Area di intervento: Scientific Research Area

Berkeley SkyDeck Europe, Milan

Origins & Strategic Partnership

In 2021, Fondazione Cariplo and the Lombardy Region promoted the “Skydeck Europe, Milan” project, the result of a synergy between the University of Berkeley and Cariplo Factory. The main objective was to support the growth of academic spin-offs and innovative start-ups through a structured programme that fosters entrepreneurial development, research and technology transfer.

Mission & Leveraging Talent

The distinctive mission of “Skydeck Europe, Milan” is to support the best entrepreneurial talents, both in Italy and internationally, through an advanced training course. This pathway has been made possible by the engagement of scientists, business leaders, technology experts and investors, who provide skills and know-how to foster the growth of the start-ups selected.

Structure of Accelerator Programme

The acceleration activities take place at two hubs of excellence: Lombardy, especially in Milan and at the MIND Milano Innovation District, and Berkeley, in the United States. As part of the programme, expertise from the local university system is also leveraged. In the first year, the institutions offered start-ups a wealth of opportunities: networking meetings, themed workshops, testimonials from prominent key speakers and access to cutting-edge laboratory infrastructure for the testing of technological solutions.

Investment opportunities

At the end of the acceleration process, start-ups are given the opportunity to access investments provided by long-term investors. By 2024, six acceleration batches had been completed under the programme, with a total of over 4,000 applications submitted. The start-up investments were provided by Lendlease and Cariplo Initiative, which subsequently transferred the signed agreements and any start-up shares to GDA Impact, a new investment programme promoted by the Giordano dell’Amore Social Venture Foundation (FSVGDA) and the GDA Impact fund.

Rare diseases

In 2021, Fondazione Cariplo and Fondazione Telethon ETS embarked on a strategic collaboration aimed at supporting basic research in the field of rare diseases, both of genetic and non-genetic origin, with the common goal of expanding knowledge on genes and molecular mechanisms that remain unexplored, thus fostering the development of new therapeutic opportunities.

Basic research, especially in the field of rare diseases, is a crucial but still poorly supported sector in terms of investment, yet it is precisely this type of research on which are based many of the discoveries that pave the way for applied research and understanding of more common diseases.

The initiative between the two Foundations has already led to the publication of three editions of the joint call for proposals through which 59 research projects have been supported to date, with a total value of €14 million; 34 of these have been conducted by organisations working in the local areas where Fondazione Cariplo operates.

The originality of the model – which supports the study of genes, gene families, proteins and mRNA molecules, the function of which remains unclear – has also been acknowledged internationally, with a publication in the scientific journal Drug Discovery Today (March 2024).

In 2024, the two Foundations concluded the third edition of the joint call and, in light of the positive results obtained, decided to renew the collaboration by signing a second Framework Agreement for the three-year period 2025-2027, thereby consolidating a shared commitment to scientific knowledge and innovation in the field of rare diseases.

Physician Scientist

The “Physician Scientists” project was founded on the basis of the collaboration between Fondazione Cariplo and the AIRC Foundation for Cancer Research, with the aim of innovating and enhancing training courses for resident doctors interested in cancer research. Through the funding of thirty PhD positions spread over three cycles, the programme aims to promote the figure of the Physician Scientist within the Italian system, to encourage the integration between clinical activity and scientific research of excellence.   

A one-of-a-kind training pathway 

The programme includes high-level doctor training, with lectures, activities for the development of soft skills and the option of research placements abroad. It is aimed at resident doctors interested in cancer research and has two specific features. First of all, participants will have the opportunity to carry out an intense laboratory activity at high-level research institutes and holders of AIRC funding. Secondly, in all years of the doctoral programme, at least 20% of the time must be allocated to clinical activity. This structure, inspired by the best international models, enables development of interdisciplinary skills and application of scientific discoveries directly to medical practice. The inclusion in contexts of excellence and the close collaboration between universities, research institutes and clinical facilities ensure a comprehensive and highly rewarding training experience.

Institutional collaborations

Fondazione Cariplo and the AIRC Foundation have identified the University of Milan and the Doctoral School of the European School of Molecular Medicine (SEMM) as the most promising bodies with which to carry out this intervention. In particular, the PhD in “Systems Medicine” – the administrative headquarters for which are located at the University of Milan – involves six consortium universities (University of Naples Federico II, University of Trento, University of Turin, University of Bari, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome and Hunimed University, Milan) and eight research institutes located throughout Italy. This country-wide structure makes it possible to reach residents from all Italian regions, by launching a programme on a national scale. In addition, thanks to the aggregation of skills and the sharing of resources and infrastructure, the PhD in Systems Medicine is recognised by the Ministry of Universities and Research as a PhD of National Interest.

