13 new start-ups arrive at the Innovation Hub in Rome Fiumicino
At the induction event of startups from around the world – Aeroficial Intelligence, A&K Robotics, ArgosAI, Auxilia, Designhubz, Essential Aero, Guimu Robot, HamsaID, Matroid, ReLearn, Proteso, Wintics and ZestIOT – the Innovation Cabin Crew of Aeroporti di Roma organized three workshops on the future challenges of the three most important airport trends: passenger experience, airport security and process automation. During the day, guests invited to the event also had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with start-ups and members of the Innovation Cabin Crew.
“We are celebrating the launch of the second Acceleration Program at Aeroporti di Roma,” said Emanuele Calà, Vice President Innovation and Quality of ADR. “We have more than 70 colleagues from all over the world: airports, airlines and startups representing three continents and more than 20 nationalities, gathered here to attend the presentation of the 13 projects that will be developed in the Innovation Hub of Terminal 1 of Fiumicino, with startups, partners and members of the Innovation Cabin Crew at Aeroporti di Roma”.
The startupers installed at the Innovation Hub of Fiumicino, the first Italian industrial accelerator in the aeronautics sector, will have to solve over the next six months the eight challenges proposed by the second call for ideas: predictive maintenance, improve terminal processes, improve operations airside, passenger experience, community and sustainability, environmental impact, business opportunities, disruptive solutions.
To carry out this second cycle of the acceleration program, Aeroporti di Roma has provided not only greater economic support, to the tune of 105,000 euros, but – in return for a positive result of the projects – the possibility for start-ups to count on potential business opportunities of up to 2 million euros and support for future investment rounds thanks to the financial support of ADR Ventures, a corporate vehicle created by ADR to start the activities of Corporate Venture Capital. This is the first initiative of its kind in the air transport sector in Italy and aims to finance the development of projects in areas with high innovation potential. Among the main objectives of the new company are the management of investments in the capital of start-ups, the monitoring of companies in which investments have been planned and the identification, through dedicated research, of potential target companies, characterized through growth and functional perspectives. the creation of new services and solutions to build, with Aeroporti di Roma, the airport of the future.
ADR has chosen to focus on creating an innovation model – both outward and inward looking – based on spreading the culture of open innovation to facilitate the development of a ecosystem based on cooperation with large companies and industrial groups. , academic institutions and start-ups that share the same energy and digital transition objectives. To further strengthen the international network dedicated to innovation, Aeroporti di Roma launched and promoted in 2022 together with AENA, the world’s leading airport operator in terms of number of passengers, the “Airports For Innovation” network. In 2023, Munich (in June 2023), Vancouver, Dallas Fort Worth, Nice and Athens joined the network. More than 500 million passengers are welcomed by the network and therefore involved in innovative joint solutions.
