The RESTART project at the Politecnico di Milano has officially started. RESTART stands for“RESearch and innovation on future Telecommunications systems and networks, to make Italy more smart”. The project is structured as an extended partnership funded by NRRP resources, which involves 12 universities, 3 national research institutes and 10 private entities. It aims at creating a network connecting universities, research institutes, private citizens, businesses and public administrations to improve our country's ability to use telecommunications in a wide range of sectors such as agriculture, commerce, energy production and distribution, finance, industry, healthcare and mobility.
Extended partnerships are developed within the scope of Mission 4 - component 2 of the NRRP with the objective of strengthening the supply chains of fundamental and applied researchat a national level and to amplify the impact of such research activity on strategic, European and global value chains. This component focuses on technology transfer and on the creation of a solid and structured ecosystem for research and innovation, which is crucial for the country's competitiveness. Over the next 5 years about EUR 6 billion will be allocated to supply chain research and technology transfer: "component 2" concerns the transfer of scientific and technological results from research institutes to businesses. Over the long-term, this process aims at making the country more competitive from a technological, educational and productive point of view.
The Università di Tor Vergata is leading the RESTART project while the Politecnico di Milano will host the headquarters of the scientific direction, and prof. Antonio Caponeof the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineeringwill act as the scientific representative.
Thanks to the investment of EUR 116 million it will be possible to finance doctoral programmes and fundamental and applied research activities, projects to support the creation and development of start-ups and spin-offs, and training activities in collaboration with other universities and businesses. The project will encompass specific initiatives for industrial districts and the south of Italy as well, e.g. to support the design and construction of tech islands and ecosystems, such as private 5G/6G networks with related services and cloud edges. Digital transformation of businesses/administrations and business efficiency will be among the key points and the same goes for the creation of new businesses and the increase in their average size.
"The recent technological changes have triggered a transformation of the communication infrastructures so that now it is possible to conduct research in two directions which seem promising in terms of economic impact. On the one hand, we can programme the communication network by shifting innovation to software development where the entry barriers are lower, and in the meantime good ideas from researchers can have a strong impact on the economic fabric of a country like Italy. On the other hand, thanks to the unbundling of the network we can leverage our skills in basic technologies, even in niches, to foster innovation without having to compete with international giants in the sector."
stated Capone during the kick-off event at the Politecnico di Milano.
