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Spoke 1 a Bologna con la ricerca finanziata industriale per la doppia transizione NODES Spoke 1 expands the reach of the ecosystem and brings its results to We Make Future 2025. We Make Future is the international festival dedicated to digital and social innovation, hosted annually in Italy. It brings together technology, business, culture and education to promote a more sustainable future. An intense 3 days event, June 4-6, hosted this year in Bologna, ideal for advancing the goals of NODES, increasing the competitiveness of industries and research institutions by fostering their ongoing dialogue.   Fondazione Piemonte Innova and the ICT Cluster hosted several of the companies funded through Spoke 1's cascade calls, who presented their innovative ideas and the results of their industrial research projects to the wide audience present during the fair. Spoke 1's industrial research activities are positioned in the different steps of the Aerospace and Sustainable Mobility value chains, and can thus bring benefit and innovation in two sectors whose paradigms are in great evolution.   The event is a great opportunity for startups, companies, students, professionals, and institutions to meet and find the best synergies to support innovation projects and new activities. Thanks to Fondazione Piemonte Innova, a leading partner of Spoke 1 NODES, local companies were able to highlight the great capabilities housed in NODES and the potential for further development and continued growth during major paradigms changes and the dual digital and sustainable transition.  

In una dimostrazione di conoscenza anatomica e spirito collaborativo si è conclusa on grande successo la Students Challenges ''UPO Anatomy Talents 2025'', evento ideato e coordinato dalla Prof.ssa Francesca Boccafoschi, responsabile del flagship project INNDIANA nell'ambito del progetto NODES - Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile (Spoke 5 - Industria della Salute e Silver Economy).  Il 6 giugno, presso il Centro SIMNOVA di Novara, giovani talenti provenienti da Università del Piemonte Orientale, Università di Torino, Università di Bologna, Università di Cagliari, Università di Verona e Università di Genova, si sono messi alla prova in un percorso di simulazioni ad alta intensità, tra tavoli anatomici virtuali, test di anatomia microscopica, sfide su cuore, ossa, muscoli, splancnologia e perfino un confronto tra intelligenza artificiale e sapere umano. L'evento non è stato solo una competizione, ma un vero e proprio laboratorio formativo esperenziale, che ha permesso agli studenti di:  mettere alla prova le proprie conoscenze teoriche in scenari realistici; apprendere facendo, grazie all'approccio learning by doing; sperimentare il lavoro in team e la gestione del tempo e dello stress; migliorare le proprie capacità comunicative e decisionali in situazioni complesse. Vincitori dell'edizione 2025:  🥇Università del Piemonte Orientale 🥈Università di Verona 🥉 Università di Torino    L'obiettivo della challenge? Formare medici competenti, consapevoli e pronti ad affrontare le sfide della professione sanitarie con preparazione, empatia e spirito critico. Un'esperienza immersiva che ha unito teoria, pratica e innovazione, confermando ancora una volta l'importanza di approcci didattici dinamici e multidisciplinari nella formazione universitaria in ambito medico.    La prof.ssa Boccafoschi commenta: ''Questa terza edizione del talent è stata particolarmente entusiasmante! Abbiamo ottimizzato diversi aspetti dell'organizzazione grazie alle esperienze passate. La collaborazione degli altri atenei anche nelle fasi organizzative ha arricchito notevolmente i contenuti. È sempre gratificante vedere i volti sorpresi e sorridenti degli studenti, che trovano coinvolgente e divertente la vita universitaria anche nei momenti di formazione ed apprendimento''.    Si ringraziano per il supporto: Piccin Nuova Libraria S.p.A., Sectra, Anatomage Inc., Zaccanti S.p.A., Wolters Kluver Italia, Ceabis.         

The "Networking and Acceleration on the Digital and Sustainable Mountain" meeting, held on January 16 at the LINKS Foundation headquarters, was an important moment of progress for NODES Spoke 4. This is demonstrated by the data, such as: 68 registered attendees 22 participating companies and startups 8 meetings between companies/startups and investors 25 B2B meetings between companies/startups The average rating of the event by the participating funded companies, collected at the end of the meeting, was 8.75/10. An event that is only the first of a 2025 full of activities and initiatives.

