The Basilicata Open LAB Co-Innovation Awards have been presented

The first edition of the programme to support innovation and entrepreneurship, Basilicata Open LAB, ended with the presentation of the Co-Innovation Awards.

The selected projects were awarded a cash grant and the opportunity to gain access to a three-month experimental development support programme with mentors and coaches from PoliHub and Joule.

The initiative dedicated to the Basilicata Region was brought to life by Eni, with the support of Shell Italia E&P through Joule, Eni's school for business, and with the partners PoliHub and Consorzio ELIS.

“Our experience over the past few years supporting entrepreneurial development in Basilicata,” says Mattia Voltaggio, Head of Joule, Eni's school for business, “has been appreciated by the local area and institutions.” “This is why we have extended our scouting from agritech to bio-energy to sustainable mobility and smart cities. The solutions identified range from new materials to fuel efficiency, from reducing water waste to sustainable packaging. The numbers tell the story of this commitment: 120 start-ups from all over Italy responded to our innovation call, and 50 companies from Lucania applied to develop projects, generating more than 200 business matches. Through the ‘Lucania Camp’,” Voltaggio concludes, “we have trained 24 young talents by providing the skills of our mentors, and now the innovation desk aimed at start-ups, spinoffs, and entrepreneurial teams is about to start up, which is set to become a local reference point for anyone who wants to do business in the Basilicata region.”
   

The six winning projects, consisting of start-ups from all over Italy and a company from Lucania, are:

• SABIA & C – RehouseIt
  Rehouseit and Sabia & C. will experiment with the use of an environmentally friendly material, which replaces the material currently used for the backfilling and reinstatement of the excavation for laying gas distribution pipelines.
• Bloom – SMUSH Materials
  The collaboration between SMUSH and Bloom aims to develop new packaging for the company's products from the by-products of lavender distillation that it generates, giving the start-up the opportunity to test a new industrial application of mycelium.
• Ranch Vito – Green Greener
  The innovative start-up Green Greener and Ranch Vito will conduct a trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the biostimulant GG1 in improving the yield of organically grown crops in response to the challenges of climate change. This trial aims to provide solid data on the potential of advanced biotechnological strategies in sustainable agriculture.
• Michele Leone - SunCubes 
  SunCubes and the Michele Leone farm will experiment with a wireless charging system for drones using laser technology. The aim is to increase the autonomy of these devices, enabling crops to be monitored more accurately and precisely.
• DG Impianti – PIPEIN
  The PoC proposed by PIPEIN | Deep Diagnostic Robotics and DG Impianti involves inspecting a section of pipe belonging to the Pertusillo vector located in the municipality of Missanello (PZ). The test involves 3D reconstruction using laser telemetry from a drone and internal photogrammetry from an ROV aimed at assessing the pipeline’s state of disrepair.
• Cascione Autotrasporti – Keet
  Keet and Cascione Autotrasporti intend to test the startup's solution on a selected sample of the company's trucks in order to generate a solution that can enable logistics and transport companies to accurately monitor CO2 emissions for the preparation of the sustainability report, which will be mandatory from 2025 for medium and large Italian companies. The solution also allows drivers to improve their driving style, helping to reduce CO2 emissions for every kilometre travelled.

A special mention goes to DIAN and Overspace Aviation for the potential impact of the proposed test on the local area, which aims to use drones and satellites to ensure water quality, starting with the innovative monitoring of the Monte Cotugno dam in the Basilicata region.

Basilicata Open LAB is one of the Development Projects promoted by the co-holders of the Val d'Agri Concession under the New Protocol of Intent (so-called “Non-Oil” projects). The Call for Innovation that led to the selection of the winning projects focused on four key sectors: bioenergy, agritech, construction and sustainable mobility, with the aim of generating innovative experiences in the Lucania area thanks to the support of specialist expertise and funding.