Start Cup Toscana 2025: the regional competition for innovation returns to Pisa

Start Cup Toscana 2025: the regional competition for innovation returns to Pisa

The Start Cup Toscana 2025, a competition between groups of aspiring entrepreneurs, returns with a new edition dedicated to promoting innovative ideas born from scientific, technological, social and humanistic research. The initiative is aimed at teams composed of students, researchers and professionals linked to universities, public and private research institutions and IRCCS based in Tuscany.

Funded and sponsored by the Tuscany Region, Start Cup Toscana is part of the regional Giovanisì project for youth independence and represents the regional phase of the National Innovation Award (PNI). The 2025 edition is organised by the University of Pisa (Research and Knowledge Enhancement Department), in collaboration with the Regional Office for Technology Transfer of the Tuscany Region.

The final ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, 23 October 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the Le Benedettine Conference Centre, in Piazza San Paolo in Ripa D'Arno 16. During the event, the ten finalist projects will present their pitches and the winners will be selected.

The 10 finalist projects

• MAGYS DRIVE - SSSUP magnetic mechatronic transmissions with integrated sensors.
• MuonLab - UNIFI muographic imaging for non-invasive investigations.
• NSight Dynamics | Human Through Data - UNIFI photonics liquid biopsy with functionalised nanoparticles.
• Lachesis Bio - SNS AI platform for drug discovery on age-related diseases.
• Onaya Biotech - UNIPI cancer-on-a-chip for personalised cancer research.
• CAPIO ROBOTICS - SSSUP agri-food robotics with adaptive grippers and AI.
• Light On Mechanobiology - UNIFI ULTRAP instrumentation for accessible mechanobiology.
• BIOTRONIKA - SSSUP LAMPUGA fish robot for safe and sustainable underwater inspections.
• CartesIA - UNIPI Cognitive-emotional robotics with adaptive learning and customisation.
• HESPERIS - environmental solutions - UNISI Botanical knowledge in concrete solutions for the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity.

The three finalist projects from the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

The Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies has three innovative projects in the final: MAGYS DRIVE (magnetic mechatronic transmissions with integrated sensors) proposes a new generation of mechatronic transmissions for motion transfer, based on magnetic technology and equipped with integrated sensors. The project was developed within the Wearable Robotics Lab of the BioRobotics Institute, coordinated by Nicola Vitiello, Simona Crea and Emilio Trigili, and will be presented by Andrea Baldoni. CAPIO ROBOTICS (agri-food robotics with adaptive grippers and AI) is a robotic platform that combines soft, adaptive, food-grade grippers, 3D vision systems and artificial intelligence algorithms for use in the agri-food sector. The project will be presented by Martina Maselli and was developed by the Soft Mechatronics for Biorobotics Lab at the BioRobotics Institute, coordinated by Matteo Cianchetti. Finally, BIOTRONIKA (LAMPUGA robot fish for safe and sustainable underwater inspections) proposes a propeller-less robot fish that makes underwater inspections frequent, safe and low-impact, with on-board AI and standardised data. The project will be presented by Gianluca Manduca and was developed by the Bio-Robotic Ecosystems Laboratory coordinated by Donato Romano.

The winners of the Start Cup Toscana 2025 will receive cash prizes provided by the Tuscany Region, with €5,000 for first place, €3,000 for second place and €2,000 for third place. In addition to the financial value, the winners will have the opportunity to compete in the national final of the National Innovation Award (PNI), to be held in Ferrara on 4 and 5 December 2025, where they will be able to compete with the best Italian start-ups born out of research.

To complete the picture of awards, special mentions are planned for projects that stand out for their social impact, female entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability.

In addition, four special prizes will be awarded to the most deserving teams by sponsoring organisations:

• Polo Tecnologico di Navacchio: "Startup Booster" programme to transform ideas into businesses.
• Studio Rubino & Partners: free advice on intellectual property.
• Società Addì: strategic innovation audit for the top three finalists.
• Studio MM: support for company formation and assistance in negotiating with investors.

Further details are available on the official website: Start Cup Toscana 2025.