iNEST - Interconnected Nord-Est Innovation Ecosystem

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Project

Proposer: Università degli Studi di Padova (University of Padua)
Total number of partners involved: 24 
Number of universities involved: 9
Number of public research bodies involved: 3 
Number of private bodies involved: 12 
Funding granted: 109.866.032 euro 

Description

iNEST is the ecosystem for innovation of the Italian northeastern region, namely a web of interconnections between research bodies, both public and private, whose aim is to develop a “nest of synergies” amid the multiple vocations of the territory, through the implementation of digital and ecological transition technologies. iNEST’s fields of inquiry and intervention are the key sector specialisms of the Italian North-East – i.e., manufacturing, agriculture, maritime, mountain, construction, tourism, culture, health and nutrition industries – embedded within an integrated, interconnected and sustainable eco-system.

11 founding members:
Università degli Studi di Padova (University of Padua) – UNIPD
Università degli Studi di Udine (University of Udine) – UNIUD
Università degli Studi di Verona (University of Verona) – UNIVR
Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia (Ca’ Foscari University of Venice) – UNIVE
Università IUAV di Venezia (IUAV University of Venice) – IUAV
Università degli Studi di Trento (University of Trento) – UNITN
Libera Università di Bolzano (Free University of Bozen-Bolzano) – UNIBZ
Università degli Studi di Trieste (University of Trieste) – UNITS
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati – SISSA
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council) – CNR
Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics) – OGS

13 affiliates:
Autorità di Sistema Portuale Adriatico Orientale (Port Network Authority of Eastern Adriatic Sea) – PNAEAS
Consorzio per il coordinamento delle ricerche inerenti al sistema lagunare di Venezia (Consortium for coordination of research activities concerning the Venice lagoon system) – CORILA
Covision Lab
CRESME
EURAC research
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (Bruno Kessler Foundation) – FBK
Fondazione Ca’ Foscari (Ca’ Foscari Foundation) – FCF
Fondazione Edmund Mach (Edmund Mach Foundation) – FEM
Fondazione Hub Innovazione Trentino (Trentino Innovation Hub Foundation) – HIT
Friuli Innovazione
Polo Tecnologico Alto Adriatico Andrea Galvani – PTAA
SMACT
T2i-trasferimento tecnologico e innovazione - T2i

Start of activities: 1 September 2022 
End of activities: 31 August 2025 

The ecosystem builds on a Hub & Spoke structure, whereby the Hub is formally a consortium founded by 11 research bodies, 9 of which are universities, which in turn identify the 9 Spokes, each one responsible for a specific research field. The interrelation between these fields is secured by a complex system of affiliations.

HUB iNEST.png

iNEST’s areas of enquiry and intervention are distributed among the 9 spokes as follows:
Spoke 1 - UniBZ: ECOSYSTEMS FOR MOUNTAIN INNOVATIONS
Spoke 2 - UniTN: HEALTH, FOOD AND LIFESTYLES
Spoke 3 - UniUD: GREEN AND DIGITAL TRANSITION FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
Spoke 4 - IUAV: CITY, ARCHITECTURE AND SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Spoke 5 - UniPD: SMART AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTS (MANUFACTURING, WORKING, LIVING)
Spoke 6 - UniVE: TOURISM, CULTURE AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
Spoke 7 - UniVR: SMART AGRI-FOOD
Spoke 8 - UniTS: MARITIME, MARINE, AND INLAND WATER TECHNOLOGIES: TOWARDS THE DIGITAL TWIN OF THE UPPER ADRIATIC
Spoke 9 - SISSA: MODELS, METHODS, COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES FOR DIGITAL TWIN

Plus, four cross-cutting activities involving all spokes:
-Education, from ITS to Lifelong Learning
-Creation of a network of joint strategic labs between universities and companies
-Citizen engagement initiatives
-Support to the generation and the development of start-ups and spin-offs

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  • The role of the University of Udine is significant and consistent with the project’s complexity: UniUD is, in fact, simultaneously Founder of the Hub, Spoke Leader of Spoke 3, and Affiliate to three other spokes. Concerning its role as leader of Spoke 3, UniUD coordinates the activities of 7 affiliated institutions (see the ‘Project Organization’ tab).

