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Spoke 3 of the NODES Innovation Ecosystem – Digital and Sustainable North West, coordinated for the University of Eastern Piedmont by Professor Stefania Cerutti, professor of the Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition, is preparing to inaugurate an important exhibition which explores the complex interrelationships between culture, imagination and environmental sustainability. ''NODES on display. Images of sustainability'', the result of a collaboration between the Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition (DISSTE) and the Department of Humanistic Studies (DISUM), will be hosted from 1 to 20 December 2023 in the Gioin Space of the Municipality of Vercelli ( via Laviny, 67) with the opening hours: 10:00 - 16:30 from Monday to Friday and 10:00 - 17:00 Saturday and Sunday (closed every Monday and 8 December). The press conference presenting the event will be held on November 13th at 11 am at the Rectorate of the University of Eastern Piedmont in Vercelli, via Duomo 6. Exhibition and catalog are curated by Annalisa D'Orsi, NODES research fellow at the Department of Humanistic Studies of the UPO. The catalog will link the displayed posters to interdisciplinary scientific contributions written by teachers and researchers members of the Spoke 3 research group of the UPO and by other experts. This interdisciplinary approach is fundamental to addressing the climate and ecological challenges of the present. As a corollary to the exhibition, 2 conferences will also be organized by the Province and the Ecomuseum of the Water Lands focused on tourism, protection of the landscape and biodiversity and agriculture. The conferences will be held at the Gioin Space on 6 and 14 December 2023, from 5pm to 7.30pm, and will have the title "Tourism, agriculture and biodiversity" respectively. Sustainable and complementary actions” and “Biodiversity in rice fields. Study and protection". The exhibition "Nodes on display. Images of sustainability" represents a moment of dialogue and contamination between different disciplines and languages ​​and contributes to the transfer of knowledge from the world of art and the University to the territory. Interdisciplinarity and fruitful relationships between entities, in the logic of the NODES Ecosystem, are the basis for being able to co-construct future scenarios, since sustainability requires common commitment and collaboration between different interested parties. The exhibition, which enjoys the patronage of the Municipality and the Province of Vercelli, will address issues of great relevance and relevance, contributing to enriching the cultural, educational and tourist offer of the area and will present 32 posters from the International Poster Biennial in Mexico, an important event which, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Environment (UNEP), deals with issues related to environmental sustainability and the conservation of biodiversity. These posters, created by artists and graphic designers from all over the world, will be used in an innovative way to promote reflection on the relevance of culture in the transition towards a more sustainable society.

From 06 November to 18 December 2023, at the Department of Economics of the University of Insubria located in Via Monte Generoso 71 in Varese, Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry, with the coordination of Prof. Rossella Locatelli will hold a series of seminars entitled: "Climate emergency and sustainability paths for SMEs". Six meetings which can be attended both in person and remotely and which will focus on the climate emergency and the significant effects that the latter has on the environment and on living and working conditions. Within the framework of the Paris Agreements and the European Green Deal, a complex set of rules has been developed aimed at directing the economic system towards a sustainability process in view of the objective of climate neutrality by 2050. The series of seminars addresses the theme of sustainable transition through concrete cases in the fashion, textile and culture sectors, with the aim of increasing the awareness of SMEs on the opportunities and risks that this transformation process entails. During the meetings, operational tools for managing the transition process will also be presented. The business system is directly and indirectly affected by sustainability regulation, with regards to both reporting and communication and the adoption of virtuous behaviour. The credit system in turn is subject to regulatory interventions aimed at evaluating the impact of physical risks on its portfolio. For SMEs, even in cases where the rules are not directly applicable, the overall effects are equally significant and binding, due to supply relationships and supply chain agreements. For this reason, it is essential that SMEs do not underestimate the changes required and that they proactively and promptly face the many necessary changes.       Per ulteriori informazioni e iscrizioni