Impact and prospects

The “Physician Scientists” project represents an innovative model for the training of doctor-researchers in Italy, with the ambition of creating a new professional figure to combine clinical excellence and scientific research. The initiative aims to train a generation of doctor-researchers to quickly transfer research results to patients’ bedsides, contributing to innovations in precision medicine and the progress of cancer care. In addition to financially supporting the initiative, Fondazione Cariplo and the AIRC Foundation are also engaged in communication and advocacy activities to promote the institutional recognition of the Physician Scientist. The long-term goal is to encourage the establishment of the position of Medical Research Director and leverage the skills acquired by the participants, to facilitate their inclusion in key roles within the health and research system. 


 Safe local areas


Research into innovative solutions for communities at risk of landslides or floods

Due to its geographical position and morphological characteristics, Italy is particularly exposed to hydro-geological instability phenomena, such as landslides and floods.  

According to ISPRA data, 93.9% of Italian municipalities are at risk of landslides, floods or coastal erosion; 1.3 million people live in areas of landslide risk and 6.8 million in areas prone to floods. Fondazione Cariplo’s catchment area also shows critical issues related to both phenomena, with frequent landslides along the Alps and Apennines and floods in the lowlands.  

The consequences are significant both emotionally and economically, with damage to production activities, infrastructure and homes. Factors such as climate change, which intensify extreme weather events, unsustainable urbanisation, inadequate water management and fragile infrastructure further exacerbate the situation.  

In this scenario, the Safe Local Areas project came about, to support local research to prevent, monitor and manage hydro-geological risk, with the aim of increasing the safety and well-being of communities exposed to landslides and floods.
Thanks to the collaboration between the scientific community, local public bodies and organisations with specific expertise in the sector, innovative solutions for monitoring, accurate forecasting models and decision support systems will be devised, to guide strategic choices in risk management. 

The multi-year intervention is developing a participatory research system structured into two phases. In phase 1 (2024), a call for proposals was published, to select at least two projects focusing on landslide risk management and at least another two on flood risk, with the aim of supporting innovative solutions that can be transferred to other contexts.  Phase 2 will involve collaboration between fellow projects and pilots, to transfer and adapt the most successful strategies in local areas with similar issues, or to leverage the trials according to local specificities.  

The four pilot projects, funded in 2024, aim to develop and adopt innovative solutions to address the risk of landslides and floods at the trial sites. The initiatives kicked off in 2025 and will be implemented in the provinces of Brescia, Bergamo, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Milan and Lecco.  

Phase 2, focusing on the transfer of the most effective solutions to fellow projects, is scheduled for 2027. 

The four winning Phase 1 projects 


Floods

  • MOHYCAM Modified HYdrogeological hazards under complex ClimAte and environmental conditions: Monitoring activities and mitigation strategies
  • DROP: co-designed Decision support system and solutions for flood Resilience with and fOr People


Landslides

  • RESILIENT – Risk Evaluation and Smart Implementation of Landslide monItoring by citizen Engagement and New Technologies
  • TWINFALL- digital TWIN for rock FALL and flow in response to a climate change scenario 

SI – Scuola Impresa Famiglia

The SI – Scuola Impresa Famiglia (‘YES – School Business Family’) project began in 2018 as a strategic action in the field of school innovation, aimed at facilitating and enhancing the transition of students at technical institutes into the technological sector of the working world, now characterised by what has become known as the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”.

By mapping the needs of local areas and schools, Fondazione Cariplo takes concrete action to update school laboratory equipment and supports specific technical training for teaching staff, to make the educational offering more consistent and up to date with the needs of manufacturing companies and the system of professions.

To date, the SI Project has involved 76 state and private secondary schools in the technological sector, each with at least one educational pathway covered by the Foundation’s areas for action:

  • mechanics, mechatronics and energy
  • electronics and electrical engineering
  • information technology and telecommunications.

Fondazione Cariplo’s total investment of €1.5 million has made it possible to donate to schools over 60 cutting-edge technological solutions and 5,000 hours of training for teaching staff, thanks to the engagement and participation in the project of 36 leading companies in the 4.0 sector, the technological heart of the initiative.