    Spoke 3 - UniUD (Leader): GREEN AND DIGITAL TRANSITION FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

    UniUD will focus on promoting innovation and creating the conditions for the green and digital transitions in the advanced manufacturing sector. This goal is further broken down into 5 research topics (RT), as follows:

    • RT1: Energy
    • RT2: Smart manufacturing, Mechatronics and Robotics
    • RT3: Materials
    • RT4: Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
    • RT5: Organizational, economical and legal aspects

    Spoke 1 - UniUD affiliated to UniBZ: ECOSYSTEMS FOR MOUNTAIN INNOVATIONS

    Spoke 4 - UniUD affiliated to IUAV: CITY, ARCHITECTURE AND SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

    Spoke 7 - UniUD affiliated to UniVR: SMART AGRI-FOOD

UniUD’s research team, distributed across the four spokes the university takes part in, comprises of 33 researches, pertaining to 7 different departments, and is coordinated by Professor Angelo Montanari. Professor Montanari’s role within the consortium therefore features as Coordinator of iNEST’s Scientific Council, Scientific Coordinator of Spoke 3, and, within Spoke 3, Scientific Coordinator of RT 4. UniUD researchers taking part in iNEST are listed below.

Lecturers involved in Spoke 3’s research activities coordinated by UniUD:
 Angelo Montanari (Scientific Coordinator of Spoke and RT4)
Daniele Casciano
Maria Chiarvesio (Scientific Coordinator of RT5)
Mariapia Comand
Lorenzo Fedrizzi (Scientific Coordinator of RT3)
Gian Luca Foresti
Niki Martinel
Antonella Meneghetti
Veronica Riavis
Lorenzo Scalera
Marco Sortino (Scientific Coordinator of RT2)
Alessandro Trovarelli (Scientific Coordinator of RT1)

Lecturers involved in Spoke 1’s research activities coordinated by UniBZ:
 Federico Cazorzi (UniUD’s Scientific Coordinator within Spoke 1)
Mauro Pascolini
Alberto Romanzin
Francesco Visentin
Silvia Bolognini
Ivana Bassi
Alberto Beinat

Lecturers involved in Spoke 4’s research activities coordinated by IUAV:
 Alberto Sdegno (UniUD’s Scientific Coordinator within Spoke 4)
Alessandra Biasi
Claudia Pirina
Giulia Fini
Giovanni La Varra
Anna Frangipane
Margherita Pauletta

Lecturers involved in Spoke 7’s research activities coordinated by UniVR:
Mauro Spanghero (UniUD’s Scientific Coordinator within Spoke 7)
Monica Anese
Piergiorgio Comuzzo
Carla Da Porto
Rossella De Marco
Alessandra Di Francesco
Lucilla Iacumin

Position: PhD
Duration of contract: 3 years

Call Computer Science and Artifical Intelligence - CLOSED
Research project: Machine learning and Deep Learning for advanced manufacturing technologies
Academic supervisor: Prof. Gian Luca Foresti

Call Environmental and Energy Engineering Science - CLOSED
Research project: Decarbonisation and CO2 valorisation processes and technologies
Academic supervisor: Prof. Alessandro Trovarelli

Call Computer Science and AI - CLOSED
Research project: Vision and metrology techniques for advanced manufacturing
Academic supervisor: Fabio Remondino - Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK)

Call Art History, Film Studies, Media Studies, and Music - CLOSED
Research project: Visual Storytelling and Digital Film Studies for the History of Italian Cinema
Academic supervisor: Mariapia Comand

Call Law and Innovation in the European Legal Space - CLOSED
Research project: Digitization of transport documents and smart contracts: technical-regulatory issues and development prospects for the transport and logistics chain
Academic supervisor: Daniele Casciano

Call Law and Innovation in the European Legal Space - CLOSED
Research project: Tangible and intangible cultural heritage in mountain areas: the role of ecomuseums
Academic supervisor: Laura Montanari

Call Food and Human Health - CLOSED
Research project: Synthesis of intelligent biomolecules starting from natural sources
Academic supervisor: Rossella De Marco
   
Position: Research fellowship (Assegno di ricerca)

Call AGR/01 – Agricultural economics and rural appraisal (Ref. 1595) - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 18 months
Research project: Tourism, nature and health: new trends and development opportunities for Alpine territories
Academic supervisor: Professor Ivana Bassi

Call AGR/15 – Food science and technology (Ref. 1601) - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 12 months
Research project: Development of functional and sustainable food through the valorization of a bio-resource
Academic supervisor: Professor Monica Anese

Call ICAR/09 – Structural Engineering (Ref. 1580) - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 36 months
Research project: Use of innovative sustainable materials and advanced intervention techniques for the seismic strengthening of existing structures, fitting into a circular economy of constructions.
Academic supervisor: Professor Margherita Pauletta

Call ING-IND/10 – Thermal engineering and industrial energy systems - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 12 months
Research project: Modelling of enhanced heat and mass transfer mechanisms in CO2 adsorbtion and absorption processes
Academic supervisor: Giulio Croce

Call ING-IND/13 – Applied mechanics - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 24 months
Research project: Motion planning for mechatronic and robotic systems for sustainable manufacturing
Academic supervisor: Fabris Giuliano