Spoke 1 a Bologna con la ricerca finanziata industriale per la doppia transizione NODES Spoke 1 expands the reach of the ecosystem and brings its results to We Make Future 2025. We Make Future is the international festival dedicated to digital and social innovation, hosted annually in Italy. It brings together technology, business, culture and education to promote a more sustainable future. An intense 3 days event, June 4-6, hosted this year in Bologna, ideal for advancing the goals of NODES, increasing the competitiveness of industries and research institutions by fostering their ongoing dialogue.   Fondazione Piemonte Innova and the ICT Cluster hosted several of the companies funded through Spoke 1's cascade calls, who presented their innovative ideas and the results of their industrial research projects to the wide audience present during the fair. Spoke 1's industrial research activities are positioned in the different steps of the Aerospace and Sustainable Mobility value chains, and can thus bring benefit and innovation in two sectors whose paradigms are in great evolution.   The event is a great opportunity for startups, companies, students, professionals, and institutions to meet and find the best synergies to support innovation projects and new activities. Thanks to Fondazione Piemonte Innova, a leading partner of Spoke 1 NODES, local companies were able to highlight the great capabilities housed in NODES and the potential for further development and continued growth during major paradigms changes and the dual digital and sustainable transition.  

May 29, students from Università and  Politecnico di Torino presented their innovative solutions in response to the “Indigo” Challenges organized by the University of Turin for Spoke 1 NODES. The proposed challenges came from two major groups in the area, SKF and Teoresi. Complex objectives SKF, which is expanding its facility, was seeking solutions for designing innovative, digitized and sustainable aerospace spaces to enhance the work and hospitality experience by integrating advanced technologies, environmentally sustainable solutions and new ways of training and collaboration. Teoresi, on the other hand, wants to take the macro-topic of smart mobility head-on, particularly two of its key aspects. Increasingly connected and autonomous mobility and the concept of sustainability, both environmental and economic. In particular, Teoresi sought solutions for the specific context of share-mobility with a fleet of electric, connected and autonomous cars in a medium-sized city. The winning teams are “spotApark” for the Teoresi Challenge and “Skylab” for the SKF challenge. All teams demonstrated excellent skills and inventiveness, and support was never lacking. Business mentors accompanied the teams' growth through to the final pitches, with valuable support from I3P, the Incubator of the Politecnico di Torino and partner of Spoke 1. Devising market solutions is a complex issue, and identifying both technologically and economically viable systems, considering current technological limitations and contextualizing possible applications, while thinking ahead to possible further developments, is a major undertaking that consolidated the teams' capabilities. Students Challenges offer companies a concrete opportunity to co-develop innovative solutions with new talent, while undergraduate students, thanks to “learning by doing,” can engage with local business realities, a highly formative and enabling experience in preparation to their first step in the job market.   Indigo Challenge SKF   Indigo Challenge Teoresi      

Once again, the Startup Academy by I3P is helping shape the next generation of young entrepreneurs. The course successfully supported aspiring startup founders in the early stages of their journey, helping them turn innovative ideas into concrete projects, build teams with complementary skills, and launch the customer discovery process. Throughout the program, participants explored tools to validate their business ideas and analyze potential target markets.   The training experience was enriched by direct exchanges with scale-up founders and venture capitalists, who shared real-world insights into what it takes to build a successful entrepreneurial story. Expert mentors and active startups—particularly in the aerospace and sustainable mobility sectors, supported by Spoke 1 of the NODES Ecosystem—helped create a dynamic, stimulating environment full of opportunities.

