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June 3, 2026

On May 19, the Technopole of Ferrara welcomed a delegation from Le Mans University as part of the activities of COLOURS – Collaborative innOvative sUstainable Regional univerSities. This network of nine European universities, including the University of Ferrara, is united by the goal of transforming regions through innovation, sustainability, and inclusion.

The delegation from Le Mans, led by Rector Delphine Letort, included key figures from the French university, such as Xavier Lachazette, responsible for internationalisation, and Sébastien Iksal, responsible for digitalisation, as well as representatives from the university’s innovation ecosystem, in particular the unit dedicated to innovative international partnerships and the promotion of entrepreneurship.

The visit provided an important opportunity to exchange experiences, expertise and models of collaboration between scientific research, technology transfer and the manufacturing sector, highlighting the strategic role of the Tecnopolo within the regional innovation ecosystem.

The day opened with Angela Princi, Manager of the Technopole of Ferrara, who presented the Technopole within the context of the Emilia-Romagna Region's High Technology Network. The core of the meeting was dedicated to applied research, focusing on the activities of the laboratories of excellence. Within this framework, Michele Pinelli, Scientific Director of the IN4 Hub Laboratory, and Fabiana Raco, Researcher and Coordinator of the TekneHub Laboratory, guided the delegation through their respective fields of study, highlighting flagship projects and the strong innovative impact of their research.

Among the highlights of the visit was the TekneHub laboratory dedicated to renewable energy and environmental climate control, where the delegation admired innovative solutions for energy efficiency. Subsequently, they explored the hydroponic greenhouse of CIAS (Interdepartmental Research Center for Advanced Research in High-Sterility Environments), an outstanding example of sustainable agriculture in controlled environments.

The program continued with a visit to the IN4 Hub laboratories, where the delegation was introduced to highly specialized infrastructure, such as the Anechoic Chamber presented by Francesco Pompoli, and the Diamond Chamber presented by Chiara Visentin.

The day also featured a session dedicated to technology transfer and entrepreneurial innovation at S.I.PRO. S.p.A. Giada Spadoni, Head of European Projects and Business Incubators, presented the activities of S.I.PRO and the SIPROCube incubator network—an entity committed to supporting innovative startups and high-tech business development paths.

It was an invaluable day that strengthened the international dialogue between universities, research, and the local territory, fostering a mutual enrichment of knowledge, experiences, and future prospects for collaboration.