The sun rises over the interregional sky

SUNrise project kickoff: Austrian-Italian collaboration supports young entrepreneurs with helpful toolbox

In February, the start of the interregional project "SUNrise" was celebrated at the NOI Techpark in Bolzano. The project, which is co-financed by the European Union, aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups in shaping their future sustainably, digitally, and successfully.

MCI professor Antje Bierwisch is leading the project on behalf of the MCI and is applying her wide-ranging expertise in the field of business model innovation and futures research. As holder of the UNESCO Chair in Futures Capability for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, she wants to make an important contribution to a sustainable future in this project. The cooperation with partners from northern Italy and Salzburg gets off to an eventful start with a TechParcour in Bolzano. The mini trade fair presents specialized companies that inspire and amaze, including the forward-looking architecture firm "raumprobe", whose material bank provides a physical presentation to encourage the creative use of a wide variety of materials.

The aim of the project is to provide a platform for young entrepreneurs to find individual solutions to a wide range of challenges. Topics include the future introduction of sustainable products or services, the implementation of new or revised business models, or the generational change and takeover of existing companies. Companies in Austria and northern Italy stand out with their many years of experience and expertise, particularly in the craft and trade sector. However, future innovations such as the twin transformation will bring challenges for which only a few of the smaller companies are equipped. The MCI is pleased to be able to support these challenges and is also looking forward to a successful cooperation.