During the IV Day of the prized white truffle of Alto Monferrato which was held on 14 October 2023 in Ponti (AL), researchers from the University of Eastern Piedmont, partner of Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry, confirmed that this species of truffle can be traced with extreme precision thanks to the correspondence between the truffles and the chemical fingerprint of the soil. There is enthusiasm for the positive implications that these data will have for the conservation of the territory, for the safety of the product and for the educational and tourist routes that will be enhanced. During the day there were numerous speeches by some of the leading experts in the sector from the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle D'Aosta and from the Ministry of Health who together with the teachers of the University of Eastern Piedmont and researchers of the CNR have outlined the state of the art surrounding this excellent product highly characteristic of these areas of Piedmont. The audience, made up of almost ninety people, was not disappointed: crucial issues were addressed such as the food safety problems of the sector, the new methods for identifying species, the impact of the product on quality tourism and, above all , the first results of ongoing research have been revealed which appear very encouraging: professors Maurizio Aceto (Department for Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition DISSTE) and Guido Lingua (Department of Science and Technological Innovation DISIT) of UPO, together to the coordinator of the project, Professor Vito Rubino (DISSTE), they showed the outcome of the investigations on the samples provided, which confirm the expectations: there is a correspondence between the truffles of the territory and the chemical imprint of the soil, as well as a specificity of some DNA traits that are considered characteristic of the local product. This could lead to forms of "analytical" traceability, i.e. no longer based only on "documents" and "self-certifications", but on objective laboratory feedback on the product. "The analyzes will also continue during the 2023 harvest campaign", explains Professor Vito Rubino. "Further initiatives are already budding from the initial project, such as the mapping of truffle funds for environmental recovery, the creation of educational truffle grounds and descriptive itineraries in the various municipalities of the ATS, the launch of monitoring on the quality and safety of local products and and finally, the creation of a tourist guide to the lands of the prized white truffle of Alto Monferrato". The rector of the UPO, Professor Gian Carlo Avanzi, who introduced the works, also wanted to be part of the event. "Once again", said the Rector, "UPO confirms itself as a partner of local initiatives aimed at promoting and enhancing the excellence of its territory and leader of important scientific projects whose results will benefit both producers and consumers, at teaches transparency, loyalty and the valorisation of our extraordinary agri-food and environmental qualities". The quality of the project coordinated by the University of Eastern Piedmont was also underlined by the Regional Councilor for Agriculture Marco Protopapa, by the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture of Alessandria and Asti Giampaolo Coscia and by the President of the Province of Alessandria Enrico Bussalino, all present and participating in the work together with the Mayors of the twenty Municipalities who created the ATS to finance the research led by the President of the Association, Franco Novelli.  

  The first ranking relating to the cascade calls aimed at businesses (LINE A) made available by the NODES - Nord Ovest Digitale E Sostenibile ecosystem has been published. There are two companies from Biella that have applied for funding by presenting projects as part of Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry and have been awarded the funds. Spoke 3 is one of the 7 NODES implementers of which Città Studi is a partner; deals with the Tourism and Culture Industry in the context of research and innovation themes aimed at the sustainable and digital development of the tourism and cultural industry and the textile and fashion industrial sectors, recovering aspects linked to the culture and history of the places involved . Spoke 3 plays a role of great importance within the PNRR Nodes project where Città Studi is leader of work package 2 "Communication and dissemination". The partners involved in the project, in addition to Città Studi and the University of Insubria which is the lead partner, are: University of Turin, University of Eastern Piedmont, University of Valle D'Aosta and ComoNext Innovation Hub. The Biella companies that stood out are: Quality Biella by Alberto Platini & C. and Marchi & Fildi SpA which ranked third and fourth respectively in the ranking, a sign of high design quality. Each Spoke involves the design and implementation of Flagship Projects, one of which will be grounded in Città Studi, where an immersive laboratory of cultural-industrial regeneration will be developed through an open infrastructure for virtual reality systems immersive for educational research purposes. The scientific director of the project is the University of Turin.  

