The ecosystem of technology and sustainable innovation is being established in Milan. The four major Milanese universities are already setting themselves to the task of giving a new face to the city. The collaboration between the University of Milan-Bicocca, the submitting entity, the Polytechnic University of Milan, Bocconi University and the University of Milan bears the name of MUSA (Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action) and will make it possible to develop smart solutions for renewable energy and waste management, study new models of green mobility, create an incubation and acceleration pole for start-ups, optimise the use of big data for the health and well-being of citizens, develop new sustainable finance solutions and create the conditions for an increasingly inclusive society, free from inequalities.
Transforming the metropolitan area of Milan into an ecosystem of innovation for urban regeneration, a model that can be replicated at the national and European level. This is the ambitious challenge that the four universities will face in the next three years thanks to the numerous partnerships with public and private entities and a total investment of Euro 116 million, financed for 110 million by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
The resources will be used to finance applied research, training and technology and knowledge transfer, with the aim of reducing the gap between the academic world and the production fabric, through an innovative and inclusive approach, capable of activating co-creation processes also with local entities, civil society and the third sector.
The MUSA project inaugurates a new model of public-private collaboration, based on the economic, social and environmental sustainability of urban spaces.
The areas of intervention of the project (technically called “spoke”) are six, each one of them coordinated by one or more universities.
Researchers and businesses will collaborate to promote a sustainable and urban transition that can be transferable also in other contexts. The strong point will be the collaboration with research centres and entities in Southern Italy with the aim of sharing technologies, innovation processes, feasibility plans and transferring actions to the territory.
MUSA was presented today at the University of Milan-Bicocca in the presence of the rectors of the four universities, Giovanna Iannantuoni (University of Milan-Bicocca), Ferruccio Resta (Polytechnic University of Milan), Gianmario Verona (Bocconi University), Elio Franzini (University of Milan), the president of the Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana, the councillor for education, university, research, innovation and simplification of the Lombardy Region, Fabrizio Sala, the mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, and the president of the Cariplo Foundation, Giovanni Fosti.
“Thanks to the alliance between the four major Milanese universities, to the support of institutions such as the Lombardy Region, the Municipality of Milan and the Cariplo Foundation and to the partnership with local companies and businesses, the MUSA project has the ambition of transforming the metropolitan area into an ecosystem of innovation for urban regeneration, becoming a national and European model – said Giovanna Iannantuoni, Rector of the University of Milan-Bicocca –. With the funds guaranteed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the project will affect higher training, specialisation and research, with a significant impact also on industrial production supply chains, acting in different areas, from the social sphere to the technological and digital one, from the environment to the economy”.
“Developing technologies for economic and circular sustainability and promoting high-tech entrepreneurship. These are the two main objectives of the Polytechnic University of Milan within the MUSA ecosystem – commented Ferruccio Resta, rector of the Polytechnic University of Milan –. The Lombardy Region and the metropolitan area of Milan, in particular, represent a unicum in the national context, starting from leading sectors, such as fashion and design, right up to new businesses with a high rate of innovation. The Politecnico di Milano Foundation, which has always been close to the needs of companies, will manage the two reference spokes together with the university”.
“The spirit of collaboration that in recent years has transformed Milan and its universities into a true network of higher training and research has been decisive for the design of the innovation ecosystem funded by the PNRR – said Gianmario Verona, Rector of Bocconi University –. Within the context of MUSA, the specificities of each partner university are pooled to create a new way of doing technology transfer with direct effects on the Milanese territory. Bocconi has the task of leading a spoke that focuses on financial education and technological impact in support of sustainability in the context of the analysis of the impact of the various activities”.
“Without a doubt, MUSA is a great project. But not just that: it is a challenge that invites innovation and collaboration – said Elio Franzini, Rector of the University of Milan – which opens up new scenarios, destined to change the very concept of University and its relations with the economic, political and social realities of the territory. In this broad and challenging project, the University of Milan follows its vocation, that of being able to show the “multiverse” character of its commitment: big data and digitalisation, life sciences, telemedicine, analysis of socio-cultural interactions, transformations of economic life, civil commitment are the horizons that we pursue in the certainty of making our University increasingly open on the training and scientific level, for a sustainable society where young scientists are the true protagonists of the future”.
“With the recent signing of the share capital increase, by the Lombardy Region, in the MUSA consortium company, we have confirmed our desire to provide solid governance to the ecosystem, hub and implementing subject, for a widespread network of interventions in partnership with a multiplicity of public and private actors, local entities and the third sector – affirmed Attilio Fontana, president of the Lombardy Region –. I am convinced that Lombardy – and the Milanese metropolitan area – is the most suitable field of action to study, experiment and develop the effects of a widespread innovation capable of leading to concrete results for the benefit of collective well-being. The Lombardy Region, equipped with a law on research, a Three-Year Programme and a Smart Specialisation strategy, will be able to make the most of this great opportunity for urban transformation, “open-air” design, and incubation of innovative ideas”.
“Our universities have asked us to support this project and the Lombardy Region is with them: the adhesion to the ecosystem was deliberated at the beginning of August – said Fabrizio Sala, councillor for education, university, research, innovation and simplification of the Lombardy Region –. The project aims at creating a scalable ecosystem at the regional and national level starting from Milan, which favours innovation and competitiveness. The objectives concern environmental sustainability at 360°: from urban regeneration to data sharing in life sciences, from entrepreneurship to sustainable finance, from social inclusion to the circular economy. We have the ambition of transforming the metropolitan area of Milan into an ecosystem of innovation for urban regeneration, to become a national and European model. The Lombardy Region is at the forefront of this structured alliance with four of the major Milanese universities to help further increase the growth opportunities of our territory”.
“Projects like MUSA make the difference in the growth of the Country and of our cities in terms of innovation, research and urban and sustainable regeneration – commented Giuseppe Sala, mayor of Milan -. The funds of the PNRR must be used precisely for this reason, to start extensive renewal actions, able to pool high-level skills - given the collaboration of no less than four Milanese universities - and to open itself up to the whole Country, also involving research centres in other areas of Italy, as MUSA will do. I am delighted that the Municipality has been involved in this ambitious and far-sighted initiative, an investment in the future of young people, of businesses and of the Country”.
“The MUSA project seeks to act on the issue of real urban sustainability in a global and pragmatic way starting from an alliance – explained Giovanni Fosti, president of the Cariplo Foundation – where the fundamental subjects of the world of knowledge join private and public institutions to work on research, training and technology transfer. The Cariplo Foundation, as a subject that stimulates and accompanies innovation, participates in this challenge by making its experiences and skills available, so that this can be an opportunity for true growth for the whole territory and for the improvement of life for all people”.
The areas of intervention and all the partners of MUSA
Urban regeneration - City of tomorrow
Big Data-Open Data in Life Sciences
Deep Tech: Entrepreneurship & Technology Transfer
Economic Impact and Sustainable Finance