CREA UniCa, opening ceremony. The University sets its sights on innovation and development
University, researchers and business at the inauguration of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The ceremony. Huge involvement at the ribbon-cutting event of the CREA UniCa – Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship of the University of Cagliari, during which has been held Unica&Imprese’s 3rd edition: more than 100 Sardinian businesses met UniCa’s researchers. Maria Del Zompo, Rector, said: “Research is the backbone of the business”. Raffaele Paci, Autonomous Region of Sardinia, added: “The regional government supports the University in the making of those kind of forward-looking projects”. Marzia Cilloccu, councilwoman, municipality of Cagliari, said: “Cagliari owes its growth to the University”. The CREA has been designed in order to manage inter-disciplinary projects of the University of Cagliari. Among them, we must list the Contamination Lab UniCa, focused on the promotion of business culture and flagged as a best practice by the Italian Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Contamination UP, for the academic incubation, and Unica&Imprese.
The inauguration. More than 100 entrepreneurs have met with 47 professors and researchers. During those meetings useful information about the cooperation with UniCa has been given. There have been Sardegna Ricerche, Laore Sardegna and Jeca – Junior Enterprise Cagliari, each with its own infodesk, which received positive feedback. During the ceremony has been introduced an artistic contest reserved to the students of the University of Cagliari. The main theme is the relationship between creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. Works compete for: 1) Jury Award: 3 cash prizes (€ 1500, 1000 and 500); 2) Social prize: the winner can show her/his work in Ab Factory’s gallery (Cagliari, via Alagon) and put on a personal exhibit in the premises of the CREA UniCa. The ceremony has been the perfect scenario for the presentation of a list of competition notices for R&D and rural development. The notices have been introduced by Laore and the Autonomous Region of Sardinia. In conjunction, the Directory for Research and Development of the University of Cagliari presented a lot of opportunities to the public, such as spin offs, European projects and labs. UniCa’s own incubator, called Contamination UP, has been introduced to the general public along with other services and opportunities, such as exploitation of intellectual property, job placement, PhDs and funding opportunities for research projects.
Fruitful meetings. The enhancement of relationships with the University is a crucial step for the development of the local area. Unica&Imprese’s 3rd edition facilitates the match between university and local entrepreneurs. Unica&Imprese has been curated by Annalisa Bonfiglio, Vice Rector of UniCa, whose main goal is to strengthen the connection beetween researchers and entrepreneurs. CREA’s director, Chiara Di Guardo, is proud of having accomplished such a huge step, which has been in the works for quite a long time. Maria Del Zompo, Rector of UniCa, said research is the backbone of business. She felt happy for being part of the inauguration and for having witnessed young people and researchers meeting fruitfully. Similar thoughts have been shared by Raffaele Paci, councilman, Autonomous Region of Sardinia, and Marzia Cilloccu, councilwoman, municipality of Cagliari.
Happy hour. The event was succesfully accompanied by music, sparkling wine and Sardinian food. On the stage, the Manuela Mameli Quintet. The inauguration has been held in the garden located in via Ospedale, Cagliari, restored and returned to the community on the occasion of the event.
