Tailored innovation for businesses: the value of Politecnico’s Partnership Agreements
The multi-year Partnership Agreement (AdP) is the “master key” available to companies to build a strong, ongoing relationship with Politecnico, by developing industrial research and specialized training, connecting with new talent and, through the University’s network, with new business partners.
A strategic instrument in which Politecnico strongly believes, as highlighted during the latest “RETE in Tour” networking event, organized with Edison at the Officine Edison of the Energy Center of Politecnico di Torino on March 26, 2026. The Rete delle Eccellenze TEcnologiche (RETE) is the network of the University’s strategic industrial partners.
It is a tool that allows companies to access in a structured way all the opportunities offered by the University: from applied research to doctoral programs and advanced training, including direct contact with students and recent graduates. Through the AdP, companies can develop tailored projects, create dedicated training paths, and identify new talent. At the same time, they connect with a broader ecosystem composed of other companies, expertise, and collaboration opportunities.
Over the years, Politecnico has developed dedicated offices and structures to design and implement AdPs tailored to each partner’s needs. These include the School of Specializing Master’s Programme and Lifelong Learning, for upskilling and reskilling, the Career Hub, which connects companies with students, and the Corporate Relations office, the single point of access that coordinates Politecnico’s various opportunities. These offices work alongside AdP’s scientific coordinator, the central figure in the collaboration: the researcher who guides and advises the company, facilitates dialogue with laboratories and expertise, and helps translate needs and opportunities into concrete projects.
Signing an AdP means establishing an ongoing, flexible partnership, shaped around the company’s needs and designed to evolve over time. This gives the company privileged access to the opportunities offered by Politecnico, through a mutual commitment that starts with a needs assessment and results in a tailored agreement, structured to adapt and grow as the collaboration develops.
RETE, the network of Politecnico’s strategic partners, is a space for discussion and collaboration, where companies can share experiences, explore emerging technologies, and generate development opportunities. RETE meets periodically through the “RETE in Tour” events, hosted in rotation by one of the partners. During the latest RETE meeting, Alberto Pasanisi, Director of Research Development & Technological Innovation at Edison, stated: “The Partnership Agreement allows us to be part of Politecnico di Torino’s research and innovation ecosystem, a center of excellence in Italy and worldwide. It means sharing resources for developing advanced research activities in the field of energy transition. In this spirit, since 2018 we have been operating from the Officine Edison at the Energy Center, a physical space where our researchers work daily alongside Politecnico researchers and professors. Together, they combine expertise and equipment to drive innovation in the energy sector”.
With AdPs and through RETE, Politecnico collaborates with companies on equal terms, acting as an accelerator of research and technology. For this reason, AdPs are not simply contracts, but shared pathways based on trust, vision, and common objectives.