The RETURN project (acronym for Multi-Risk Science for Resilient Communities Under a Changing Climate) is an extensive partnership funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). It aims to strengthen the research supply chains in environmental, natural, and anthropogenic risks at the national level, promoting participation in strategic European and global value chains. By enhancing fundamental knowledge and applying technology, the project contributes to the strengthening of key competencies, technological and knowledge transfer, and Italian governance in disaster risk management, involving public administrations, stakeholders, and private enterprises.

The RETURN partnership, coordinated by the University of Naples “Federico II”, includes participation from the Polytechnic University of Turin, leading Spoke 6 – TS2: Multi-Risk Resilience of Critical Infrastructures, and involves 26 partners, including 12 universities, 5 research bodies and competence centers, 6 private entities, 2 territorial bodies, and the Department of Civil Protection, with funding of over 115 million euros from the Ministry of University and Research. Among the activities managed by the RETURN Foundation are calls for enterprises: the project aims to identify and support innovative startups, spinoffs, and SMEs specializing in the prevention, management, and mitigation of environmental, natural, and anthropogenic risks. The program also includes I3P, the Incubator of the Polytechnic University of Turin, which has organized a series of events to disseminate the opportunities of the RETURN calls to the network of innovative startups and engage young enterprises that align with the sought technological solution types.

The second event in this series, dedicated to the vertical area Multi-Risk Resilience of Critical Infrastructures, will take place on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at 2:00 PM, in an online webinar mode with free participation. During the digital meeting, which will be held in Italian, the RETURN project and its calls for SMEs will be presented, with some scientific insights; a startup will also share a testimonial of its entrepreneurial project in the field of increasing the resilience of an area after a catastrophic event or natural disaster.

To receive the link to join the webinar, it is necessary to register on Eventbrite.

The first webinar of the series, held on March 21, 2024, on the vertical area Ground Instabilities, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes, is available on the YouTube channel of I3P.

Schedule

• 2:00 PM | Opening of the webinar and introductory greetings by Negar Mokarram, Business Analyst at I3P
• 2:05 PM | In-depth presentation of the RETURN project and its calls for innovative SMEs – Ciro Del Vecchio, RETURN Foundation
• 2:30 PM | Activities of Spoke 6 – TS2: Multi-Risk Resilience of Critical Infrastructures – Gabriele Freni, Co-Leader of Spoke TS2
• 2:50 PM | Presentation of a startup active in the Multi-Risk Resilience of Critical Infrastructures (TS2)
• 3:00 PM | Thanks and conclusion of the meeting