InsubriaCrowd is launched: the University’s first participatory crowdfunding campaign to support research.

The University of Insubria has launched InsubriaCrowd, its first crowdfunding initiative for university research, designed to involve citizens, businesses and the wider community in directly supporting the University’s projects. The new platform has been created to strengthen the connection between research and society, making the content, objectives and tangible impact of research activities developed at Insubria more accessible.

InsubriaCrowd offers a transparent and targeted university crowdfunding model, based on thematic campaigns dedicated to individual research projects. Each initiative is presented in clear language, with defined objectives and precise information on how the funds raised will be used. Campaigns will alternate over time and will make it possible to support different areas of scientific, technological and humanities research, encouraging informed and conscious participation.

‘With InsubriaCrowd, we want to build a bridge between university research and society,’ explains Loredano Pollegioni, the Rector’s Delegate for Research and Technological Innovation. ‘Research is made up of people and real-world problems: supporting a project means accompanying a path of innovation and amplifying its impact on the local area.’

The University of Insubria’s first crowdfunding campaign begins with two very different research projects, both available on insubriacrowd.it, showcasing the variety of the University’s scientific activities. The project “Como Solare: innovating photovoltaics in the City of Volta”, devised by materials scientist Jenny G. Vitillo with a multidisciplinary team of chemists, physicists and ecologists, addresses some of the critical issues affecting photovoltaics, such as panel overheating and the dispersion of part of the sunlight not converted into energy. The research aims to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic panels through new materials and technological solutions, also exploring possible applications in the textile sector and creating links between scientific innovation and Como’s manufacturing tradition. Once the fundraising target has been reached, the project will include a laboratory open day for the public.

Alongside this, “We-DanSe – Women, Dance and Security in Urban Space”, coordinated by Professor Valentina Albanese, uses dance as a research tool to analyse the relationship between women, safety and urban space. The project investigates how perceptions of insecurity affect women’s everyday movements in the city, through collective performances, flash mobs and participatory activities that combine scientific research, artistic practices and the direct involvement of people. Its aim is to contribute to reflection on public space and to promote more inclusive, accessible and safe cities.

The InsubriaCrowd platform is online at insubriacrowd.it, where users can discover active research projects, learn more about their content and take part in the University of Insubria’s crowdfunding initiative. With this project, the University introduces a new way of participating in research, founded on transparency, accessibility and dialogue with the community, turning interest in science into a concrete investment in the future.