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Giovedì 17 luglio, nella Sala consiliare di via Monte Generoso, a Varese, sono stati presentati i risultati della quarta edizione di «Innovation Camp for PhD Students», il corso dedicato ai dottorandi di ricerca dell’Università degli Studi dell’Insubria, avviato nel mese di aprile, per diffondere i principi di imprenditorialità e innovazione.   Pensato come un percorso articolato in sei tappe, l’Innovation Camp è stato realizzato dall’ateneo grazie alla collaborazione tra Spoke 3 e Spoke 2, con l’obiettivo di avvicinare i dottorandi allo sviluppo delle competenze tecniche (hard skills) e alle competenze relazionali e trasversali (soft skills), affrontando le sfide del trasferimento tecnologico, della sostenibilità e della valorizzazione economica dei risultati della ricerca.   Il progetto è stato ideato e organizzato dal professor Mauro Fasano, delegato della rettrice alla Valorizzazione della conoscenza, e dai professori del Dipartimento di Economia Alessia Pisoni e Andrea Vezzulli, in collaborazione con l’Ufficio Progettazione strategica di ateneo. Durante il corso sono intervenuti anche i docenti Francesca Ferrari, Andrea Bellucci, Ilaria Capelli e Chiara Ronchetti, con contributi specifici sui diversi temi trattati.   Organizzati in gruppi di lavoro i dottorandi hanno ideato e sviluppato due proposte imprenditoriali: «Timeless», una piattaforma innovativa per la valorizzazione dei beni culturali, e «DojoTech», un progetto che propone l’applicazione dell’intelligenza artificiale al mondo delle arti marziali.   Durante l’evento i due team si sono “sfidati” a colpi di pitch, presentando le loro idee davanti a un pubblico e a una giuria di esperti che ha commentato i progetti, offerto suggerimenti e infine selezionato la proposta ritenuta più promettente per il mercato. L’incontro ha rappresentato anche un’importante occasione di dialogo tra il mondo della ricerca e il sistema produttivo, mettendo in luce il potenziale innovativo del dottorato di ricerca.   Tra i membri della giuria Ivana Perusin, vicesindaca del Comune di Varese, Eloana Cardella, responsabile del Servizio Nuove generazioni della Camera di Commercio di Varese, Gloria Martignoni, sustainability specialist di Banca Sella Holding, Maurizio Liverani, angel investor ed esperto di startup   Dopo un’attenta analisi, DojoTech è stato selezionato come Miglior Progetto Innovativo 2025. I progetti in gara Timeless – Agenzia per la valorizzazione dei beni culturali Timeless è la prima agenzia specializzata nella mediazione e riqualificazione di immobili vincolati per valore storico-artistico. Offre un servizio integrato che unisce consulenza legale, progettazione tecnica e supporto promozionale rivolto a proprietari, investitori e agenzie. Attraverso una piattaforma dedicata, Timeless trasforma beni dimenticati in nuove opportunità culturali ed economiche, restituendo funzione e valore a patrimoni spesso trascurati.   DojoTech – Arti marziali e intelligenza artificiale DojoTech è una startup innovativa che porta l’intelligenza artificiale nel mondo delle arti marziali, trasformando i dojo tradizionali in ambienti di apprendimento intelligenti. Grazie a un algoritmo proprietario, è possibile analizzare in tempo reale i movimenti degli allievi, evidenziare gli errori tecnici e generare report personalizzati sui progressi. L’obiettivo è supportare i maestri nella didattica e offrire a ogni praticante un percorso più efficace, coinvolgente e accessibile.  

The research group from the Department of Economics and Cultures of the University of Insbruria, coordinated by Professor Roberta Minazzi, recently presented the paper "Substitutability Relationship between Sharing Economy Accommodation and Hotel Businesses" at the Sinergie-SIMA conference entitled "Tertiarization & Sustainability. New Challenges for Management in the Digital Era" (Genoa, June 12-13, 2025) as part of the PNRR NODES – Spoke 3 Tourism and Culture project.   In recent years, the sharing economy has assumed a prominent role within the traditional tourism system, altering competitive dynamics and raising questions about the impact that short-term rental accommodations have on hotels and the destination as a whole.   The study focuses on the Lake Como area, a region that has seen significant growth in accommodation facilities managed according to sharing economy models. Through a survey based on questionnaires administered to a sample of 104 tourists, the research highlighted the presence of a substitution effect limited primarily to medium- to low-end hotels.   Among the factors driving travelers to prefer short-term rentals are the greater affordability and strategic location of the available solutions, elements that suggest the need for some hotel businesses to rethink their differentiation and market positioning strategies.   This contribution is part of the research activities promoted by Spoke 3 Tourism Industry and Culture of the PNRR NODES project, with the aim of providing useful analysis and tools to support the sustainable and competitive development of the Italian tourism sector.

