The RETURN project (acronym for Multi-Risk Science for Resilient Communities under a Changing Climate) is a comprehensive partnership funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). This initiative aims to enhance research on environmental, natural, and anthropogenic risks at a national level, fostering participation in strategic European and global value chains. By advancing foundational knowledge and applying cutting-edge technology, the project bolsters key competencies, facilitates technology and knowledge transfer, and strengthens Italian governance in disaster risk management, engaging public administrations, stakeholders, and private enterprises.

Coordinated by the University of Naples “Federico II”, the RETURN partnership includes the Polytechnic University of Turin, leading Spoke 6 – TS2: Multi-Risk Resilience of Critical Infrastructures, and involves 26 partners. These include 12 universities, 5 research entities and competence centers, 6 private firms, 2 territorial entities, and the Civil Protection Department, with funding exceeding 115 million euros provided by the Ministry of University and Research. Managed by the RETURN Foundation, the project also features calls for enterprises, aiming to identify and support innovative startups, spinoffs, and SMEs focused on the prevention, management, and mitigation of environmental, natural, and anthropogenic risks. I3P, the Incubator of the Polytechnic University of Turin, has organized a series of events to disseminate the opportunities offered by the RETURN calls to its network of innovative startups and to engage young companies aligned with the sought technological solutions.

The fourth and final event in this series, dedicated to the vertical segment Environmental Degradation (related to Spoke VS4 of the project), will take place on Thursday, May 30, 2024, at 3:00 PM, as a free online webinar. During this digital meeting, held in Italian, the RETURN project and its calls for SMEs will be presented, with a focus on mitigating environmental degradation risks such as forest fires, anthropogenic impacts on marine-coastal ecosystems, and chemical contamination in the environment. Additionally, a startup from the I3P network will share its innovative entrepreneurial project in this field.

Event Details and Registration

To receive the webinar link, please register on Eventbrite.

Program:

• 3:00 PM: Opening remarks and introductory greetings by Negar Mokarram, Business Analyst at I3P
• 3:05 PM: The RETURN project and its calls for innovative SMEs – Ciro Del Vecchio, RETURN Foundation
• 3:30 PM: The Environmental Degradation vertical (VS4) and its applications – Marina Lipizer, Researcher at the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics (OGS)
• 3:50 PM: Presentation by a startup active in the relevant field
• 4:00 PM: Closing remarks and conclusion of the meeting