The first edition of the “Fashion Media Studies” summer school ended on Sunday 24 September 2023. Fashion, visual culture", organized by the University of Turin and Città Studi Biella, both partners of Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry, in collaboration with Cittadellarte - Pistoletto Foundation and the Department of Letters, Philosophy, Communication of the University of Bergamo. Twenty-three participants from different universities (including the University of Bergamo, the University of Milan, the University of Catania, the IULM and of course Unito), students of master's and doctoral courses in different fields, in the four days of the Summer school they followed courses and seminars held by scholars who addressed, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the research directions that affect fashion culture today and its impact on society and visual culture. “The synergy implemented between the University of Turin and Città Studi, together with the collaboration with the other partners - declares Prof. Giulia Carluccio, Vice-Rector of the University of Turin and curator of the Summer school - has made it possible to create a first edition of very high level which marks a path that we intend to further enrich in the future. In recent days, the most authoritative voices in fashion studies have offered students a broad and detailed overview of the interdisciplinary perspectives useful for understanding the fashion phenomenon, also in dialogue with some fashion communication operators and professionals. Some of the most current key words were called into question in reference to themes such as economic, environmental and social sustainability, without forgetting the importance of the visual and cultural impact of fashion, involving male and female students in very lively debates which have further enriched the experience of the masterclasses”. “The Summer School highlighted the growing interest in fashion on the part of students, researchers and cultural and economic operators, adds Adriano D'Aloia, Professor of Cinema, photography and television at the University of Bergamo and curator of the summer school. Fashion is a complex phenomenon that mobilizes creative resources, reflects social change, stimulates markets to address current issues such as inclusiveness and sustainability. A strategic synergy between training institutions and the socio-economic fabric of the territory in this area can certainly contribute to enriching the value chain". The lessons were accompanied by moments of debate with cultural operators and representatives of institutions focused on the relationship between fashion, technologies and sustainable development, a series of debates with authors of recent books on the themes of the Summer school and the presentation of some research projects, including that of Eleonora Chiais, Researcher at the Department of Humanistic Studies of the University of Turin, in the Disciplines of Arts, Music and Entertainment, who talks about her experience thus: “As they approach a working context which, today more than ever, it is multifaceted and competitive, it is important that students are aware of the real usability of their academic education. For this reason, the first edition of the Summer School was the ideal space to present the research "How to communicate sustainable fashion" which, carried out thanks to the agreement stipulated between Città Studi Biella, the Textile and Health Association - Social Enterprise and the University of Turin, proposes a transversal reflection on the field of sustainability in the textile sector, combining a more technical evaluation with an indispensable theoretical examination path. We have chosen to present this study because it represents a good example of the virtuous synergy that can and must be established between universities, businesses and the territory". Finally, Mauro Ferraresi Associate Professor at the IULM University of Milan, coordinator of the three-year degree course in 'Fashion and Creative Industries' - presented his book "Modamedia. New communication scenarios of the fashion system" making a significant contribution to the event: "Città Studi in Biella is a place nestled at the foot of the mountains and immersed in a truly pleasant panorama. It is a perfect campus for the environment that surrounds it, for the greenery and the services it benefits from and for the tranquility that ensures maximum concentration and attention to teachers and students. The innovative Summer School dedicated to the fashion system took place on this campus. The course was designed to allow the alternation of normal Master lessons with reasoned presentations of books dedicated to the topic and with more technical interventions that focused on the relationship between fashion and digital innovation and between fashion and the circular economy. It was a first year which, I believe, gave a new and important contribution to the diffusion of fashion studies and which I hope can become a regular annual event".

On Friday 29 October, at the Silk Museum in Como, a meeting was held entitled: "Tourism and culture: the culture of textiles for the valorisation of the territory".   The event, organized by Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry, was part of the usual event of the Researchers' Night of the University of Insubria which, for years, has been very active in the area in order to bring the general public closer to the world of research.   The works began with institutional greetings from the president of the Silk Museum Giovanna Baglìo, followed by Professors Roberta Minazzi and Valentina Jacometti of Uninsubria who had the task of presenting the Nodes project to those present.   During the afternoon, the collaboration between the University of Insubria, leader of Spoke 3, and the Silk Museum was confirmed. Collaboration which will have as its object interested studies in the field of fashion and textiles; we will try to understand how this sector has influenced the territory but above all, the impact it will have on it in the future.   Finally, the public present was able to attend the presentations of Doctors Laura Facchin, Alessandra Casati and Lucrezia Palandi who provided interesting analyzes about fashion in the past and how it was represented in iconography as well as an important reflection on internal law of the fashion supply chain.  

