With over 400 registrations and 74 completed teams, the fourth edition of the University Startup Challenge has successfully concluded. This initiative, aimed at university students from Milan and beyond, focused this year on developing innovative solutions for a smart city.

The event, funded by the research ecosystem “MUSA – Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action,” was organized by B4i – Bocconi for Innovation and the Entrepreneurship Clubs of Bocconi, Statale, Polimi, Bicocca, Cattolica, LIUC, and the University of Padua, all part of the E-Club Ventures network, with the Patronage of the Municipality of Milan. Among the initiative’s other partners were PoliHub, Fondazione Unimi, UniSmart, and ComoNext.

The Challenge aims to stimulate the emergence of entrepreneurial ideas in the Smart City field, promoting urban innovation that is sustainable, efficient, and technologically advanced. Participants were asked to design concrete solutions to improve technology, mobility, and urban services with the goal of enhancing quality of life in modern cities.

Following the success of previous editions (over 300 applications, 280 participants, and more than 30 projects submitted in 2024), this year’s Challenge exceeded all expectations, with over 400 applications received, 350 active participants, and 74 project teams.

The event, structured as a hackathon, took place over several key stages:

• Friday, April 11, at the University of Milan (Statale) – Opening ceremony with presentations by partners, sponsors, prize offerings, and rules. Key speakers included: Vittorio Biondi, General Director of MUSA; Councillor Cappello from the Municipality of Milan; Anna Maria Gimigliano, General Director of Fondazione Unimi; Nico Valenti Gatto, General Director of B4i – Bocconi for Innovation; and Francesco Billari, Rector of Bocconi University.
• Saturday, April 12, at the University of Milan (Statale) – A day of training and the official start of the Challenge, featuring seminars and workshops on smart city technologies and startup entrepreneurship. Morning sessions included talks by Flavia Belluscio, Camilla Scarpino, and Rita Giordano, Research Analysts at the Smart Cities Observatory of Polimi’s Digital Innovation Observatories. Afternoon speakers included Edoardo Gava, co-founder of Compri, and Tommaso Moraca, investor at Vento Ventures, before teams began working independently.
• Wednesday, May 7, at Bocconi University – Final event and presentation of the top 10 teams before a jury of experts, investors, and companies. The six best projects were awarded based on innovation and feasibility.

Between April 13 and April 30, the teams – working remotely and supported by 16 experienced mentors (professors, researchers, and industry professionals) – developed their startup ideas. Deliverables included a mandatory pitch deck and an optional demo or prototype, evaluated by a mixed jury of partner accelerators and the Municipality of Milan.

One especially notable aspect was the interdisciplinary nature of the teams: participants were encouraged to form groups with diverse skill sets and from different universities to foster cross-sector collaboration.

Prizes, offered by Milan’s top accelerators and several partners of the Challenge, included:

• Access to acceleration and incubation programs such as Seed4Innovation by Fondazione Unimi, tailored consulting with the B4i – Bocconi for Innovation team, designed to assess each startup’s needs and potentially offer direct access to the B4i Startup Call selection process or one-on-one mentorship sessions.

The winning teams of this year’s Challenge were: Rask awarded by B4i – Bocconi for Innovation; Polyneta awarded by Fondazione Unimi; Freego awarded by UniSmart – University of Padua Foundation; Protecto awarded by ComoNext; EcoNexus awarded by PoliHUB; EVeezy awarded by angel investor Anna De Stefano.

Winning Project Summaries:

• Polyneta – A platform connecting startups and municipalities:
  Guido Andreini (19, Bocconi), Michele De Cillis (23, Statale), Nicola Di Crescenzo (20, Bocconi), Valerio Siniscalco (23, Statale)

• Rask – AI-driven billing and payments solution:
  Ivano Dalla Costa (21, Politecnico), Mark Furlanis (20, Bocconi), Stefano Obert (20, Politecnico), Martina Carlà (20, Bocconi), Zhiyi Chen (21, Bocconi), Xinyi Chen (21, Bocconi)

• Freego – Solution for tracking fridge products and expiration info:
  Federica Molinar Min (24, LIUC), Luca Moroni (22, Statale), Lorenzo Conti (22, Statale), Giovanni Cerruti (22, Statale), Riccardo Cerruti (22, Politecnico)

• Protecto – Integrated smart safety network:
  Alessandro Alecu (19, Bocconi), Federico de Marco (19, Bocconi), Ettore Giustiniani (19, Bocconi), Cosimo Gori (19, Bocconi), Danilo Michelacci (19, University of Genoa), Francesco Volante (19, Bocconi)

• EcoNexus – Modular solutions for heat-recovery data centers:
  Mattia Fillippo Baglietto (23, Bocconi), Federica Kulka (25, Bocconi), Gloria Desideri (23, Politecnico), Dennis Caredda (22, Politecnico), Tebe Nigrelli (21, Bocconi)

• EVeezy – Shared electric charging solution:
  Marko Matic (20, Bocconi), Emma Forni (20, Bocconi), Tia Batistic (19, Bocconi), Aaron Kuepper (20, Bocconi), Bosko Milojkovic (20, Bocconi)

The University Startup Challenge has once again proven to be a unique platform for students to explore innovation, sustainability, and entrepreneurship by collaborating with forward-thinking companies and professionals in rapidly evolving sectors.

This fourth edition reaffirmed the Challenge’s mission: to connect academia with entrepreneurship through an accessible, hands-on learning journey designed by students for students. The event continues to grow year after year, powered by the voluntary work of more than 50 university students who ensure the smooth running of such a large-scale initiative. Organizing partners in attendance included MUSA, B4i – Bocconi for Innovation, E-Club Ventures, Fondazione Unimi, UniSmart, PoliHUB, ComoNext, InnovUp, University Network, Money.it, and the Digital Innovation Observatories of Politecnico di Milano.

QUOTES:

Giacomo De Poli, Head of Events at Statale’s Entrepreneurship Club and General Organizer of the 2025 edition:

“What makes the University Startup Challenge so special is that it’s a project by students, for students, yet created in collaboration with companies, ecosystems, and universities. It’s a unique opportunity to get involved, network, and meet other students and future colleagues. Truly living the university experience includes events like this—a platform to showcase your skills and contribute to shared innovation.”

Vittorio Biondi, General Director of MUSA Scarl:

“Encouraging students to develop real-world solutions for cities means enhancing their talent and promoting innovation that is concrete, multidisciplinary, and rooted in local needs. That’s where MUSA’s vision of urban regeneration starts: building smarter, more inclusive, and sustainable cities by rethinking spaces, services, and technologies in a collaborative way. This year we saw significant growth in both interest and project quality, confirming that the link between universities, businesses, and communities is increasingly strategic in shaping the cities of tomorrow.”

Alessia Cappello, Councillor for Economic Development and Labor Policies, Municipality of Milan, jury member:

“The importance of this Challenge lies in how it enables participants to put themselves to the test while allowing the city to gather new ideas and look to the future. It’s a two-way exchange.”

Francesco Billari, Rector of Bocconi University:

“Initiatives like this help foster a stronger sense of community on campus while stimulating critical thinking and entrepreneurship.”

Nico Valenti Gatto, General Director of B4i – Bocconi for Innovation:

“I want to thank all the groups who participated and especially the ten finalists for the quality of their ideas. The final decision was not easy given the overall high level. This year’s edition truly stood out for participation and the quality of the projects.”