On February 25, 2026, the Social Innovation Campus will inaugurate its seventh edition withthe Opening Event at MIND – Milano Innovation District, officially kicking off two days dedicated to the new generations and the challenges of social innovation.

An event that focuses on the theme of "Places of the Future," understood as physical, symbolic, and relational spaces where ideas, talents, and visions come together to imagine and build new scenarios with social, technological, and cultural impact. The event brings together authoritative voices from the worlds of academia, research, business, and the social economy, offering opportunities for dialogue, discussion, and inspiration that pave the way for the Campus.

The Opening Event Program

“TALENTS 4 SOCIAL INNOVATION PLACES OF THE FUTURE”

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 – 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

In person at MIND Milano – Big Theatre

 

Opening Event 2026

 

9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. •Participant registration 

PART I – PLACES OF THE FUTURE AND SOCIAL INNOVATION

9:30–10:00 a.m. • DIALOGUE ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND HUMANISM IN THE PLACES OF THE FUTURE

  • Marina Brambilla, GERMANIST. Full professor and Rector of the University of Milan
  • Mario Calderini, ECONOMIST. Full professor at the Politecnico di Milano, President of the Scientific Committee of the Social Innovation Campus and Academy at MIND.

 

10:00 a.m. – 10:40 a.m. • TALENT, PLACES, AND SOCIAL INNOVATION Questions from hackathon team students to Campus partners

  • Andrea Ruckstuhl, Group Executive International Lendlease – Places ofsocial impact
  • Igor de Biasio, CEO of Principia – Places ofsustainabledevelopment
  • Gianmario Verona, President of Human Technopole –Research locations
  • Giuseppe Venier, CEO of Umana –Workplaces
  • Roberto Crugnola, CEO of IRCCS Galeazzi Hospital – Sant’Ambrogio – Places ofCare

 

10:40 a.m. – 11:10 a.m. •DIALOGUE ON AI, NEW TECHNOLOGIES, AND ACCESSIBLE PLACES

  • Giovanni Azzone, Presidentof Fondazione Cariplo
  • Matteo Mille, ChiefSales Enablement & Operations,MicrosoftItaly

Starting with the presentation of the winning projects from the STEM Talent Hackathon for Social Innovation:

  • Team BrainSTEM: SOFIA(Physiologically Adaptive Museum Orientation System for Neurodiversity)
  • Team AI’ll win + B4vision: AliDigitali, immersive technology for exploring the world

 

11:10–11:15 a.m. • CHALLENGES FOR THE CITIES OF THE FUTURE Students from IC Cannizzaro in Rho present the challenges of the Hackathon

 

PART II – PLACES OF COOPERATION TO FACE THE FUTURE

11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p .m.• SHOW: “US OR THEM – THAT IS THE QUESTION,”  by Taxi 1729

 

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. • COLLABORATION AND COMPETITION

Young ambassadors of cooperation engage in dialogue with:

  • Massimo Minelli, President of the Triulza Foundation
  • Maurizio Gardini,President of Confcooperative (*)
  • Renato Zaghini,President of the Grana Padano Protection Consortium
  • Fabrizio Grillo,President of Federated Innovation @MIND

(*) Speakers to be confirmed

Reserve your place now for the Opening Event on February 25 at 9:30 a.m.