On the morning of Thursday 14 September 2023, at ComoNext, Innovation Hub partner of Spoke3 - Tourism Industry and Culture, a meeting entitled "Financing for innovation projects - Calls and opportunities for startups and SMEs" was held, in collaboration with Invitalia and the University of Insubria. After the initial greetings by Elena Zaffaroni, incubation area representative and Sara Lucca, project financing area representative, the interventions of the speakers involved followed. Fabio Comi of Invitalia presented the general lines of the Smart and Start Italia (SSI) measure, dedicated to aspiring entrepreneurs and startups established no more than 60 months ago. Following this was Nicola Renato De Carlo, founder of Tutornow, who brought his experience of participation to the measure just described, after briefly introducing the main reference themes for the startup. The word then returned to Invitalia, which, again in the person of Fabio Comi, described the criteria of the Brevetti+ call, functional to the valorisation of patents already available to companies, soon to open on 10/24/2023. The last speech was by Chiara Cappellini, Uninsubria's administrative contact for the Nodes project, focused on the presentation of the NODES ecosystem and the Line A and Line B cascade calls which will close on 31/10/2023. The meeting, which saw the participation of 36 participants, ended with the collection of several questions from the public. Following the event, the one-to-one meetings booked by the companies were managed by ComoNExT, in particular seven companies exchanged ideas both in reference to the initiatives promoted during the meeting and in relation to the creation and development of new startups.

Professor Barbara Pozzo, scientific representative of Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture industry, visited the ComoNExT technological innovation hub (already a partner of the Nodes project) in order to evaluate new synergies within the NODES project in relation to possible projects to be developed in the fields of textiles, communication and gender equality.   During the day, Professor Pozzo was able to visit two important entrepreneurial realities; two startups born within the ComoNExT incubator and which have become consolidated small and medium-sized businesses.   Specifically: DKR srl, a dynamic software house specialized in the fields of virtual reality, augmented reality and Metaverse, websites and web marketing, mobile app development and back/front-end software. The meeting focused on the topic of virtual reality and the metaverse and what applications and services can be enabled by these technologies. The visit then concluded with the test of VR headset applications, in particular one developed by DKR srl in the cultural sector.   Finally, SenseCatch srl, a company expert in the application of neuromarketing technologies. The meeting focused on in-depth analysis of these methods of collecting information, thanks also to examples of projects carried out by the company. The visit concluded with the testing of the technologies (eye tracker, micro-sweating detector) compared to the viewing of some advertising spots.  

The ranking of companies that have expressed interest in co-financing research projects for scholarships for the XXXIX cycle, a.y. is available online. 2023-2024 for the Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry.   The call was published in April 2023 and envisaged the activation of 4 three-year Research Doctorate positions financed by the PNRR-NODES project and by companies interested in developing collaborations with universities in the ecosystem.   An examining commission made up of 3 experts was responsible for evaluating the projects, taking into account the impact that they would have had on the career and employability prospects of doctoral students; in fact, among the main objectives of the Nodes project is the increase in youth employment.   The 4 winning projects of the tender are focused on the innovation needs of the Ecosystem territory and in accordance with the research and innovation themes of Spoke 3. The PhD students will be employed in research based on digitalisation, technological development and the creation of innovative services to be used in the tourism and culture industry.   Graduatoria  

