From Research to Business: Innovation at the Heart of the Dialogue Between Politecnico and Nitto

The 2025 ATP Finals offered Turin not only world-class sport but also a chance to talk about innovation. The main partner of the event, Nitto, chose the occasion to launch its first meeting in the city, laying the groundwork for future collaborations in Turin and across Piedmont. The Japanese company, a global leader in advanced materials and technological solutions for sectors such as automotive, semiconductors and electronics, construction and many more, found in Politecnico di Torino the ideal partner. Taking advantage of the presence of managers from its various international sites, Nitto organised a moment of exchange on November 10 at the OGR. The title of the initiative clearly set the tone: NITTO Innovation Seeds Day 2025: Start-up and University Business Event.

The event opened with remarks from Dr. Yoichiro Sugino, Senior Vice President Deputy General Manager of EMEA, who outlined Nitto’s vision for a sustainable industry built on collaboration with start-ups and universities. He was followed by Dr. Sonia Di Giacomantonio, Sales Manager for the EMEA division, who offered an overview of Nitto’s industrial activities and its innovation strategy.

Representing Politecnico di Torino, Rector Stefano Corgnati brought greetings after his recent return from Japan, where a university delegation participated both in the opening of the new Japan Hub in Tokyo and in activities at the Osaka Expo. From October 2 to 4, thanks to a call from the Ministry of University and Research – MUR, the Politecnico had the opportunity to present a project inside the multifunctional space of the Italian Pavilion, showcasing its work to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Nitto then had the chance to get to know several research groups from Politecnico. Presentations were given by Marzia Quaglio and Sergio Bocchini from the Materials and Processes for Micro & Nano Technologies Group: Quaglio spoke about electrospinning of nanofibers, while Bocchini presented research on CO₂ capture and utilisation, hydrogen technologies, and self-healing materials. Both are part of the Department of Applied Science and Technology-DISAT. Next, DISAT professor Monica Ferraris presented the activities of GLANCE - Glasses, Ceramics and Composites group, focusing particularly on innovative thin films and coatings produced through sputtering techniques. The university contributions concluded with Ladislau Matekovits, professor at the Department of Electronics and Telecommunications-DET, who illustrated his work on antennas – key components for communications and data transmission – especially in relation to CubeSats, small satellites known for reduced costs, fast development, and ease of implementation.

After Politecnico professors and researchers, it was time for the start-ups. Among them was BeonD, represented by CEO and Politecnico alumnus Engineer Alessandro Ferraris. Founded in 2013 as a spin-off of the university, BeonD is now a high-tech start-up positioned to grow in the market thanks to its Advanced Engineering services.

This event marks only the beginning of a multi-year program: over the next two years, further meetings will delve deeper into research topics with the aim of co-designing initiatives that bring together the innovative needs of the industry and the university’s scientific excellence.