Nine finalist teams, five countries and one shared ambition: turning academic knowledge into innovative solutions to real-world challenges. On 9 October 2026, the UNITA Challenge Arena brought European student talent to Turin for the final stage of an international competition organised by UNITA – Universitas Montium and hosted by the University of Turin, coordinator of the Alliance.
From local ecosystems to a European stage
The Challenge Arena marked the culmination of an ambitious initiative developed across the Alliance during 2026. In collaboration with 28 external partners, UNITA universities organised 10 local challenges, involving nearly 580 students and researchers working in 139 teams.
Each challenge was designed around real needs identified by companies, organisations and local innovation ecosystems, encouraging participants to develop creative, entrepreneurial and interdisciplinary solutions.
The nine finalist teams, representing universities from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Romania and France, gathered at CTE NEXT – Casa delle Tecnologie Emergenti di Torino to pitch their projects before an international jury.
Their proposals addressed a wide range of challenges, from renewable energy, environmental sustainability and industrial innovation to healthcare, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, demonstrating the potential of challenge-based learning to connect higher education with societal and economic needs.
An international jury connecting universities and innovation
The finalists presented their solutions to a distinguished international jury bringing together expertise from public institutions, business development, investment and university entrepreneurship.
The jury included Sergio Strozzi, Head of Innovation, Technology and Startups at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Alessandra Scotti, Institutional Relations & Scouting Manager at LIFTT; Elena Deambrogio, Head of Smart City, Innovation and EC Projects Unit at the City of Turin and CTE NEXT Programme Manager; Pete Karumo, Program Lead & Mentor-in-Residence at Helsinki Incubators, University of Helsinki; and Benoit Buntinx, Director of New Business Creation at EIT Food and Managing Director of AgriFoodInvest.
The event was organised under the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and ICE – Italian Trade Agency, and formed part of the side-event programme of Wave by Vento, connecting the Alliance with the wider European innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
And the winner is…
Congratulations to SynapTrace from Universidade da Beira Interior, winner of the UNITA Challenge Arena 2026!
Second place for IngeCER from Universidad Pública de Navarra and third place for UCD for the University of Turin.
The winning team will continue its international journey at Slush 2026 in Helsinki, on 18–19 November, participating in the Italian Pavilion programme through a dedicated University of Turin session.
More than a competition: building a European innovation community
Beyond the final pitches, the UNITA Challenge Arena demonstrated how challenge-based learning can transform students and researchers from learners into active innovators, connecting academic knowledge with the needs of businesses, communities and territories.
By bringing together universities, industry partners and innovation experts across national borders, the initiative strengthened entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary collaboration and international networking.
The message from Turin was clear: innovation grows when universities, people and ideas connect across borders. And this is precisely the ambition of UNITA – to turn European cooperation into tangible opportunities for its academic communities and their territories.
Watch the event on the UNITA Yotutube channel