On Monday 12 June, at the University of Sannio in Benevento, the event for the presentation of cascade funding for Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry  (of which the University of Insubria is the leader) dedicated to companies in the South. After the initial greetings from the mayor, the Honorable Clemente Mastella, the "NODES- Digital and Sustainable North West" project was presented in detail, which will bring about 15 million euros for research activities and cascading tenders in favor of companies in the southern regions of the country. The University of Sannio, through the scientific responsibility of prof. Paolo Esposito, is the only university in Campania and in the South, together with the University of Salento, to be directly involved as a planning and scientific partner in the Nodes project. Also present at the meeting were the rector of the University of Sannio Gerardo Canfora, the director of Confindustria Benevento Anna Pezza and the president of ASI Benevento Luigi Barone.   Speakers: Raffaella Di Nardo, Research and Innovation manager of Nodes S.c.a.r.l, Barbara Pozzo, Research and Innovation manager of Spoke3, Piercarlo Rossi of the University of Turin, scientific director of the CIRIL project, and Luca Farfan, of the cascade funding Nodes Team of Unioncamere Piemonte which had the task of illustrating to the representatives of the companies present the procedures necessary to participate in the tenders. “Initially - explained Prof. Barbara Pozzo - the project envisaged a network of universities in the North but currently extends to universities in the South, including Unisannio. The initiative develops along two lines: that of research and that of development and support for small and medium-sized enterprises in the area; not only Samnite and Campanian, but of the entire South. A unique opportunity to participate in research projects and take advantage of the cascading tenders dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises that start now and end in September". Furthermore, during the day the CIRIL flagship project was presented which directly involves the University of Sannio as a partner of SPOKE 3. “CIRIL – clarified prof. Piercarlo Rossi – was created to apply emerging technologies such as augmented reality and mixed reality not only in the industrial sector but also in tourism and culture. In particular, a metaverse of culture declined alongside the territories can represent a valid contribution to the development of Italy". The CIRIL project will be conducted on a wider area, such as the Province of Benevento through the experience of the University of Sannio in competition with the development of the activities foreseen within the SHERIL Project (a project financed by the PNRR for the amount of 10 million Euros, of which UNISANNIO is the proponent and leader), reinterpreting the technological, green and digital transformation according to the enhancement of our heritage of art and culture, engine for the birth of new services and the establishment of an industry new generation culture in the South. "The activity - explained the Rector Gerardo Canfora - aims to investigate how to increase visitor attendance in lesser-known cultural areas through the adoption of ICT, as well as to implement new technological architectures that allow the construction of thematic and personalized itineraries, improving the design capacity of cultural sites through innovative tools for data collection and analysis”.  

From 26 May to 6 June 2023 DISSTE  (Department for sustainable development and ecological transition) of the Piemonte Orientale university and the study centre Upontourism host Prof. Harald Pechlaner, full professor of tourism and Director of the Entrepreneurship Center as Visiting Professor within the PNRR NODES Spoke 3 Project at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingoldtadt in Germany, Director of the Center for Advanced Studies of EURAC Research in Bolzano. Head is Prof. Stefania Cerutti, who from 1st June will in turn be Digital Visiting Professor of the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingoldtad. The field research activities include a busy schedule of interviews conducted in the Verbano Cusio Ossola area with people who live in/in the mountains (operators, producers, administrators, representatives, etc.), with the aim of collecting a database to develop research topics, project lines and publications: 29 May in Ossola, 30 May in Verbano, 4 and 5 June in Cusio. Furthermore, on 31 May the webinar titled "Culture & tourism or cultural tourism: perspectives of cultural heritage and sustainability" will be held at 2.00 pm at Villa San Remigio and live online, organized in collaboration with ArsUniVco. This will make it possible to feed the TOEP flagship project platform, to come into direct contact with some companies for cascade funding and in general to contribute to the development of the actions envisaged by Spoke3.   All information in the attached flyer or below link

On May 9, the presentation event of the cascading calls for Spoke 3, Tourism and Culture Industry and Spoke 5, Health Industry and Silver Economy was held in Lecce at the University of Salento. By adhering to the cascading tenders, the companies of the South will have the opportunity to take advantage of 2.5 million euros which can be used in the development and innovation of small and medium-sized enterprises, in the creation of new products and technologies and in research and stimulation of new production processes useful for the country's economic and industrial growth. The event took place in the conference room of the Rectorate which finds its place in a wonderful setting which is the historic center of Lecce in the presence of the Magnificent Rector of the University of Salento, Prof. Fabio Pollice who conveyed his greetings to all present. Representing the Universities and the Ecosystem were the Magnificent Rector of the University of Eastern Piedmont, prof. Gian Carlo Avanzi, the General Manager of the NODES Hub - Eng. Chiara Ferroni, the Project Managers of Spoke 3 and 5, prof.ssa Barbara Pozzo and prof. Marco Invernizzi and the project coordinator for the development of the territory of Unioncamere Piemonte, Dr. Micol Crostelli. At the end of the meeting, an important debate was held with the companies present from which the interest in the subjects dealt with and the need to forge virtuous synergies between companies and universities emerged.   The cascade calls for tenders for Line A - Mezzogiorno - Spoke 3 companies can be consulted below link        

