Cutting-edge agritech solutions for aerial spraying using drones, digital platforms capable of revolutionizing information sharing, and custom-made footwear created with sustainable materials and interchangeable components: these and many other projects have come to life thanks to the talent and vision of the startuppers at GrandUP! Tech Academy 2024-2025, the free training program created by Fondazione CRC in collaboration with I3P.
During Pitch Day on Thursday, April 17, held at the Rondò dei Talenti in Cuneo, the audience was able to discover and applaud bold and innovative ideas, the result of a training program that transformed the enthusiasm and creativity of the participants into real business proposals. After months of work, lessons, and mentoring, the nine teams of innovators presented their projects to a jury of experts and the audience in the hall.
The Academy initiative is part of the GrandUP! Tech project, promoted by Fondazione CRC in collaboration with I3P to support the development of an innovation ecosystem and the creation of new businesses in the Cuneo area. The activity was carried out as part of the “Memorandum of Understanding for Innovation and Digitalization of Businesses in the Province of Cuneo”, signed in 2022 by the CRC Foundation and the Cuneo Chamber of Commerce, which was joined by all the main trade associations in the area, including Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, Confartigianato, Confcommercio, Confindustria, and Legacoop.
Three selected projects: an overview
Among the companies that took part in the final Pitch Day, three stood out for their originality and impact, winning a pre-incubation program at I3P, the Incubator of the Politecnico di Torino, funded by Fondazione CRC: Droply, RXNet, and Ülink.
Droply offers an innovative solution for precision agriculture, based on the integration of drones and autonomous robots with sensors already widely used in the sector. Thanks to its aerial and terrestrial mobility, the system drastically reduces treatment application times, using pesticides, fertilizers, and water in a targeted manner, with concrete benefits for the environment. The platform uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to predict crop status, schedule treatments based on climate and soil data, and constantly monitor plantations.
RXNet operates in the field of telemedicine, with a focus on teleradiology and related services: remote management, remote reporting, radiological second opinions, and secure storage and transmission of diagnostic images. The platform developed by the startup connects patients, general practitioners, healthcare technicians, radiologists, and specialists, responding to the growing shortage of professionals in the field of radiology. Through a reserved area, it will be possible to upload images in DICOM format, which radiologists can consult, report on using an integrated viewer, and digitally sign, with automatic notifications to recipients.
Ülink has developed a web page customization and optimization tool that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to adapt content in real time based on who is visiting the page. The tool analyzes user behavior and browsing context, continuously testing different variations to identify and automatically deliver the most effective version of the landing page. All this happens without any manual intervention, increasing the effectiveness of digital campaigns and maximizing results.
