria explains that: "it is a very interesting project that allows children to be confronted with the completeness of the problems that companies and institutions encounter on a daily basis in their business journey , or in any case development. During the day, the first meeting was held directly at ComoNext with some of the tutors who follow the students; furthermore, tasks were assigned to the students who will work on two thematic lines starting from a survey activity ". Specifically, the challenges in which students will participate are: CHALLENGE 1 - SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING CNext worked on its first social report in 2022 together with one of its partners, Andersen. The approach followed is the traditional one which responds to the indicators required by law, in particular related to the environment, governance and social dimension. These indicators, however, do not reflect the nature of CNext which has an action, through its territorial hubs, linked to the regeneration of the territory. In effect, it involves building innovation centers in abandoned or disused industrial spaces. All this leads to the creation of an armature around the poles which would be interesting to measure. In the case of ComoNext, for example, the area around the park has become populated with commercial activities, the apartments have increased their economic value. But which ad hoc indicators should we build? And where to find authoritative sources? Students are asked to make proposals for customized indicators for CNext's sustainability reporting. CHALLENGE 2 - SKILLS CNext has a peculiar model, it aims to create a network of innovation hubs on Italian territory that work according to a common technology transfer model and respond to common governance. The professional figures necessary to support innovation projects are various and, thanks to the history of the first innovation hub, namely ComoNext, it has experimented with some of them (opportunity managers, innovation managers, innovation and project financing experts). They are often "hybrid" figures that require technical skills spanning multiple disciplines, and above all soft skills. It is important to know how to work in a system of subjects, including the more traditional ones (such as business associations), and to make innovation ecosystems communicate at all levels of the economic system. To make this more evident, a challenge was launched which, through the analysis of skills, provides a picture of the professionalism that CNext will need to hire between now and the next five years to have new points of view and see if and how much they distance themselves from current estimates. From this challenge CNext expects a hypothesis of ideal profiles with indicators for the evaluation of soft skills. In addition to visiting the ComoNExT science and technology park, the kids had the opportunity to visit the Next Marketing LAB; project resulting from funding from the Lombardy Region which combines the skills of 11 companies located within the park. This laboratory is a place where companies, institutions, trainers, and students can see first-hand the technologies related to digital marketing and where they can understand how these have impacts on processes and organizations. It is a laboratory, physical and digital, where innovation and technology meet at the service of the company, a place of discovery, sharing and comparison. In light of all this, they had the opportunity to participate in a Q&A with their tutors - Elisabetta Giromini and Giulia Bizzotto.

Probiota Global 2024, the leading event in the microbiome industry, took place in the world's design capital and addressed key topics such as the gut-lung axis, new frontiers for the use of probiotics, marketing insisghts, customization, skin health improvement, next-generation innovation, and regulatory developments.    Participation in scientific conferences such as Probiota Global 2024 (Milan) always allows to involve researchers to present and discuss the results obtained, establishing a strong connection between universities, scientific communication and companies experienced in the field. In this context, the collaboration between Research Module 2 (RM2) of the flagship project TINCARE and the company Probionova SA (Lugano) was among the topics presented and discussed during this important scientific conference. The aim was to disseminate the significant results obtained by RM2 in the experimental characterization of a new probiotic formulation, produced by Probionova, aimed at supporting neuronal functions and not only. The purpose was precisely to build a new reality in the landscape of human microbioma research and development, aiming to improve health through the development of new applications related to the world of probiotics. At the same time, these probiotics were also evaluated as application in new therapeutic areas, allowing to amplify the role of RM2, still extending the studies in collaboration with the industrial reality.     The common thread on which the research was based is the real connection between health and disease states with the gut microflora. For this reason, the study wanted to evaluate how to promote and maintain health by preserving intestinal well-being (intestinal homeostasis), through the use of probiotics.   Probionova, convinced that they can actively contribute to the development of new strategies for the well-being of the individual, supported the study by providing high-performance probiotic strains, which have been studied by RM2 in the context of healthy aging.  The survey led to the publication of an interesting article in an indexed journal, focusing on the beneficial role of probiotic supplementation with strains such as B. bifidum novaBBF7, B. longum novaBLG2 and L. paracasei TJB8, on the maintenance of cognitive function. In addition, a subsequent publication is underway, aimed at outlining the use of probiotics, to mitigate molecular factors related to depression and anxiety, which are closely related to the processes of brain aging and neurodegeneration.     