Presented the flagship projects and the "cascade tenders" for companies This afternoon, at the Città Studi Biella Congress Center, the Nodes Project "Digital And Sustainable North West" was presented, selected by the Ministry of University as part of the investments envisaged by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the Spoke 3 – Tourism and Culture Industry. The press conference was attended by the President of Città Studi Biella Pier Ettore Pellerey, the Scientific Director of Spoke 3 Barbara Pozzo, the research and innovation manager of the NODES Hub Raffaella di Nardo, the pro-rector of the University of Turin Giulia Carluccio , Piercarlo Rossi from the University of Turin, Stefania Benetti from the University of Eastern Piedmont and Sara Lucca from ComoNext Innovation Hub. Spoke 3 - Tourism and Culture Industry, led by the University of Insubria, plays a very important role within the PNRR Nodes project "Digital And Sustainable North West". The partners involved in the project are: the University of Turin, the University of Eastern Piedmont, the University of Insubria, the University of Valle D'Aosta, Città Studi Biella and ComoNext Innovation Hub. Through its activities, Spoke3 intends to contribute to improving people's well-being through the use of all the material and immaterial forms in which culture and knowledge are expressed. The intent is to forge synergies between all the actors who work together to respond to these needs such as schools, universities, bookshops, cinemas, creative and cultural industries, museums, libraries, archives, the archaeological areas, the theatres. Spoke3's mission is to develop the territory and local culture by linking them to historical, artistic and architectural factors, to its natural beauties, as well as to other aspects which, in one way or another, are linked to the concept of creativity at the in order to encourage an entrepreneurial culture dedicated to sustainability. The reference research areas of Spoke3 concern the legal and economic aspects of the creative industries, the digitization of tourism companies, the introduction of the culture of sustainability in companies, the success factors of museums and more generally of the creative industries for development of tourism, information technology connected to the development of tourism and the enhancement of Made in Italy.    

The international event that will involve 40 students for three days of training and in-depth study of the territory is just around the corner. The Spring Food School (SFS) will be held from 12 to 14 April in Verbania, which is scientifically based on the work carried out within the "Food, Place and Wellbeing" project conducted by Oxford Brookes University (UK), the University of Insubria (IT) and Hertfordshire University (UK). An international project that sees the involvement of Italian researchers belonging to the University of Eastern Piedmont (IT) and the University of Genoa (IT). The course, structured over three days, was born from the strong desire to develop a training course that aims to offer participants adequate methodological and interpretative tools aimed at understanding the relationship between food festivals, well-being and cultural heritage. The SFS sees the combination of training activities and initiatives aimed at understanding and deepening the territory. The initiative will be very intense as the students will be involved in the creation of a final project work which will be presented at the final SpringSchool event (Geonight). Up to 40 Italian and foreign students will be able to take part in the SFS, some of whom will be able to enjoy scholarships consisting of free hospitality (B&B in shared room) in Verbania from 12 to 14 April.

