PALERMO (ITALPRESS) – The 4 original prototypes developed by ITS students to respond to the innovation challenges launched by four companies in the provinces of Catania (2 in the digital sector) and Palermo (2 in biomed and biotech fields).
The event therefore officially closes the second edition of Upskill Sicilia, the collaborative innovation program promoted by Fondazione Sicilia and Upskill 4.0, a spin-off of the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. UniCredit is a partner of the initiative.
The initiative, launched in April 2024, involved 4 innovative Sicilian production companies: Vantea SMART, an Information Technology company, founded in 1993, specialized in Cybersecurity, Paradigma SpA, a company that develops digital solutions for companies, Medigenium, innovative startup that develops artificial intelligence solutions for the healthcare sector and Qwince Innovation, a cutting-edge company in the development of the highest quality software for the healthcare sector.
Over 50 young students from the ITS New Technologies of Life Alessandro Volta Foundation in Palermo and from the Web & Mobile Development course at the Steve Jobs Academy in Catania participated in the project.
Accompanied by Upskill 4.0 project managers, the teams worked closely with entrepreneurs to find original and effective answers to their innovation needs.
Through a phased process codified by Upskill 4.0 and borrowed from innovation management methodologies such as Design Thinking, young people helped companies rethink their products and services through digital technologies.
“Education, instruction and training have always been among the missions of the Sicilia Foundation. Through our support for the projects carried out by Upskill Sicilia – comments the president of the Sicilia Foundation, Maria Concetta Di Natale – the students have had the opportunity to learn, directly dealing with four important island production companies and guided by competent project managers: the best way to put to good use what they learned at school. An initiative that testifies to the Sicilia Foundation’s constant attention to young people.”
Salvatore Malandrino, Regional Manager Sicily of UniCredit, declared: “UniCredit strongly believes in the role that ITS can play in terms of strengthening skills and employment opportunities, thanks also to a privileged connection of these entities to the business world. This translates into concrete actions on our part, such as support for the Upskill Sicily Project but also the self-entrepreneurship training and financial education initiatives that we carry out with the UniCredit Banking Academy. This and much more represents an opportunity for the Bank to enhance and support the most important resource for the future of our territory: young people”.
“The projects carried out by Upskill 4.0 create short circuits and alliances of an unprecedented type which demonstrate how school and business together can accelerate the digital transition – declared Stefano Micelli, president of Upskill 4.0 – We had confirmation of this with Upskill Sicilia where the students faced competence and enthusiasm are the real challenges of companies operating in highly technological sectors. It was a journey full of surprises but also confirmations: students can be protagonists of innovation when they consciously use tools and methods to manage innovation and give quality to the growth of businesses and territories”.
The technological solutions created.
For Vantea SMART, a series of webinars entitled CyberSec and the CyberShield hackathon were created to promote the culture of cybersecurity and provide practical resources to defend sensitive company data.
For Paradigma SpA, a cyber quiz game was created with the aim of raising public awareness of the importance of cybersecurity.
For Medigenium, MediFast was created, an innovative online platform that uses the company’s open source artificial intelligence system, called Meris, to improve and speed up diagnosis during mass screening activities.
For Qwince Innovation, Mobile Doctor was created, a digital solution that improves patients’ therapeutic experience through technology, gamification and community support.
– Photo: Unicredit press office –
(ITALPRESS).
