Interdepartmental Centers supporting Businesses
Companies can find ideal partners in the Interdepartmental Centers of the Politecnico di Torino—partners who can help them become more competitive by solving technological and production challenges, developing new products, and optimizing manufacturing processes. All of this is made possible thanks to custom-built teams of specialized researchers who work closely with businesses, within appropriate timelines and using methods tailored to the specific needs of each project. This is the mission of the 13 Interdepartmental Centers, launched by the university in 2017, which now serve as a solid bridge between academia and the world of production.
“The Centers - explains Matteo Sonza Reorda, Vice-Rector for Research-, were created with two primary objectives. First, to attract funding that could help modernize the Politecnico’s laboratory and research infrastructure, and make it available for external services. Second, to establish clearly defined thematic entry points for businesses. It was both an organizational and financial investment.” From 2017 to 2020, a total of €46 million was invested—€36 million from the Politecnico’s own resources and the rest from INFRA-P regional grants, which support the creation, strengthening, and expansion of public research infrastructure.
The purpose and functioning of these Centers are further clarified by Gianmario Pellegrino, Rector’s Delegate for the implementation of the Interdepartmental Centers: “Essentially, they are physical and organizational platforms where researchers from different departments come together to share knowledge, collaborate on specific projects, and offer meaningful support to businesses and the broader community. Each center focuses on key topics, ranging from frontier research areas to regionally relevant issues.”
There are currently 13 centers (a full list with descriptions is available on the university’s website). The first five were created under direct initiative from the university and focus on: sustainable mobility, energy, advanced manufacturing, health and data science.
The other eight emerged from bottom-up proposals by researchers, and cover: water resources, urban planning, welding technologies, power electronics, photonics, service robotics, urban resilience, safety of civil infrastructures.
Each Center also provides experimental validation services for prototypes and processes, using the Politecnico’s advanced research infrastructure.
How to Get in Touch with the Centers?
Getting started is easy: companies can simply send a message via the dedicated website of the relevant Center, explaining their area of interest.
Pellegrino then says: “Initial contact is managed by the Coordinator of the Interdepartmental Centre: he reviews the request and forward it to colleagues from the most suitable departments. The goal is to build a customized research team based on the company’s needs. The team then presents the different collaboration opportunities the Center can offer. Each team member brings deep technical expertise and a strong spirit of collaboration, which are essential for fostering effective dialogue between research and business”.
Once the scope of collaboration is defined, the company is presented with a variety of engagement models, including: consulting and research contracts, joint projects funded by national or European programs, three-year PhD programs (including industrial PhDs), partnership agreements that can even include physical presence within Politecnico spaces.
“Special care - adds Pellegrino - is given to crucial aspects such as intellectual property management and the possibility for companies to recruit talented recent graduates.”
In the end, the real value for companies lies in the opportunity to better understand their challenges while also improving their competitiveness. This is made possible through access to a custom-built, multidisciplinary research team—designed around their unique needs.
21 February 2024 at 4.00 pm
Aula Magna "Giovanni Agnelli" - Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24
Interdisciplinary innovation: Politecnico's Interdepartmental Centres
Politecnico is organising an event to learn about the history, activities and proposals of the 13 Interdepartmental Centres and to come into direct contact with the research teams involved.
The event will begin with a presentation in the Aula Magna of the Main Campus, followed by a networking cocktail reception.