A day of study and presentation of the Nodes project, «Digital and Sustainable North West» A day of study and presentation of the Nodes Project, "Digital and Sustainable North West", was held today at the University of Insubria, in the Cloister of Sant'Abbondio in Como. The scientific manager of the Spoke is Professor Barbara Pozzo, who together with Professor Mauro Fasano, Delegate of the Rector for Innovation and Technology Transfer, illustrated the activities that will be carried out in the area to the teachers and stakeholders. The Nodes Project, selected within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, involves seven universities with the aim of creating one of the 11 Innovation Ecosystems that the Ministry of University and Research has identified in order to support growth and the digital and ecological transition in Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta and in the westernmost provinces of Lombardy, namely Como, Varese and Pavia. Within Innovation Ecosystems, the University of Insubria will directly manage 9 million euros. The teachers of the universities collaborating in the kick off took part today: Piercarlo Rossi of the University of Turin, Katia Premazzi, Paolo Gheda and Marco Alderighi of the University of Valle d'Aosta, Stefania Cerutti of the University of Eastern Piedmont , Sara Lucca and Elena Zaffaroni of ComoNext, Paola Negro and Davide Dellarolle of Città Studi. Present and involved for Insubria: Andrea Bellucci, Roberta Pezzetti and Andrea Vezzulli from the Department of Economics; Simone Tini of the Department of Human Sciences and Innovation for the Territory; Sebastiano Citroni, Giuseppe Colangelo, Valentina Jacometti, Roberta Minazzi, Alessandro Panno and Giuseppe Porro from the Department of Economic Law and Cultures. The mayor of Como Alessandro Rapinese and Francesca Quagliarini, councilor with responsibilities for universities and youth policies as well as an Insubria law student, took part.   The vision of the project is to help improve people's well-being through the use of all material and immaterial forms in which culture and knowledge are expressed and to forge close synergies between all the actors who collaborate to respond to these needs: schools , universities, bookshops, cinemas, creative and cultural industries, museums, libraries, archives, archaeological areas, theatres. The mission of the project is therefore to develop the culture of the territories, linking them to historical, artistic and architectural factors, to its natural beauties, as well as to other aspects that are part of the industrial fabric and which are linked to the concept of creativity, to encourage an entrepreneurial culture committed to sustainability. The research areas involved concern the legal and economic aspects of the creative industries, the digitization of tourism businesses, the introduction of the culture of sustainability in businesses, the success factors of museums and more generally of the creative industries for the development of tourism, information technology connected to the development of tourism and the valorisation of Made in Italy. Many stakeholders present today in Sant'Abbondio: Federico Raveglia of Cooperativa Tikvà, Maurizio Moscatelli of Aquedotto Industriale, Alberto D'Errico Mantero of Seta SpA, Costanza Ferrarin of the Unesco Office, Fulvio Alvisi of the Italian Association of Textile Designers, Luca Malinverno and Franco Pigoli of Porini Srl, Edoardo Botta and Giorgio Maspero of Confartigianato companies Como, Alessandro Ventimiglia of the Silk Factory Past Students Association, Sauro Vicini of Cluster Smart Cities-Lombardy, Graziano Pagani of Confindustria Como, Alessandra Orsenigo, Luca Levrini, Graziano Brenna, Elisa Notaristefano and Claudia Striato of the Alessandro Volta Foundation, Andrea Taborelli of the Como Unesco Consulta, Livia Torterolo and Giulia Troglio of Dgs Spa and Porini Srl, Paolo Angelo Galbiati of Cna Lario Brianza, Francesca Rizzi.   The Nodes Project, as can be read in its scientific presentation, intends to strengthen and evolve the territorial Innovation Ecosystem in order to support the sustainable and inclusive growth of the reference territories, pursuing the objectives on the creation and development of research chains and industrial declined in the sectors identified in the research program, in accordance with the smart specialization strategies for regional research and innovation. Among the objectives of Nodes is also to support innovation on high-potential technological trajectories to develop new products and processes in existing small and medium-sized enterprises, stimulating research enhancement and technology transfer processes and increasing their competitiveness also at an international level. The creation of «Deep Tech» start-ups and spin-offs will be encouraged in the identified sectors, attracting additional venture economic resources, and digital transition processes will be supported also through new collaborative innovation paths and tools between start-ups, SMEs, Large Companies and the world of research, validating scalable and replicable intervention models. It will also contribute to the training of talents, up-skilling and re-skilling of personnel employed with advanced training and through innovative teaching approaches and their inclusion in the productive world, with a focus on the involvement of women in the STEM field and the innovation of the role of PhD in Industrial Optics.