On 30 May, the final event of the APNR – Academy del Pinot Nero Research project was held at the Prime Alture agricultural company (lead partner), in collaboration with Geosmartcampus Srl. APNR is an industrial Proof of Concept funded under the Cascade Calls – Line A of the NODES – Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile programme, aimed at developing innovative technologies and strategies to enhance the Pinot Noir supply chain in the Oltrepò Pavese region of northern Italy.   The project focused on two complementary areas: experimental fieldwork in the vineyard, with the installation of pilot systems, and market research to analyse consumer preferences and refine product positioning strategies. Among the innovations tested in the vineyard, special attention was given to the use of inter-row mulching, an agronomic technique involving the autumn-winter sowing of temporary cover crops. These are later shredded and channelled beneath the vines using a dual-row mulching machine, creating a uniform organic layer. This practice significantly suppressed weed regrowth throughout the season without the need for further intervention, while repurposing plant residues from within the vineyard ecosystem itself—an example of circular sustainability.   A second pilot involved the use of shade nets, designed to reduce incident solar radiation by 20% to 70%. The results were highly promising: the nets helped prevent sunburn on grape clusters and improved overall agronomic performance. Analytical data recorded slightly higher yields (127 kg per row with nets vs. 124 kg without; 2.12 kg per vine with nets vs. 1.87 kg without), better fruit distribution, and healthier vines with minimal fungal disease. Labour was also optimised, as no de-shooting was required and harvesting was easier thanks to the clear and compact cluster arrangement.   On the industrial research side, the APNR team conducted a two-phase market study. The qualitative phase explored emotional responses, perceptions, and narratives surrounding Pinot Noir, gathering insights from sommeliers, chefs, and wine enthusiasts to guide marketing strategies and uncover new consumption occasions. The subsequent quantitative phase validated these insights across a representative sample of wine consumers, identifying high-potential target groups and effective communication strategies to attract and retain new audiences.   APNR has served as a practical example of how combining field-based innovation with market intelligence can produce tangible benefits for wine producers, enabling a shift toward more sustainable, competitive, and consumer-conscious viticulture.

On May 22, the final event of the SPIDAP project – Development of a Digital Platform Based on Artificial Intelligence for Precision Agriculture – was held at the GAL Terre di Aci headquarters in Acireale (CT). The project was funded through the cascade calls.  SPIDAP is the result of a collaborative effort between Sicilian SMEs Agrigeos and Lualtek, and the CNR-IMEM Institute in Parma. It integrates artificial intelligence, advanced sensor technology, and agronomic analysis to optimize water usage and improve the sustainability of citrus production—an innovative step forward for smart agriculture tailored to local needs. The event was moderated by Mariarita Zappalà (Agrigeos), and opened with institutional remarks by Anna Privitera (Director, GAL Terre di Aci), who emphasized the GAL’s role in promoting agricultural innovation in a region with a strong citrus-growing tradition. Chiara Ferroni, Director of the NODES ecosystem, highlighted the achievements of the program, which has supported over 300 companies, including many in Southern Italy. Salvo Nicolosi (General Manager, Agrigeos) underlined the importance of partnerships between SMEs and research centers in developing knowledge and technologies to advance the agricultural sector. The technical session featured presentations by Marco Acciai (Agrigeos), who showcased field and controlled-environment results using the Plantarray phenotyping system and the Bioristor sensor developed by CNR-IMEM. Michela Janni (CNR-IMEM) explained how the Bioristor enables real-time monitoring of plant physiology, essentially allowing researchers to “listen” to the plants. Luca Occhipinti (CEO, Lualtek) closed the session by demonstrating how Bioristor data and electrical conductivity readings can be integrated into predictive models to optimize irrigation. The event concluded with a shared commitment to continue data collection and refine the predictive model, confirming the value of a collaboration that has already yielded promising results for the digital transformation of the citrus sector.