On May 27 and 28, 2025, the NODES' Tech Sharing Days were held at the Polytechnic University of Turin. These two days were entirely dedicated to sustainable innovation and technology transfer, where academic research meets the business world and generates new opportunities for the Northwest.   The second day featured 30 academic Proofs of Concept (PoCs), developed within the NODES – Digital and Sustainable Northwest project and funded by the Ministry of University and Research through the PNRR – NextGenerationEU funds.   Spoke 3 was present with eight projects dedicated to the tourism and culture sectors; the University of Insubria, the University of Valle D'Aosta, the University of Turin, and the University of Eastern Piedmont had the opportunity to present their POCs to a large audience of businesses, industry professionals, and researchers.   Finally, the Spoke 3 teams had access to a large exhibition area set up in the Polytechnic's courtyard, where they could showcase materials and results and engage directly with investors, stakeholders, and businesses. Participants also had the opportunity to enjoy immersive experiences using 3D viewers.  

Students do business. The final presentations of the NODES project of the Challenge took place on May 23, featuring students from the GEEM (IBE) and CLEDIFI (FIMIF-FIMEDIS) Master's Degree courses in Economics at the University of Insubria.   The objective of the project, coordinated by Professor Rossella Locatelli and Professor Alessia Pisoni, was twofold:   - Allow students to work with local businesses on the topics of innovation and sustainability - Experiment with educational collaboration between students from Master's Degree courses characterized by different educational objectives   The students presented in-depth market analyses to the company Novello Case - bioedilizia3, supported by detailed financial assessments developed during the last semester, proposing innovative strategies in response to the company's strategic and financial needs.  

From May 19, 2025 to June 19, 2025, the experience “Alla Volta di Como” will be active, the urban game developed by the students of the Scuola Specializzata Superiore d’Arte Applicata of Lugano and the students of the Master’s Degree in Hospitality for Sustainable Tourism Development of the University of Insubria, supported by Spoke 3 (Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile) of the NODES project.   The game, available in Italian and English and completely free, will offer a treasure hunt to discover the cultural heritage of the city of Como, among curious details and hidden itineraries, riddles and prizes; five stages, a city to discover and historical figures ready to challenge you with questions and stories to be experienced.   A special frog and five historical figures in augmented reality will guide you, for a fun and dynamic experience.   The activity is open to everyone.   Find out how to participate by scanning the QR code on the poster!

  In recent days, a group of students from the IBE and FIMIF-FIMEDIS Master's Degree courses in Economics at the University of Insubria had the opportunity to visit the company Novello Case srl in Oggiona con Santo Stefano (VA) as part of the Challenges of the Nodes project.   The aim of the visit was to experiment with collaboration between students from Master's Degree courses characterized by different educational objectives, offering them the opportunity to interact with local business realities and work together on topics of innovation and sustainability.   The contamination of ideas between students with different backgrounds, and between the academic world and business are essential to enhance the talent of young people.

On March 31, 2025, the event "Tourism and culture: innovation for the North West" was held at the University of Turin, a partner of Spoke 3 - Tourism Industry and Culture, organized as part of the Primavera Nodes Roadshow initiative.   During the event, several companies operating in the North West took part and were able to win funds from the cascade calls.   Thanks to the funds received, companies were able to start interesting industrial research and experimental development projects that were presented during the day. Prototypes of applications to be used in the field of tourism, culture but also sustainable fashion captured the attention of those present, who asked several questions to the company representatives.   Finally, Prof. Piercarlo Rossi of the University of Turin and Prof. Stefania Cerutti of the University of Eastern Piedmont presented the results obtained to date with the two flagship projects CIRIL and TOEP.    