Based on the experience that the students have gained in the new updated laboratories and to stimulate the propensity for continuous innovation, in May 2019 a competition was launched among the schools participating in the SI project for the creation of functional prototypes: the “SI_Fabbrica” competition gave students the opportunity to take part in a further innovative training experience, a hallmark of the entire SI project initiative.

The extension in 2020 of the SI Project to institutes of higher education that offer educational pathways in “agriculture, agri-food and agro-industry” stems from an analysis of the national context in Italy, showing that Industry 4.0 has also pervaded this sector. With this recent development in the project, we intend to encourage an even broader audience of institutions, with a view to new training needs that will need to enter into dialogue with the strategic technological areas for the innovation and competitiveness of the local areas in which we operate.

cariploCREW, Co-design for REhabilitation and Well-being, is a Fondazione Cariplo action aimed at research into and implementation of innovative technological solutions for the habilitation, rehabilitation and well-being of people with temporary, permanent or age-related vulnerabilities or disabilities.

cariploCREW takes as its starting point the paradigm of Responsible Research and Innovation – RRI, with the aim of developing research and innovation in an inclusive way, oriented towards responding to the needs of society.

From 2015 to date, cariploCREW’s activities have developed through

  • the cariploCREW project
  • the cariploCREW call for proposals.


cariploCREW project 

The purpose of the cariploCREW Project is to improve the quality of life of people living with vulnerabilities, through research, development and dissemination of technologies that can support people, their family members and caregivers in all areas of life.

To achieve this goal, a decision was made to adopt a global, integrated and multidisciplinary approach, based on the comparison between technical, scientific and medical knowledge, and know-how relating to other dimensions of personal life, such as the social, psychological and interpersonal spheres.

Technologies must reach the market, be accessible and respond to the concrete needs of people with vulnerabilities: to achieve this, a decision was made to trial the methodology of co-planning and co-design throughout.


cariploCREW project methodology 

A Control Room was set up to implement the project, formed by Fondazione Cariplo and Triwù, the company responsible for facilitating the working groups and the project internal and external communications. Fondazione Cariplo has set up an Advisory Board, consisting of Luca Leone (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore), Matilde Leonardi (“Carlo Besta” Neurological Institute Research Hospital Foundation) and Franco Molteni (Valduce “Villa Beretta” Hospital), to validate the method adopted and the monitoring of the design phases.

The activity addressed five different thematic areas, considered “promising” with respect to the project hypotheses:

  • paediatric neuromotor disabilities
  • motor practice and disabilities
  • school inclusion and autism
  • living environments for a new independence
  • living environments to maintain independence as we age.

Each individual thematic area gave rise to a workshop, attended by stakeholders from:

  • companies and start-ups
  • education and training, formal and informal
  • civil society and the third sector
  • research and clinical
  • policymakers.

The workshops trialled the co-design method: all interest groups were involved in a process to identify a solution to meet end users’ needs.

Stages of cariploCREW project 

Still underway, the project has been structured into several stages.

In Phase 0 (June 2014 – March 2015), the Control Room decided on the areas for action and subsequently identified and involved the stakeholders.

In Phase 1 (March – December 2015), five thematic workshops were developed. The outcome of the workshop activities is eight concepts, set out through the same number of project plans aimed at the development of the prototype, funded by Fondazione Cariplo. Participants contributed to the workshops free of charge, giving Fondazione Cariplo ownership of the intellectual property of the concepts.

Phase 2 in 2016 was managed by Fondazione Filarete and was aimed at building business plans, to facilitate the transition from concept to prototype and product.

Upon completion, the eight concepts were presented to an evaluation committee, six of which were selected for the prototyping phase.

Phase 3, still underway, focuses on the creation of six prototypes:

  • CAMBIO, a low-cost wheelchair usable in outdoor activities and amateur sport thanks to its variable set-up and traction change.
  • AQTIVO, an item to improve buoyancy and safe swimming for people with disabilities. Designed to help everyone regain the pleasure of independence in the water, it also facilitates rehabilitation.
  • MOSAIC, a multimedia kit to assist the transition into primary school, the first major milestone in socialisation, for children on the autistic spectrum.
  • PLAYABLE, a game for children with neuromotor disabilities that encourages the enhancement of skills and abilities through play and fun with friends and family.
  • BABY CREW, a modular and functional seat, to promote proper posture for children with neuromotor disabilities. Thanks to its modularity and careful design, the seat supports the child in their growth and enables them to participate in family life.

