The Bicocca Pavilion, a newly built facility located within BiM – the urban regeneration project in Bicocca transforming an iconic building into an innovative work destination with spaces for well-being, culture and social life, business services and a large green area – was officially inaugurated this morning.
On its first floor, the Bicocca Pavilion hosts the Fondazione Bicocca-Innovation Hub, a new innovation ecosystem in the Milan-Bicocca district, first announced in June 2024. The Hub was born from the collaboration between Fondazione Bicocca – a non-profit organisation created to promote partnerships between the University of Milano-Bicocca and private stakeholders – and the University itself. The aim of the Innovation Hub is to foster synergies between businesses and academia, supporting the development of ideas, projects, and high social impact start-ups, promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer, and becoming a centre of excellence for social innovation.
The Bicocca Pavilion is located at Viale Piero e Alberto Pirelli 10, within BiM’s new green square, in a strategic position symbolically situated between the university’s headquarters and its historic buildings. Designed by architecture firm Piuarch, this futuristic space is part of the redevelopment plan promoted by Aermont Capital, a pan-European real estate-focused asset management company, and Kervis SGR, a fund management company, with Manifattura Srl – part of the Aermont group – managing the project as project management and placemaking partner.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new multifunctional space was attended by Giovanna Iannantuoni, Rector of the University of Milano-Bicocca and President of MUSA – Multilayered Urban Sustainability Action; Marco Orlandi, President of Fondazione Bicocca and Deputy Vice-Rector of the University; Salvatore Torrisi, Vice-Rector for Research Valorisation; Giovanni Manfredi, Managing Director at Aermont Capital; Giancarlo Patri, Partner and Head of Investment Management at Kervis SGR; and Giancarlo Tancredi, Councillor for Urban Regeneration of the City of Milan.
Fondazione Bicocca-Innovation Hub: an innovation ecosystem
Fondazione Bicocca-Innovation Hub aims to support companies in enhancing prototypes, developing products and services, and training personnel, leveraging the university’s unique assets – research infrastructures, a community of talents (students, PhD candidates, researchers), expertise and patent portfolio. Rooted in public-private collaboration, the project focuses on five key areas:
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Transition: services and technologies to reduce environmental impact and promote responsible resource management (e.g. water resources, circular economy, urban innovation);
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Material Science: research, development and application of new materials (advanced, biodegradable, nanomaterials) to improve performance and sustainability across various sectors (e.g. textiles, automotive, design);
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Life Sciences & Healthcare: services and technologies for prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care, and innovations to improve quality of life;
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Social Innovation: solutions and models addressing emerging social needs;
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Artificial Intelligence: digital technologies (automation, IoT, 3D printing) to optimise production processes, increasing flexibility and sustainability.
The Innovation Hub’s services, which will connect the University of Milano-Bicocca, BiM, Fondazione Bicocca, partner companies and the University’s “Talent community” (researchers, PhDs, students), aim to:
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Foster technological and business development, generating growth and technology transfer opportunities;
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Carry out activities to enhance prototypes and create initial versions of solutions or products to be developed;
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Promote innovation strategies and market entry of products/services;
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Strengthen company expertise through specialised training or recruitment of University talents;
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Offer spaces, classrooms, and meeting rooms for co-working and events;
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Facilitate access to funding tools suited to the needs of start-ups and innovation projects.
The inauguration ceremony also marked the launch of the Innovation Hub’s first initiative: a Call4Ideas open to the University of Milano-Bicocca’s community, inviting project proposals of potential interest to participating companies. A panel of expert evaluators will select the most promising ideas, with selected candidates invited to join an upcoming Hackathon, where the most viable solutions will be developed further.
“Fondazione Bicocca’s Innovation Hub, housed within the Bicocca Pavilion,” said Salvatore Torrisi, Vice-Rector for Research Valorisation, “marks the culmination of a journey aimed at accelerating the impact of our University’s multidisciplinary resources and expertise for the benefit of businesses, institutions and society. It is also the beginning of a new public-private collaboration that will enrich Milan’s and Lombardy’s innovation ecosystem with ideas, solutions, and high-impact start-ups.”
“The idea to build the Bicocca Pavilion at the heart of our project was born from the desire to create, in a regenerated space, an innovative and open urban facility capable of generating the public-private synergies essential to urban development. Combining the University’s research with local entrepreneurship. The choice of the newly founded Fondazione Bicocca to place its Innovation Hub here confirms that BiM is becoming a dynamic, open ecosystem, with the Pavilion at its core,” stated Giovanni Manfredi, Managing Director, Aermont Capital.
“The inauguration of the Bicocca Pavilion, alongside the completion of the newly renovated Pirelli 10 building, marks the end of the first phase of the major BiM urban regeneration project, which we are developing with Aermont Capital and Manifattura Srl in the Bicocca district,” declared Giancarlo Patri, Partner and Head of Investment Management at Kervis SGR. “Today, the north-eastern quadrant of Milan finally benefits from a new public square and a renewed range of food & beverage outlets, designed to complement services for businesses and university communities living and moving through the area.”
Bicocca Pavilion: a new multifunctional space for the district
In addition to the headquarters of Fondazione Bicocca-Innovation Hub on the first floor, the Bicocca Pavilion houses BiM’s new café and restaurant on the ground floor – Pavilion – sips & bites by Fuorimano – in a multifunctional space designed by Paola Navone – OTTO Studio. It also includes a lounge, a flexible area for study and work, and an arena for events, talks and conferences. The interior features bold colours, pop accents, optical patterns, and unique objects, creating a vibrant and creative atmosphere.
In the Pavilion’s basement, available to the community: a 200-seat auditorium, a gym, and a bicycle storage area with modern end-of-trip facilities (lockers, showers, and dedicated bathrooms), as well as a car park with over 500 spaces.
Thanks to its synergy with the University of Milano-Bicocca and its pioneering vision, the Bicocca Pavilion is set to become a key hub for innovation in Milan, attracting top companies, promoting young talents, engaging with the local area, and fostering both social and professional connections within the district community.
Photos from the inauguration and Bicocca Pavilion are available at this link.