Italy’s Aeroporti di Roma has issued a ‘call for ideas’ ahead of the establishment of a startup incubator within Fiumicino Airport. The aim of the incubator is said to be the creation of a strategy oriented toward the enhancement of open innovation. Aeroporti di Roma has formed a partnership with Plug and Play Tech Center, a global innovation platform that unites startups and companies ready to collaborate and innovate within their respective industries, and LVenture Group, which invests in digital startups and aims to accelerate the development of products and services from prototype to market.
Until November 15, startups from around the world are invited to propose, in Italian or English, ideas and projects that could redefine passengers’ use of the airport infrastructure.
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The six startups ultimately chosen by ADR will be able to work on their projects within the innovation hub. Claimed to be the first industrial incubator in Italy, it will be operational at Fiumicino Terminal 1 at the start of 2022.
“With the launch of the first call for ideas, we complete the first phase of our open innovation strategy. A strategy based on the desire to create an ecosystem of cooperation to achieve the energy and digital transition objectives of the Fiumicino and Ciampino Airports,” commented Emanuele Calà, VP of innovation and quality at Aeroporti di Roma. “Today, we are ready to work with startups by investing in their ideas, not only in economic terms but above all in terms of know-how and skills, promoting and encouraging the development and growth of new companies and entrepreneurs, generating a phenomenon of synergy throughout the entire national airport system.”
The initial call for submissions proposes six different areas of potential development: improving flight punctuality and increasing airport capacity; creation of data-driven systems for planning and real-time management of airport spaces; projects aimed at reducing energy consumption and increasing the use of renewable energy; identification of new services dedicated to enriching the passenger digital experience; automation of processes and controls within the airport; solutions dedicated to omnichannel commerce.
During the five-month incubation period, the selected startups will have the opportunity to collaborate with the Innovation Cabin Crew team – a group of 30 innovators within Aeroporti di Roma, which will provide support to grow their projects, coupled with economic support from ADR.
Aeroporti di Roma will guarantee overall minimum financial support of €390,000 to the startups, with the possibility of increasing this sum during the program. Potential participants can submit their proposals at www.adr.it via a portal within the Innovation section of the site.