The industrialisation and marketing phases of the product/service will be preceded by the formalisation of an agreement between Fondazione Cariplo, the participants in the previous phases and the companies involved, aimed at preserving the innovative, participatory and ethical features of the cariploCREW project. The first agreement signed – in February 2021 – was with the MOSAIC working group, following the closure of the trial.

cariploCREW project, initial evaluations

From 2014 to date, the approach of Responsible Research & Innovation has been adopted in many calls for funding, from public and private bodies, which address the world of research and business. The engagement of users and citizens is now almost necessary in the countless situations in which choices and changes must be made or decisions have to be taken that will have a social impact.

CREW’s journey has been complex due to the difficulty of “bringing together” “strong” entities (universities, CNR, the Foundation itself) and “weak” ones (associations, citizens, freelancers), with different missions, interests and corporate or legal structures, in the contractual stages of financing, intellectual property and the reinvestment of profits.

The stakeholders, many of whom have followed up on the project since phase 1, positively evaluated their participation in the project, the sharing of experiences and knowledge, and the composition of the working groups, appreciating the experimental and “pioneering” character of the CREW project. These elements emerged during a final evaluation session focusing on the participants.

Participants in cariploCREW project
  • Companies and start-ups: AB Medica SpA, Arduini Design – Milan, Cris Srl – Turin, Fifth Ingenium – Milan, Fumagalli Srl – Ponte Lambro (Como), Legrand Group, I-maginary Srl – Milan, RAI – Turin, Road Runner Foot Engineering srl – Milan, We Make – Milan.
  • Education and training, formal and informal: Villasanta Comprehensive Institute, Villasanta (Monza and Brianza), School of Robotics – Genoa, TEACHC (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children) – Milan.
  • Civil society and third sector: Lombardy Children with Brain Damage non-profit association – Milan, ANCeSCAO – Milan, Angsa, National Association of Parents of Autistic Children – Milan, Niguarda Spinal Unit non-profit association – Milan, Fabula non-profit organisation – Milan, Fondazione ASPHI non-profit foundation – Bologna, Fight the Stroke – Milan, Your Words – Milan, Polisportiva Milanese 1979 Disabled Sports non-profit organisation – Milan, Italian Union for the Fight against Muscular Dystrophy – Milan.
  • Research and Clinical: ASST Niguarda Metropolitan Hospital – Milan, Domus Salutis Nursing Home – Brescia, ASST San Paolo Hospital – Milan, Centro Benedetta D’Intino non-profit organisation – Milan, CNR – Institute of Bioimaging and Molecular Physiology – Milan, CNR – IPCB, Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials – Lecco, CNR – ICMATE, Institute of Condensed Matter Chemistry and Energy Technologies – Lecco, CNR – ITIA, Institute of Industrial Technologies and Automation – Milan, Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi non-profit foundation – Milan, Fondazione Ca’ Granda Research Hospital, Maggiore Policlinico Hospital – Milan, Fondazione Carlo Besta Neurological Institute Research Hospital – Milan, INRCA Research Hospital – Ancona, Eugenio Medea Research Hospital at the “La Nostra Famiglia” Association – Bosisio Parini (Lecco), Villa Santa Maria Institute – Tavernerio (Como), Polytechnic University of Milan – Department of Industrial Design – Milan, Scuola Universitaria Superiore – Sant’Anna – Pisa, University of Milan – Department of Sports Sciences and Department of Health Sciences, Bicocca University, Milan.
  • Policymakers: Lombardy Region Directorate-General of Welfare and Schools Department – Milan.

cariploCREW call for proposals

Based on the experience of the CREW project, in 2019 Fondazione Cariplo launched the cariploCREW call for proposals, with Filarete Servizi and the support of the UniMi Foundation, in partnership with the Municipality of Milan, the University of Milan, the Giannino Bassetti Foundation, Assolombarda, the Lombard Life Sciences Cluster, Cariplo Factory, Italia Startup, the Vodafone Foundation, Polifactory, Nesta Italia, The Hub, Humans to Humans, Joint Innovation Hub.

The call supported entrepreneurial initiatives and projects aimed at developing innovative products and services that could be brought to market at sustainable costs and based on technologies with TRL – technology readiness level – equal to or greater than 3 (Proof-of-Concept or demonstration of feasibility).