Il 27 e 28 maggio 2025 lo Spoke 2 – Green Technologies e Industria Sostenibile ha partecipato ai NODES’ Tech Sharing Days presso il Politecnico di Torino con 14 PoC accademici, portando al centro dell’evento le competenze, le idee e i risultati sviluppati nei laboratori dell’Università e dei partner coinvolti. I PoC dello Spoke 2 – FSM2C, GREEN.VAL., ISS, MATERIALIZED, SPONDE, WAKEUP, T2T, Biocare, BioReMediA, DST-SRM, PFS, REDiRECt-Gd, REFINEMENT, ROSEWATER – hanno avuto l’opportunità di raccontarsi attraverso diverse modalità: poster, materiale divulgativo, banchetti all’aperto e in particolare con una serie di pitch da tre minuti in cui i team hanno illustrato in modo diretto e dinamico i propri progetti a un pubblico composto da stakeholder, aziende, investitori e operatori dell’innovazione.   A rappresentare l’Università degli Studi di Torino, capofila dello Spoke 2, è intervenuta Cristina Prandi, Responsabile Scientifica dello Spoke, durante la tavola rotonda dal titolo “Innovazione e trasferimento tecnologico: NODES e la Ricerca accademica come motore d’impresa” con Giuliana Mattiazzo (Politecnico di Torino), Andrea Vezzulli (Università degli Studi dell'Insubria), Marco Alderighi (Università della Valle d'Aosta), Marco Invernizzi (Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale), Hermes Giberti (Università degli Studi di Pavia) e Andrea Pieroni (Università di Scienze Gastronomiche). Nella prima parte dell’incontro – “Il punto di vista degli atenei: cooperazione, ricerca applicata, impatto territoriale” – hanno illustrato il ruolo strategico della ricerca universitaria nel generare soluzioni ad alto impatto per il tessuto produttivo del Nord Ovest. La partecipazione dello Spoke 2 ai NODES’ Tech Sharing Days ha dimostrato come la collaborazione tra accademia e impresa, se ben strutturata, possa concretamente accelerare il trasferimento tecnologico e lo sviluppo di innovazioni sostenibili.   🔎 Per scoprire di più sui PoC dello Spoke 2, visita la pagina dedicata Scopri di più

Il 27 e 28 maggio 2025, presso il Politecnico di Torino si sono tenuti i NODES’ Tech Sharing Days, due giorni interamente dedicati all’innovazione sostenibile e al trasferimento tecnologico, dove la ricerca accademica incontra il mondo delle imprese e genera nuove opportunità per il Nord Ovest.   Nel corso della seconda giornata sono stati protagonisti 30 Proof of Concept (PoC) Accademici, sviluppati all’interno del progetto NODES – Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile, e finanziati dal Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca attraverso i fondi PNRR – NextGenerationEU.   Lo Spoke 3 era presente con 8 progetti dedicati al settore del turismo e della Cultura; l'Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, l'Università della Valle D'Aosta, l'Università degli Studi di Torino e l'Università del Piemonte Orientale hanno avuto l'opportunità di presentare i loro POC di fronte ad una vasta platea composta da imprese, professionisti del settore e ricercatori.   Infine, i team dello Spoke 3 hanno avuto a disposizione una grande area espositiva allestita nel cortile del Politecnico, dove hanno potuto mostrare materiali, risultati e confrontarsi direttamente con investitori, stakeholder e imprese. I presenti hanno avuto inoltre la possibilità di fare delle esperienze immersive mediante l'utilizzo di visori 3D.  

On May 26, 2025, Spoke 1 – Aerospace and Sustainable Mobility held the workshop “Doing Business in Space”, a day of discussion focused on the economic, strategic, and institutional dynamics that are reshaping the space sector in the era of the New Space Economy. The workshop brought together professors and researchers from internationally renowned universities and research centers, with expertise in innovation economics, strategic management, and policy analysis, alongside both emerging and established business players, including high-level startups and companies. The goal of the workshop was to develop a structured perspective on the ongoing transformations in the space sector, with particular attention to emerging governance models, enabling technological trajectories, and the mechanisms of interaction between public and private actors. The working sessions alternated between theoretical contributions and case study presentations, offering valuable insights into market configurations, research support policies, and the evolution of the space industry value chains.