On Wednesday 26 March, the podcast: Tourism, between precariousness and precariousness was presented at the Aula Magna Campus SAA of the University of Turin.   The event, full of ideas for professionals in the sector, was introduced by Davide Caregnato, Director of the SAA, by Marcella Costa, Director of the Department of Foreign Languages ​​and Literatures and Modern Cultures, and by Rossi Piercarlo, full professor of Administrative Law and Flagship Manager of the NODES - Digital and Sustainable North West project.   Tourism is one of the strategic sectors of our country system. It is in good health, but continues to show strong structural criticalities: in Italy it is still dominated by individual businesses, often undercapitalized and far from managerial management. A fragility that, also due to the seasonality of the offer, negatively influences the professional choices of the new generations, increasingly oriented to consider tourism as a transitory occupation.   These are some of the topics covered in the new podcast by Filippo Monge, professor of Business Economics and Management and Innovation Economics at the University of Turin, as well as director of the SAA-COREP masters dedicated to the management of territorial systems and sustainable agriculture.   The podcast is the result of two years of research in Italy and abroad, with primary data taken from financial and social security databases. The text was written in collaboration with Paolo Gerbaldo, tourism historian, and Robin Vanzolini, researcher. The direction is by Massimo Pasquale, in the studios of Radio 110 – the Web Radio of the University of Turin.   In the classroom and online, over 250 participants including students, professionals and stakeholders in the sector. Guests included: – Federico De Giuli, top manager and former president of the Tourism Group of the Industrial Union of Turin – Riccardo Staglianò, journalist and author of the book “Hanno vincere i ricco” (Einaudi, 2024), presented during the meeting – Marco Novarese, economist at the University of Eastern Piedmont, who enriched the discussion with interesting suggestions on research.   A necessary dialogue to understand the transformations of the tourism sector and enhance the role of training and innovation.  

Throughout the development process of the NODES project, many companies have approached the project, participating in events, training courses, challenges and other initiatives. A significant number of them have also benefited from the funds deriving from the cascade calls, for the development of innovative projects.   Spoke 3 provides, during the last phase of the project, a service that all NODES stakeholders can access, namely a help desk activated to explore opportunities at national and European level that allow companies to continue what they have undertaken in recent years or to realise what they have imagined but not yet implemented.   The help desk will operate in virtual mode, thanks to the collaboration between the Spoke 3 group of the University of Eastern Piedmont, led by Professor Stefania Cerutti, and the company Novareckon SrL, specialized in the programming of European funds.   Office opening hours: 03/24/2025 to 05/30/2025 Registration deadline: 05/23/2025 For information and registrations write to info@novareckon.it

On Friday 4 April from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Novara Castle there will be an event branded Geonight 2025 entitled: “Landscapes. Reality, impression, symbol”.   Landscape is undoubtedly a key theme of geography, full of meaning and constantly reinvented. It reflects and stimulates dialogue on urgent issues such as climate change, sustainability and our relationship with nature, which are open fields for today's geographies.   The Geonight 2025 event will see the students of the University of Eastern Piedmont of the Challenge PNRR NODES Spoke 3 participate in a guided and animated tour of the exhibition “Landscapes. Reality, impression, symbol”.   It will allow them to move critically and creatively from the world of art to that of cultural and tourism planning, outlining its role as a lever for sustainable development and a common future. This first-hand experience will also allow them to understand the importance of making ancient and historic containers, such as the castle, a living and open heritage.   The visit will be held in collaboration with METS Percorsi d'Arte and its president Dr. Paolo Tacchini.  

Spoke 3 - Tourism Industry and Culture participated in the 45th edition of BIT - International Tourism Exchange, attracting great interest among visitors.   During the three days of the fair, researchers and professors from the University of Insubria, the University of Turin, the University of Eastern Piedmont and the University of Valle D'Aosta took turns, who had the task of illustrating to visitors prototypes and innovative research materials in the field of tourism and culture.   At the Spoke 3 stand, it was possible to view several projects that, thanks to the use of augmented reality, will be able to promote tourism and culture in the North West.   The use of new technologies has encouraged the study and development of new applications specifically designed for the construction of itineraries to discover the beauty of the area or to take virtual trips inside museums.   The presence of Spoke 3 at the International Tourism Exchange was preparatory to create new contacts with exhibitors and visitors who welcomed the Nodes project and the positive effects it will have on the territory in terms of valorization and promotion of tourism and culture.  