The prize is an acceleration course and a networking day for the first 15 selected projects, cash prizes of a total of €65,000 for the top four projects and business plan services for the first six projects (4+2).

Fondazione Cariplo also wanted to create a favourable context for discussion. 

The call was also intended for organisations and associations that deal with services for people with disabilities and vulnerabilities – the Social Partners – so that a collaboration could be established between developers of innovative products and services and their users.

Organisations and associations fulfilling these characteristics have responded to the call for accreditation, making themselves available to find forms of collaboration with the participants in the CREW call.

The accredited associations participated in the networking day, where about 60 people competed, representing more than 30 associations (Social Partners) and 14 Business Initiatives and Projects.

In 2022, Fondazione Cariplo embarked on structured pathway to explore the issue of inequalities and support research in this area, nu launching the “Inequalities Research” Call for Proposals and creating the First Inequalities Report.

The Report is a valuable tool for developing a broad, informed vision of the phenomenon, from time to time exploring various dimensions and offering useful directions towards interpretation for action.
The First Inequalities Report, published in March 2023, analysed the roots and main dimensions from which inequalities of opportunity arise, highlighting how they are not only an obstacle for individuals but a loss for the entire community.

The Second Inequalities Report

Two years later, in 2025, Fondazione Cariplo issued the Second Inequalities Report, the result of a research process on the analysis of inequalities and leveraging human potential.

The aim was an in-depth understanding of the factors that limit or encourage the possibilities for growth of people and communities, by offering new data, analyses and perspectives to guide collective policies and actions.

The study highlights how economic conditions, family and place of origin strongly affect ‘personal flourishing’, but also how mentors and the community play a decisive role: the mentor is the spark that ignites growth; the network is the oxygen that feeds it.
Reducing inequalities requires a shared commitment and the construction of ecosystems of opportunities: only a system that can create favourable conditions enables people to fully develop their potential.

Neglected Tropical Diseases

An alliance between five European foundations – Fondazione Cariplo, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Fondation Mérieux, Nuffield Foundation and Volkswagen Stiftung – to support research by African scholars against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), a group of illnesses that continue to be overlooked both scientifically and therapeutically but are extremely aggressive, with one-sixth of the world’s population suffering from them. NTDs affect poor populations – 100% of countries classified as ‘low-income’ are affected by at least five NTDs simultaneously – in areas with a tropical climate. Of all the areas, sub-Saharan Africa is especially affected. 

The Foundations have budgeted €3 million (€850,000 from Fondazione Cariplo), to be allocated via a call for proposals to junior and senior African researchers (all with PhDs) required to take part – during their studies – in a mentorship with a European research institute. This serves as a means to invest in African human capital and at the same time to create a network of trans-national collaborations.

The high-profile scientific initiative awards its research grants via a peer review process that meets the most rigorous standards and concludes with a final selection meeting. The winning research projects apply a cross-sectoral methodological approach and explore certain scientific topics in depth by correlating them with specific local requirements. 

As part of the programme, three editions of “The African Fellowship Programme on Neglected Communicable Tropical Diseases and Related Public Health Research” call for proposals have been implemented. The first edition, in 2008, led to support for 14 research projects (with a financial commitment of €1.2 million). The second edition began in March 2009 and ended in February 2010 with the awarding of another nine research grants (totalling about €1 million). The third, completed in February 2012, awarded a further 10 research grants, for a total commitment of over €800,000. 

The project represents a great opportunity to develop ‘African’ capacity to conduct research and lay the foundations for the defeat of NTDs, diseases neglected not due to their rarity but because, despite their enormous spread, are ‘forgotten’. As evidence, bear in mind that under 1% of the 1393 active ingredients registered between 1975 and 2000 are associated with the treatment of an NTD.

However, unlike other infectious diseases, NTDs have not aroused the interest of policymakers, with recent exceptions. The initiative therefore also serves as a major opportunity for growth for the Foundations that have signed up for the partnership, to position themselves as leaders in the sector and simultaneously achieve the objectives of the World Health Organization, which has identified NTDs as an issue to which the attention of global society should be drawn.

AGER – AGroalimentare E Ricerca 

AGER – AGroalimentare E Ricerca (‘Agri-food & Research’) is a philanthropic initiative promoted by a consortium of 18 banking foundations, led by Fondazione Cariplo.  