Spoke 1's 2024 begins with the assembly of Project Partners, an excellent opportunity to update priorities by looking at the needs of the ecosystem's industrial actors, relative to Aerospace and Sustainable mobility. During the meeting, the progress and state of the art of the project, the results of past business funding initiatives and upcoming and current opportunities were reported, but most importantly, the future goals of Spoke 1 were reviewed and defined, particularly in regard of internationalization and business development. The Spoke Partners defined a new schedule of activities useful for strengthening the fabric of the Ecosystem, with the link between research and innovation always at the center, for the resilience of existing supply chains, and support for the development of business potential. In the next the upcoming NODES General Assembly, all Spokes will have an opportunity to exchange views to identify critical issues and solutions to be put in place to continue to contribute to the growth of an ever increasingly Digital and Sustainable Northwest. The event was hosted by I3P on January 23, 2024

Lunedì 8 aprile, presso le OGR a Torino, si è tenuto BOOST YOUR COMPETENCE, l'evento di presentazione dei percorsi di formazione messi in campo da NODES, Nord Ovest Digitale E Sostenibile.   Sul portale web è possibile consultare tutto il catalogo dei corsi proposti, orientati al perfezionamento e acquisizione di competenze distintive e specifiche, nonchè allo sviluppo delle soft skills necessarie per gestire le sfide della doppia transizione, digitale ed ecologica.   Più di 2700 ore di didattica tra corsi brevi tematici, laboratori, attività di approfondimento, workshop, visite studio, moduli formativi e master professionalizzanti, resi accessibili e a prezzi contenuti grazie alla dote di NODES attraverso i fondi MUR-PNRR e NextGenerationEU.    Ad oggi sono già 40 i percorsi realizzati e per il biennio 2024/25 ne sono previsti 70 nuovi e altri sono in corso di programmazione.   Durante la mattinata si sono così alternati ai microfoni i principali attori protagonisti di questa nuova sfida, moderati da Francesco Rigatelli, giornalista de La Stampa.  

The meeting "AUGMENTED VISION FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE. Shapes, Ideas, Things, Stories" was held last Friday 5 April, as part of the GEONIGHT-NIGHT OF GEOGRAPHY 2024 event promoted by Eugeo (Association of Geographical Societies in Europe) and by the International Geographical Union: https://www.geonight.net/?s=verbania. The University of Eastern Piedmont, partner of Spoke 3, opened the doors of Villa San Remigio, home of the Upontourism study centre, to welcome 35 students of the Landscape Tourism Sustainability course (three-year degree in Environmental Management and Sustainable Development, DISSTE Department ) and the Tourism Geography Laboratory (master's degree in Languages ​​Cultures Tourism, DISUM Department) to lead them to (re)discover the landscape and heritage of the Villa. Speaker Dr. Leonardo Parachini, local history expert; Also present was Dr. Fernando Salvetti of the LOGOS net company, partner of the Challenge of the PNRR NODES Spoke 3 project coordinated by Prof. Stefania Cerutti (DISSTE) with the collaboration of Dr. Stefania Benetti (DISSTE). The dense narrative as well as the visit to the spaces of the Villa was greatly appreciated, thanks also to the use of documentary materials (textual and iconographic) of great interest. A geography that intertwines the history of a family with that of a territory, telling of meetings and acquaintances, of arts and architecture, of material and immaterial transformations that have certainly left fascinating signs and traces. It will be up to students to use their creativity to create projects to enhance the resources of the Villa, and its wonderful gardens which are currently not accessible, through the use of multimedia and digital methods and tools. The return of the works will take place on May 21st, we are waiting with curiosity to see what will flourish!  