From Sunday 9 February to Tuesday 11 February 2025, Rho - Milano Fiera hosts the 45th edition of BIT - Borsa Internazionale del Turismo, one of the most important Italian events dedicated to Tourism.   Spoke 3 - Tourism Industry and Culture participates in this edition by promoting research and innovation of the ecosystem and the University of Insubria, giving visibility to innovative projects in the field of tourism and culture in order to create new synergies with exhibitors and visitors interested in the enhancement and promotion of tourism and culture; factors widely present in the North West through the use of new technologies.   At booth H07 - Hall 9, NODES Spoke 3 will present innovative prototypes and research materials, showcasing NODES projects including the flagship projects TOEP (Tourism Open-ended Experimentation Platform) and CIRIL (CULTURAL-INDUSTRY REGENERATION IMMERSIVE LAB) and academic POCs in the field of Tourism and Culture. Academic POCs include: DIGITALMM (Digital Muse for Museums), PLANET (Planner Leisure App for Natural & Experiential Tourism), AIACE (Artificial Intelligence Assistant for Cultural Tourism Enhancement), HISTORYGRAPHIA, ITM (Immersive textile museum), CERR (Cultural Extended Reality Routes).   Finally, some researchers will be present to illustrate their innovations to the public; Among them there will be some representatives of the University of Insubria, the University of Turin, the University of Eastern Piedmont and the University of Valle D'Aosta.  

On January 23 and 24, the ninth edition of the Business Systems Laboratory International Symposium was held in Varese, at the University of Insubria, entitled Technology and society: Boon or Bane?   The focus of the conference was to highlight how technology has unequivocally transformed the dynamics of interactions, lifestyles, work environments, social relationships and business operations. Playing a fundamental role in society, technology continues to evolve, promising new advances that will reshape our lives and professional scenarios.   The event, organized by Prof. Patrizia Gazzola (University of Insubria) and Prof. Gandolfo Dominici (Business Systems Laboratory and University of Palermo), with the collaboration of Drs. Stefano Amelio, Daniele Grechi, Iulia Iliashenko and Francesco Gentile; brought together international experts to reflect on the role of technology in society, between progress and complexity, offering crucial insights for European and global policies.   Among the most significant moments, the speech by Prof. Eka Sapashvili (Tbilisi State University, Georgian Parliament), who presented the research "The Current Global Migration and Technological Challenges: Advantages or Threat to the European Union Social Security". The study analyzes global migratory phenomena and their demographic impact in the EU, exploring the technological and social security implications through the SDGs. An innovative perspective that highlights challenges and opportunities for the future of Europe.  

On December 3, 2024, the event organized by ComoNext Innovation Hub, partner of Spoke 3, was held at Villa del Grumello (CO): "Artificial Intelligence in the Textile Sector – Human in the Loop or Changing the Loop?".   The event explored the revolutionary role of frontier technologies, with particular attention to generative artificial intelligence in the transformation of the textile sector.   The speakers accompanied the participants in the issues related to the digitalization of production processes, corporate sustainability and innovation in design, highlighting in particular how Artificial Intelligence contributes to optimizing efficiency and reducing waste.   The intervention of the Galli Academy highlighted the importance of artistic and technological training to preserve and enhance cultural heritage. The historical movements that reacted to industrialization, promoting craftsmanship and innovation, were taken into consideration, and the need to transform industrial and artistic archives into cultural resources was underlined. The integration of tradition and artificial intelligence emerges as a lever for innovative and cultural change.   PA Expertise illustrated a practical application of artificial intelligence in the sector, connected to the intelligent management of product archives and the generation of new drawings already in report in a few minutes (starting from the interpretation of existing details, such as texts and/or images), all supported by computer vision and generative AI modules.   Finally, Legnani Legal introduced the importance of a Governance, Risk & Compliance approach to manage the risks associated with the introduction of disruptive technologies, ensuring a harmonious and sustainable digital transformation.

On November 13, 2024, the event "Tourism and culture: innovation for the South" was held at the University of Sannio, a partner of Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry, organized as part of the Roadshow Mezzogiorno initiative.   During the day, Dr. Marco Biolatti of the University of Turin and Prof. Stefania Cerutti of the University of Eastern Piedmont showed those present the results obtained to date with the two flagship projects CIRIL and TOEP; projects aimed at enhancing the territory and culture thanks to the use of new technologies.   The main protagonists of the event were the companies operating in southern Italy, which had the opportunity to win funds from the cascade calls through which they were able to start interesting industrial research and experimental development projects. The companies presented their progress, showed some prototypes and explained to those present how new technologies are revolutionizing the tourism and culture sector in the South but also the Made in Italy sector. Interesting and noteworthy are the applications proposed for conscious tourism and for the protection of Made in Italy and the recognition of counterfeit items. The companies also had the opportunity to discuss and network with each other   At the end of the meeting there was an interesting round table that allowed researchers and companies to discuss what has been done so far and possible actions to take in the future.