Almost 5.5 million euros of cascade funding was announced today at the University of Trieste. The funding is promoted by the iNEST programme, financed by the European Union - Next Generation EU from NRRP funds. 

Recipients of this initiative are micro, small, medium and large enterprises.

Following on from the first round in August 2023, this year, the calls for proposals issued by the 9 Spokes of the iNEST ecosystem targeting the North-East and the South of Italy are once again aimed at stimulating research, development and technology transfer initiatives, and at developing innovative procedures or increasing their maturity for full exploitation by enterprises.

Project proposals must be received by midnight on 8 July 2024. The calls for proposals in Spokes 8 and 9 of iNEST located in the Trieste area have two project themes: Maritime, marine and inland water technologies: towards the Digital Twin of the Upper Adriatic, and Models, Methods, Computing Technologies for Digital Twin. These themes are represented, respectively, by the University of Trieste and the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA).

As in the first round of funding, in this second round, both Spokes envisage a budget of €1,732,090 for the Triveneto (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto and Trentino-alto Adige regions) call for applications and €979,141 for the Mezzogiorno (southern regions of Italy) call for applications. Over the two-year period 2023-24, a total of 5,422,462 euros will be allocated by each Spoke to companies.

The calls for tenders offer a great opportunity, in particular for the development of technology and materials that will benefit hi-tech and digital economy companies. The component and sensor sectors could equally benefit from the creation of digital 3D models or augmented reality applications which require data monitoring, collection, storage and analysis.

‘The regional university system,’ says Pierluigi Barbieri, Professor at UniTS and Coordinator of Spoke 8, ‘is working in synergy to create opportunities for collaboration between the public and private sectors that can guarantee and improve the attractiveness and competitiveness of our region.’

‘The project follows an innovation model which aims to use research as a base to modernise and grow the production system. This model thrives thanks to the partnership of the nine universities in the Triveneto area and thanks to the institutions of excellence in Trieste.’

‘There are, therefore, all the conditions,’ Barbieri concludes, ‘for the iNEST project to reach its potential and become a real activator of economic wellbeing and improved quality of life.’

‘Our main objective is to bring together expertise and trade associations. This is a great opportunity to boost and enhance the projects within enterprises. We hope that as many companies as possible will pay attention to this opportunity,' says René Buttò, head of SISSA's Enhancement and Innovation Office.

Franco Scolari, Director of the Polo Tecnologico Alto Adriatico, emphasised the Polo's role in translating research expertise into results for companies. Stefano Querin (OGS), representative for Spoke 8, also spoke at the press conference. 

The calls for cascade funding are available on the iNEST website