About us

The Foundation

The Foundation for Research and Innovation of the University of Florence is an organization dedicated to activating, catalyzing, and supporting innovation, understood as the set of technological, cultural, social, and economic development processes aimed at improving the quality of life of a community.

Specifically, the Foundation operates primarily within the metropolitan area of Florence.

The Foundation is jointly established by the University of Florence and the Metropolitan City of Florence, with the CR Firenze Foundation as a Supporting Member and the Florence Chamber of Commerce as a Participating Member.

WHAT WE DO

OUR STATUTE

STAFF

Marco Pierini

President and Vice-Rector of the University of Florence

“Perfect is the enemy of good”

Voltaire

Lorenzo Chiriatti

Vice-President

È Direttore Affari Legali per il Sud Europa di un primario gruppo europeo operante nel settore cloud, delle nuove tecnologie e del trattamento dei dati.

Alessandro Monti

General Manager

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.”

Albert Einstein

Franca Fauci

Senior Manager

“Before I say goodbye, I’d like to say something positive. But I don’t have anything positive to say. Will two negative things do?”

Woody Allen

Valeria Rossi

Administration Officer

“I’ve understood that a winner is worth no more than a loser”

Lucio Dalla

Francesca Brenzini

Communication Manager

“With my feet firmly planted on the clouds”

Ennio Flaiano

Micaela Surchi

Manager

“Everyone is the maker of their own fortune”

Sallustio

Chiara Guiggiani

Manager

“Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless”

Thomas Edison

Letizia Donati

Manager

“Every cloud has a silver lining”

Andrea Stegani

Manager

“Whisper your dream to a cloud. Ask the cloud to remember it”

Yoko Ono

Roberto Cerchierini

Accountant

“Anyone who ignores the laws of nature and economics does so at their own peril”

Joseph Stiglitz

FELLOW

Stefano Fantoni

Former Head of the Economic Development Department, Province of Florence

Alberto Del Bimbo

Professor, Department of Information Engineering, University of Florence

Marco Bellandi

Professor, Department of Economics and Business, University of Florence

Andrea Arnone

Full Professor of Machines and Fluids, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Florence

Collaborations

We believe that cooperation is an essential driver for developing innovative projects, strengthening communities, and generating lasting social impact.

Partnerships

The collaborations we have built over time represent a wealth of experience, skills, and relationships.

Through dialogue and the formation of alliances with public bodies and institutions, third-sector organizations, cultural entities, and private stakeholders, we promote shared pathways focused on innovation.

Participating in joint projects means actively contributing to processes of change, strengthening local networks, and experimenting with innovative models.

CTN-Cluster Tecnologico Nazionale sulle Tecnologie per le Smart Communities

On behalf of Ditbecs (District for Sustainable Cities and Cultural Heritage) and the Tuscany Region, we are part of the CTN Consortium, which plays an active role in coordinating and promoting technology transfer activities on Smart Communities. Its aim is to foster synergies between the research sector, businesses, and institutions.

DITECFER scarl – Distretto per le Tecnologie Ferroviarie, l’Alta Velocità e la Sicurezza delle Reti

The district aims to promote research and development activities, training, and scientific dissemination, as well as promotion in the fields of rail transport, urban mobility, ITS systems, and advanced logistics. It also carries out all activities necessary to support the competitiveness of companies operating in these sectors.

Collaboration Protocols

University of Florence

In July 2013, we signed a framework agreement to activate curricular and extracurricular training and orientation internships. We involve university laboratories in projects with companies, in networks of Innovation Poles and Districts, and in matchmaking events with businesses. We also organize events to promote research among universities, companies, and institutions.

University Service Center and University Incubator

We collaborate with the University Service Center to enhance research and manage the university incubator. This collaboration has been ongoing for several years and covers various projects: Innovation Poles, APRE Tuscany Desk, business/research matchmaking, Impresa Campus project, Competence Centers, orientation and career-start activities, metropolitan incubator system, and local networks.

Department of Industrial Engineering

We have a three-year agreement, automatically renewed since its approval on 20/06/2014. The agreement concerns collaborations within the DITECFER district.

Innovation Ecosystem

Through the framework agreement signed in 2017 between FRI, CsaVRI, Municipality of Florence, Nana Bianca, Impact Hub, and SSATI, the aim is to promote the development of Florence’s innovation ecosystem by supporting local start-ups and strengthening synergies among open innovation entities and their networks.

Shortlist di Sviluppo Toscana S.p.A.

We participate in calls of interest to join community projects in partnership with the Tuscany Region in the thematic areas of “Transport and Sustainable Urban and Territorial Development” and “Cultural Heritage.”

European Project Design Hub

The agreement with the Municipality of Florence provides for joint collaboration on the ‘European Project Design Hub’ project, aimed at carrying out all research and management activities necessary for project planning within European programs.