22 of the 46 industrial research projects, financed through the POR FESR of the Emilia-Romagna Region, see the involvement of the University of Ferrara. A success for the University, which participated in the allocation of funds through its Labs.

“We are proud of this result which demonstrates the high quality of our University’s research, but above all the great ability of our researchers to propose projects of great application and impact on the territory – comments Michele Pinelli, Rector’s delegate to the Third Mission – In particular, I would like to emphasize the capacity of our Technopole in proposing industrial research activities that meet the needs of the regional productive industries with a quality that allows the University of Ferrara to bring home such a large amount of funding. Our research has enormous need of these funds to remain at the levels of excellence that have distinguished it in recent years”.

Of the 22 projects, 5 see Unife as a leader and in the other 17 the Labs participate as project partners. In each one the partnership is made up of several  Labs belonging to the Regional High Technology Network, which collaborate with companies in the various phases for the joint development of solutions and innovative technologies.

In total, the resources allocated to our laboratories amount to 3.5 million euros, out of a total funding of 35.5 million euros. The role played by the Unife Research Laboratories has therefore been particularly significant also at the regional level, positioning the Estense University as one of the most active and capable of attracting resources.

The themes

The topics covered by the projects range from artificial intelligence to energy, from medical devices to the blockchain, from precision agriculture to “smart” buildings, from robots to industry 4.0 to the enhancement of waste water and sludge in a circular economy optics. All the strategic areas of the regional economy are therefore involved: ICT, Mechanics, Building and construction, life sciences, agribusiness and cultural and creative industries.

The Laboratories

The laboratories involved are LTTA – Laboratory for Advanced Therapy Technologies, MechLav – Laboratory for Advanced Mechanics, TekneHub (Construction and Construction Platform) and Terra & AcquaTech (circular economy and green economy). These structures are also available to companies to develop commissioned and collaborative research projects, to respond to the innovation needs of the economic and entrepreneurial fabric.

The companies

There are also many companies involved in the 22 projects: these are companies that benefit from the results of these projects for their industrial activities. Other members of the Ferrara Technopole have obtained funding: the CFR Innovation Center – Consorzio Futuro in Ricerca, of which Unife is a partner, has won 3 projects as a partner, as has CNR Imamoter, a Tecnopolo laboratory located in the Cassana area, it has seen excellent results and has won three other projects, one of which is the leader.