Area Science Park launches €1M ‘Deep Tech Revolution’ to support high-impact innovation

Area Science Park, a public research organisation under Italy’s Ministry for Universities and Research, has announced the launch of Deep Tech Revolution, a €1 million programme aimed at accelerating breakthrough innovation in frontier research. The initiative will support five high-tech projects with non-reimbursable funding of up to €200,000 each, targeting four strategic sectors: materials science, advanced digital technologies, green energy, and life sciences.

The funding is divided evenly between direct financial support and specialised services. For the first time, researchers and start-ups will receive privileged access to high-tech facilities, including the Laboratory of Genomics and Epigenomics, the Electron Microscopy Lab, and the Data Engineering Lab. Participants will also benefit from tailored business acceleration, capacity-building bootcamps, and curated networking opportunities with global research and innovation hubs through two international study visits.

Open to start-ups, spin-offs, individual researchers, and research teams, the programme seeks projects that demonstrate the technical feasibility and market potential of deep tech innovations. Applications will be evaluated by an international panel based on innovation level, societal impact, scalability, and the ability to leverage Area Science Park’s infrastructure. The application deadline is 30 June 2025.

Area Science Park President Caterina Petrillo highlighted the initiative’s long-term vision: “We chose to invest in this programme with our own resources because we believe deep tech solutions, though not always immediately market-ready, have the power to create paradigm-shifting change. Supporting this kind of innovation is essential to our mission and to societal progress.”

Deep Tech Revolution forms part of Area Science Park’s broader strategy to integrate SME innovation services with the creation of technology start-ups and advanced research infrastructure. By promoting disruptive ideas with strong societal relevance, the initiative underscores the Park’s commitment to fostering the next wave of transformative technologies.