Call ING-IND/27 – Chemical technologies - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 15 months
Research project:  Innovative materials for the capture and methanation of waste carbon dioxide
Academic supervisor: Alessandro Trovarelli

Call AGR/18 – Animal nutrition and feeding - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 18 months
Research project: Study and enhancement of forage resources for cattle farms in the Eastern Italian Alps 
Academic supervisor: Alberto Romanzin

Call ICAR/14 Architectural and urban design - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 24 months
Research project: Strategies and projects for the enhancement of historical architectural and urban heritage in the northeast
Academic supervisor: Claudia Pirina

Call ICAR/14 Architectural and urban design - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 12 months
Research project: New urbanities: architectures for sustainability
Academic supervisor: Claudia Pirina 

Call AGR/12 – Plant pathology - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 12 months
Research project: Study of the efficacy of metabolites, derived from vegetable, animal and microorganism matrixes against fungal pathogens of plants
Academic supervisor: Alessandra Di Francesco 

Call AGR/16 – Agricultural microbiology - CLOSED
Duration of contract: 12 months
Research project: Valorisation of waste from the agri-food chain for the production of bioactive compounds and biopolymers through the use of microbial fermentations
Academic supervisor: Lucilla Iacumin

  
Position: Fixed-term researcher type A (RTD-A)
Duration of contract: 3 years


Call 07C1_DI4A - CLOSED
Discipline: AGR/08 Idraulica agraria e sistemazioni idraulico-forestali
Title: Sviluppo di tecniche innovative per il rilievo e l’analisi del dissesto nei bacini montani e definizione di un protocollo operativo per le azioni di prevenzione del rischio idrogeologico | iNEST Spoke 1

Call 08A4_DPIA - CLOSED
Discipline: ICAR/06 Topografia e cartografia
Title: Sviluppo e implementazione di sistemi automatizzati per il monitoraggio dell’ambiente e la modellazione 3D del territorio naturale e antropizzato basati sull’osservazione e il rilievo da remoto da piattaforme terrestri, mobili, aeree e satellitari | iNEST Spoke 1

Call 13B2_DIES - CLOSED
Discipline: SECS-P/08 Economia e gestione delle imprese
Title: Transizione verde e digitale per le tecnologie manifatturiere avanzate: innovazione e competitività delle imprese | iNEST Spoke 3

Call 09B1_DPIA - CLOSED
Discipline ING-IND/16 Tecnologie e sistemi di lavorazione
Title: Transizione verde e digitale per le tecnologie di produzione avanzate | iNEST Spoke 3

Call 09B2_DPIA - CLOSED
Discipline: ING-IND/17 Impianti industriali meccanici
Title: iNEST – Ecosistema dell’innovazione – Transizione verde e digitale per tecnologie avanzate di produzione | iNEST Spoke 3

Call 09D1_DPIA - CLOSED
Discipline: 09/D1 Scienza e tecnologia dei materiali
Title: Transizione verde e digitale per una tecnologia manifatturiere avanzata | iNEST Spoke 3

Call 01B1_DMIF - CLOSED
Discipline: INF/01 Informatica
Title: Transizione verde e digitale per le tecnologie manifatturiere avanzate: intelligenza artificiale e scienza dei dati | iNEST Spoke 3

Call 08D1_DPIA - CLOSED
Discipline: Fixed-term researcher type A (RTD-A) | ICAR/14 Composizione architettonica e urbana
Title: Ecosistema iNEST: Innovazione ed ecosistemi: da un paradigma efficiente a un paradigma di sostenibilità, nuovi scenari per il progetto della città | iNEST Spoke 4

Call 08E2_DPIA - CLOSED
Discipline: ICAR/19 Restauro
Title: Metodologie di analisi e strumenti di gestione per la riduzione della vulnerabilità del patrimonio costruito alle scale urbane e edilizie | iNEST Spoke 4

Call 07F1_DI4A - CLOSED
Discipline: AGR/15 Scienze e tecnologie alimentari
Title: Valorizzazione di sottoprodotti e scarti di lavorazioni agricole e trasformazioni agroalimentari provenienti da filiere tipiche del Nord-Est mediante l’applicazione di tecniche di estrazione sostenibili e l’ottenimento di prodotti bio-based da destinare alla produzione di ingredienti, semilavorati, additivi e coadiuvanti | iNEST Spoke 7

Call 07G1_DI4A - CLOSED
Discipline: AGR/18 Nutrizione e alimentazione animale
Title: Identificazione e caratterizzazione chimica di biomolecole, di estratti di piante e di sottoprodotti della industria agroalimentare e agricoli e valutazione del loro utilizzo in alimentazione animale come ingredienti o promotori di performance | iNEST Spoke 7

  

Contacts:

Go to the consortium official website Consorzio iNEST

Mail: inest@uniud.it