Innovation and connections at the heart of the first in-person event of the second edition of RAISE up
On Thursday, April 10, 2025, Villa Durazzo Bombrini in Genoa hosted the first in-person event of the second edition of RAISE up, the Mentorship Program promoted by Spoke 5 and supported by PwC Italy and I3P – Incubator of the Politecnico di Torino.
The initiative was part of the Robot Valley Genova program and served as a valuable opportunity for companies, researchers, and innovation stakeholders to meet, with the goal of encouraging dialogue between applied research and the industrial world.
The event, titled Innovation Showcase 2025, focused on technological innovation and its concrete applications.
Participants were welcomed in the early afternoon and received informative materials to help them navigate the program. The opening session provided an overview of the RAISE up journey, with a particular focus on the second edition and its main objectives. Following this, the exhibition area was officially opened, where the selected teams presented their projects.
The exhibition featured thematic booths, explanatory posters, and working prototypes, giving attendees the chance to explore the proposed technological solutions up close. The direct interaction between teams and visitors encouraged the exchange of ideas, suggestions, and feedback that could help refine the projects and potentially spark new collaborations. A key part of the event was the networking session, structured through guided tours of the booths and one-on-one meetings, which facilitated focused and meaningful exchanges between researchers and representatives from the business world.
Throughout the day, an information desk was also available, dedicated to presenting the RAISE up Program and welcoming new entities interested in joining the mentorship path.
Thirteen teams were featured, divided into four thematic areas. In the field of inclusive technology design, projects included EASE VR, a virtual reality system for training people with motor disabilities, RAISE Walker, a Bluetooth keyboard to enhance urban accessibility, and WEMoS, a device that suggests optimal urban routes using a machine learning model.
In the area of smart technologies for the healthcare of the future, the event showcased solutions for rehabilitation and early diagnosis, such as DANTE, FitFES, Transfreq, REWIRE, and NEUROPEN, offering innovative tools for clinical assessment and neuromotor stimulation.
The ecorobotics section highlighted advanced tools for environmental protection, including BAR, BioVibes, AquaSense, and a highly configurable ROV system for marine monitoring. Finally, in the category dedicated to robotics and artificial intelligence for ports and the maritime industry, the team PuriFiCaTiO₂ presented a photocatalytic felt designed to purify air and water by degrading organic pollutants.
The event concluded in the late afternoon after an intense networking session. Participation was subject to registration, a sign of the growing interest in initiatives that prioritize knowledge sharing, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovation in service of society.