Launched in 2008, AGER supports scientific research with a high impact of application in the Italian agri-food sector, with the aim of strengthening the competitiveness of agri-food supply chains through innovation and ensuring the sustainability of Italian agricultural production.  

Initiatives and results of first three editions of AGER 

During the first two editions, conducted from 2008 to 2015 and 2016 to 2022 respectively, a total of 32 multi-partner projects with a strong cross-sectoral approach were supported. The primary objective of these interventions was to encourage the development and adoption of innovative agronomic technologies and solutions, specifically aimed at eight strategic sectors of the Italian agri-food industry: cereal growing, fruit and vegetable growing, animal husbandry, viticulture, aquaculture, olive growing, mountain agriculture and dairy production. 

The third edition of AGER kicked off in 2021, with an even more marked focus on supporting research and innovation oriented towards sustainable agricultural production. In this phase, extra attention was paid to optimising the use of natural resources and the ability to face the challenges posed by climate change. 

One of the major interventions of this third edition is the “From soil to field” call for proposals, resulting the funding of three projects aimed at in-depth research into the soil microbiome. The aim of this study is to enhance the role of micro-organisms in promoting the health and fertility of Italian agricultural soils, while improving the efficiency in the use of water and nutrients. 

In late 2024, the “Protein Crops: innovations for sustainable nutrition” call for proposals was also promoted, designed to support research activities on new technologies and production processes aimed at improving the quality and sustainability of leguminous crops. The ultimate goal of this initiative is twofold: on the one hand, to encourage the diversification of protein sources in the diet; on the other, to promote an increase in the use of plant-based proteins, in line with the latest needs for food sustainability. 

Overall, the Foundations’ intervention in support of the agri-food sector amounts to over €39 million. 

An anticipatory and collaborative approach in agri-food research 

During its almost 18 years of activity, AGER has supported projects that follow very different approaches, themes and purposes. This variety has been a strength, enabling us to face the emerging challenges of the Italian agri-food sector and to respond dynamically to the needs of supply chains. 

A hallmark of the interventions funded by AGER has been their ability to anticipate research topics that have now become central to the European agricultural agenda. These include the fight against climate change, promotion of the circular economy and protection of the health and nutritional aspects of food. These choices have enabled AGER to position itself as a cutting-edge player that can drive innovation at a national level. 

Through the calls, AGER has not limited itself to funding research but has actively promoted models of collaboration between researchers and players in the production chains. The aim has been to encourage the co-generation of knowledge and ensure the transferability of innovations to the production world, so as to make a concrete and lasting impact on the agri-food sector. 

Looking to the future, AGER’s added value does not end with the scientific results obtained. Its real strength lies in its ability to build a community of intent that involves foundations, researchers and local areas. This network of relationships, based on trust and sharing, is the key to collectively facing and succeeding in the challenges of the agri-food sector, and to promoting truly sustainable innovation. 

Food Policy

Fondazione Cariplo supports municipal administrations that intend to develop an urban food policy via a pathway of growth and planning. In July 2014, the Municipality of Milan and Fondazione Cariplo signed an agreement to define and adopt the Food Policy of the city of Milan. The objectives identified five priorities of focus:

  • ensuring access to healthy food
  • encouraging production sustainability
  • promoting food education
  • combating food waste
  • supporting scientific research 

In this context, the Municipality and Fondazione Cariplo perform functions of co-ordination, stimulation and facilitation with respect to the various forms of social, technological and organisational innovation, in accordance with the principles of the Food Policy and to assist in implementing its guidelines. Over time, the Milan Food Policy has produced significant results, including about 75,000 children receiving hot meals in school canteens, the reduction of CO₂ emissions in school catering by 34% and the activation of eight Neighbourhood Hubs to combat food waste. 

The model adopted in Milan was subsequently extended to the city of Bergamo, where a similar process of defining and implementing the Food Policy has been active since 2019; its features include a strong local dimension, the approval of a city manifesto, inclusion in the planning guidelines and the creation of a local network to combat food waste. 

The issue of Food Policy has now taken on a supra-local dimension. At Expo 2015, Milan – together with over fifty international mayors – promoted and signed the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP). Currently, the MUFPP has more than 270 signatory cities, representing a population of more than 500 million people. Milan is recognised for its role in urban food policies. Fondazione Cariplo continues to support the initiative, aiming to increase cities’ capacity to handle food challenges and promote adaptable, replicable models in different contexts.