From the collaboration between Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry and Spoke 4 - Digital and Sustainable Mountain, a new advanced training course entitled: The general principles of budgeting for hotel facilities and tourism businesses was born. The course aims to provide tools and knowledge to companies and professionals operating in the tourism field. The course, with a managerial slant, is aimed at those who need to know the logic and structure of the financial statements with particular reference to the typical items of hospitality businesses. In the first part of the course, the general principles concerning the preparation of the company balance sheet, the layouts and contents of the balance sheet and the income statement will be analysed, with a focus on the aspects most relevant to smaller companies. In the second part, a practical exercise will be used where typical management operations will be resumed and their effect on the budget will be analysed. Furthermore, during the course it will be explained how to use the reclassified balance sheet as a tool for making decisions also in a logic of digitalization and sustainability.  The course will be held in person from 05/09/2024 to 05/16/2024. For information and registration write to: elisa.gulizzi@unito.it     Per saperne di più clicca qui

Dalla collaborazione tra Spoke 3 - Industria del Turismo e della Cultura e Spoke 4 - Montagna Digitale e Sostenibile, nasce un nuovo corso di alta formazione dal titolo: I principi generali del bilancio per le strutture alberghiere e le imprese turistiche. Il corso si propone di fornire strumenti e conoscenze ad aziende e professionisti che operano nel campo del turismo.   Il corso, con un taglio manageriale, è rivolto a coloro che hanno la necessità di conoscere le logiche e la struttura del bilancio d’esercizio con particolare riferimento alle voci tipiche delle imprese ricettive. Nella prima parte del corso si analizzeranno i principi generali concernenti la redazione del bilancio aziendale, gli schemi e il contenuto dello stato patrimoniale e del conto economico, con una focalizzazione sugli aspetti maggiormente attinenti alle imprese di minori dimensioni.   Nella seconda parte, si farà ricorso ad un'esercitazione pratica dove verranno riprese le operazioni di gestione tipiche e si analizzerà il loro effetto sul bilancio. Inoltre, durante il corso verrà spiegato come utilizzare il bilancio riclassificato come strumento per prendere decisioni anche in una logica di digitalizzazione e sostenibilità.    Il corso si terrà in presenza dal 09/05/2024 al 16/05/2024. Per informazioni e iscrizioni scrivere a: elisa.gulizzi@unito.it   Per saperne di più clicca qui

Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry participates in the inauguration of the House of Made in Italy. The inauguration of the territorial headquarters of Mimit: Ministry of Business and Made in Italy will be held on Thursday 11 April 2024 at 11.30 am at the CIM4.0 headquarters, Strada della Manta, 22 (Additive Manufacturing Pilote Line) in Turin.   Spoke 3, which among its missions includes the promotion and valorisation of Made in Italy, will be represented by the scientific manager of the Nodes project Prof. Barbara Pozzo of the University of Insubria who in these days presents a volume of of which she is curator entitled: Made in Italy - the identity of a historic brand published by Giappichelli Editore and available for free online.   During the day there will be a speech by the Minister of Business and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso followed by a round table animated by representatives of the territorial business associations together with the world of academia and training.              

