The University of Bologna Wins at the Intellectual Property Awards

A device designed at the University of Bologna to absorb impacts in helmets has won an Intellectual Property Award, the national competition that celebrates innovation by recognizing the best patents from public research.

Organized by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, in collaboration with the public research promotion network Netval and the government agency Invitalia, the competition is open to universities, public research institutions, and scientific research hospitals with patented innovations.

This year, the University of Bologna reached the finals with three patents across different categories. In the Agritech category, Matteo Golfarelli, professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, presented an innovative IT system to monitor and predict soil moisture levels, optimizing irrigation during hotter months. In the Energy of the Future category, Leonardo Setti, a researcher at the Department of Industrial Chemistry "Toso Montanari," proposed a device that generates continuous electric current through alkaline oxidation of organic waste materials. Finally, in the Future of the City category, Giuseppe La Fauci, a research fellow in the Department of Civil, Chemical, Environmental, and Materials Engineering, showcased a protective helmet device that mitigates both perpendicular and tangential impacts, reducing the risk of severe head injuries.

It was this last innovation that secured first place in its category, winning the €10,000 prize. The judges highlighted its significant contribution to road safety: "This technology addresses current needs for improved road safety, providing enhanced protection against brain injuries, a critical issue for users of two-wheeled vehicles."

The awards ceremony was held in the Salone degli Arazzi at Palazzo Piacentini in Rome, the headquarters of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy. The event was part of the celebrations marking the 140th anniversary of the Italian Patent and Trademark Office and was attended by Deputy Minister Valentino Valentini, the Head of Enterprise Policy Amedeo Teti, Netval President Giuseppe Conti, ministry and Invitalia officials, and the Chair of the Women's Enterprise Committee.

This year’s competition attracted 225 entries, narrowed down to 30 finalists - five for each of the six thematic areas: Medtech, Climatech, Agritech, The Energy of the Future, The Future from Space, and The Future of the City. A special "Women’s Entrepreneurship" award, funded through PNRR resources, recognized patents developed by research groups comprising at least 50% women.

In addition to the monetary prizes, winning patents will be featured in the exhibition "Brevetti", the closing event of the 140th-anniversary celebrations of the Italian Patent and Trademark Office, to be held at Palazzo Piacentini.