In the recent edition of the first Student Challenge for the Primary Agri-food Industry promoted by Spoke 6 "Primary Agri-food Industry," three companies stood out as proposers of innovation and digitization challenges. The winners are two wine companies from Oltrepò Pavese, Rossetti&Scrivani and Calatroni, along with Ape dei Monti, a honey industry company.   Students from the Advanced Digital Marketing course in the Digital Communication program of the University of Pavia, coordinated by Professor Elisa Conz, will respond to the marketing challenges proposed by the three companies. These challenges include rebranding and positioning for Rossetti&Scrivani, developing a new product offering for Ape dei Monti, and revising the communication proposal for Calatroni.    The challenge will involve students in creating digital marketing plans to improve brand awareness, engagement, and conversions at national and international levels. Students will also need to consider how companies currently use or intend to use digital communication tools to promote their history, sustainability, and product quality, highlighting cultural identity, innovation, and sustainability.    This initiative not only provides students with the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice in real-world contexts but also promotes collaboration between the academic and entrepreneurial worlds, encouraging innovation and the development of creative solutions. The Challenge promises to be a formative and rewarding experience for all participants.   For more information on the challenge, the proposed challenges, and the winners, please visit the page for the official call.     CALL AND WINNERS

This initiative, carried out in collaboration with TINCARE researchers, marked a significant moment in the advancement of the understanding and application of movement analysis through wearable sensors, promising new frontiers in research and practical application to improve patients' quality of life.   The workshop offered by the Italian Society of Clinical Movement Analysis (SIAMOC), free for members, took place simultaneously in the eight universities of Turin, Ancona, Milan, Bologna, Rome, Padua, Catania and Sassari. Over 200 participants registered for the event that had the peculiarity of combining the complementary points of view of various professionals in the industry, from engineering to the clinical practice, in a productive dialogue.    Highlighting recent innovations in the field of wearable inertial sensors, the workshop alternated theoretical sessions, led by movement experts, with practical moments where participants had the opportunity to engage with the technology thorugh hands-on exercises and case analysis. The high satisfaction recorded through post-event questionnaires reflects not only the appreciation for the educational approach, but also the achievement of the main objective: to increase awareness of the potential and limits of this increasingly widespread technology.    The Hub was represented by the Politecnico di Torino, where Engineer Marco Caruso (scientific director of the event) and Professor Andrea Cereatti (president of the society), both involved in the activities of TINCARE project within the NODES Ecosystem.        

In the context of the growing digitalization of the agricultural sector, two Sicilian companies, Agrigeos and Lualtek, have joined forces to launch the SPIDAP project - Development of a Digital Platform based on Artificial Intelligence for Precision Citrus Farming. This initiative, funded under the Southern Cascade Calls of Spoke 6 of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), represents a turning point in optimizing agricultural practices on the island.   Agrigeos, headquartered in Acireale, and Lualtek from Comiso, have taken the initiative to concretely address the challenges faced by Sicilian citrus farmers, who must deal with a warm-arid environment and the consequent need to manage water resources precisely.   The SPIDAP project stands out for its innovative approach, based on the use of advanced technologies and the integration of artificial intelligence systems to optimize irrigation and improve agricultural yields. The collaboration between Agrigeos and Lualtek is also supported by the Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism (IMEM) of CNR in Parma, providing consultancy and research.   The Kick-off meeting of SPIDAP was held in Acireale, at the operational headquarters of Agrigeos, highlighting the importance of involving technical figures from both companies in the project.   At the heart of the SPIDAP project lies the implementation of a decision support system that allows farmers to accurately monitor the water needs of citrus plants. This system is based on advanced sensor technologies developed by Lualtek and utilizes data obtained through the Plantarray platform for plant phenotyping and the Bioristor sensor for real-time monitoring of water requirements.   Plantarray, developed by the Israeli startup Plant Di-tech and adopted by Agrigeos, enables the collection of plant physiological data in response to changing environmental conditions, while the Bioristor sensor, developed by IMEM-CNR in Parma, continuously monitors plant water requirements.   According to Salvatore Nicolosi, administrator of Agrigeos, this collaboration between Sicilian SMEs is of great value and could have significant implications for society as a whole. Marco Acciai, scientific manager of the project, emphasizes that SPIDAP aims to improve the efficiency of irrigation water use, ensuring abundant and high-quality agricultural production. Luca Occhipinti, founder of Lualtek and project coordinator, highlights the importance of predictive models in agriculture and the crucial role that the SPIDAP project will play in innovating the agricultural sector. Michela Janni, researcher at CNR-IMEM, underlines the fundamental contribution of the Bioristor sensor in refining the decision support system of SPIDAP, improving the efficiency of water resource use, and promoting sustainability.   Agrigeos and Lualtek, respectively a specialized testing center and an innovative startup, embody the commitment and determination of Sicilian companies to promote innovation in the agricultural sector. The SPIDAP project represents a significant step towards smarter and more sustainable management of agricultural resources, offering concrete solutions to the environmental and economic challenges faced by Sicilian citrus farming.  

On March 24, 2024, the Spoke 5 Stakeholder Committee met virtually to review the progress of the project and discuss key agenda items.  The project manager of Spoke 5, Professor Marco Invernizzi, introduced the NODES project, emphasing the importance of the Stakeholder Committee presence in guiding the project's objectives and purposes. On this occasion, the latest partner to join, called Associazione Cluster Tecnologico Nazionale Scienze della Vita - ALISEI, was introduced.     The meeting continued with the presentation of the first results of the cascade calls (both aimed at companies and researchers) and the progress of Spoke 5's flagship project, INNDIANA and TINCARE, highlighting the successes achieved and the scientific results obtained.  Finally, the training activities implemented by the NODES project, including the funding of industrial PhD and Lifelong Learning initiatives, were presented.    Soon after, a discussion among the attendees to discuss the new themes of the Roadmap, with particular emphasis on internalization and entrepreneurial development.  The next meeting has been scheduled for the end of 2024 to discuss the project's progress.      

On Monday 18 March 2024, the Department of Law and Political, Economic and Social Sciences of the University of Eastern Piedmont, partner of Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry, hosted the round table "Italy China Tourism: prospects for incoming recovery" in Alessandria and exit. A meeting between institutions and operators", jointly organized by the Master in Economy, innovation, communication and hospitality for the tourism enterprise directed by Professor Marco Novarese, the Italian-Chinese New Generation Association (ANGI), the City of Alessandria , the University Institute of European Studies (IUSE) and sponsored by the CRA Foundation, the SolidAL Foundation and the Province of Alessandria. The meeting was conceived with the aim of supporting and encouraging tourist exchanges between Italy and China, in the year in which, albeit for a few months, it is possible to arrive in China from Italy without requiring a visa. The round table was moderated by Cheng Ming of ANGI and saw the participation of the directors of the Alessandria UPO departments Giorgio Barberis (DIGSPES) and Guido Lingua (DISIT), the Mayor of Alessandria Giorgio Abonante, the Chinese Consul General Liu Kan, the Regional Councilor for Tourism Vittoria Poggio, the president of the Slala Foundation Cesare Rossini and the president of IUSE Piercarlo Rossi. It was Professor Novarese himself, on the sidelines of the meeting, who explained its meaning and purpose: «For several years I have been talking with Cheng Ming of the Angi association, which works to seek integration and mutual knowledge; I believe it is right as a teacher to contribute to these objectives and it is a way to learn and understand. As director of the Master's degree on tourism, I believe it is natural to delve deeper into this topic. From an educational point of view, learning to host people with unusual needs is a training ground for understanding the very concept of hospitality." «There is a curiosity for some characteristics of this province and for Italy in general; we also discussed training and there are many other possible spaces for dialogue, on an economic and social level. Let's keep in mind that Chinese tourism has changed post-Covid: according to research by Enit, Chinese tourists travel in smaller groups, have an interest in nature, views, authenticity and getting in touch with Italians. You need to know how to build and adapt products, with the right skills and with attention to quality. The province and Piedmont in general offer many possibilities with respect to what has been said; compared to areas with an older and stronger tourist vocation there is much more authenticity. The round table aims to be first of all a moment to meet and get to know each other in person, an essential moment to imagine activities and collaborations."