Over the past few years, Turin has undergone a profound transformation of its innovation ecosystem. At the heart of this journey stands CTE Next – Casa delle Tecnologie Emergenti, a programme that successfully combines technological experimentation, public-private collaboration and tangible local impact.
The CTE Next Impact Report provides a clear picture of a unique initiative in the Italian landscape, translating innovation policies into measurable results for companies, citizens and public institutions.
A high-impact innovation programme
The scale of the initiative is reflected in the figures: more than 18 calls launched, 400 events, 2,000 people trained, 40+ real-world pilots, 750 companies profiled and 200 companies supported.
Over 300 high-value services were delivered, including acceleration programmes, tech and business consultancy, urban testing, use-case definition and coworking spaces.
CTE Next has positioned itself as an operational platform supporting companies throughout the entire innovation cycle, from technology validation to real-world deployment.
Urban Testing: public administration as an enabler
One of the most distinctive elements highlighted by the Impact Report is Urban Testing. Through one-to-one interviews, surveys and qualitative analysis, the report shows how access to advanced technological infrastructure, strong technical support from partners and, above all, mediation with public administration contributed to increasing companies’ Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).
Rather than acting solely as a regulator, the public sector played the role of enabler, reducing administrative barriers and positioning Turin as a true open-air urban laboratory.
Success stories include Reefilla, which evolved from EV charging solutions to the creation of a Turin-based competence centre on second-life batteries, and AB Zero, awarded in 2025 by the MOST Mobility Challenge for its drone-based biomedical transport solution.
Above-average economic and employment growth
The Impact Report also analyses employment effects generated by CTE Next. Compared with national benchmarks provided by the Italian Ministry for Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT), CTE-accelerated startups show significantly stronger growth:
+46% new hires, +91% female workforce, +20% share capital, +46% ROI.
These results demonstrate that innovation within CTE Next translates into jobs, investment attraction and inclusive growth, not just technological advancement.
Investing in future generations
Alongside companies, CTE Next invested in young people through CTE Next Education, a programme for schools managed by 2i3T.
The initiative involved 40 schools, 90 classes and over 2,000 students, combining traditional teaching with interactive sessions led by innovative companies and activities focused on emerging technologies and soft skills.
The programme gained international recognition, including funding from the Bloomberg Youth Climate Action Fund and mentions in international contexts such as Tunisia and Japan.
Turin on the global stage
The Impact Report also highlights the internationalisation path of both CTE Next and the city of Turin. Through participation in European and global networks, international events and study visits, and collaboration with accelerators and incubators worldwide, Turin strengthened its global positioning.
In the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report by Startup Genome, Turin entered the Top 80 emerging global ecosystems, with CTE Next recognised as a Key Ecosystem Player. CTE Next was also cited among the innovative urban lab initiatives that contributed to Turin’s victory as European Capital of Innovation 2024-25.
Towards CTE Next 2.0
The results presented in the Impact Report are not an endpoint. In July, the continuation of CTE Next activities and the launch of a second phase were formally approved, lighter in structure yet clear in purpose: to continue positioning CTE as a hub for generating high-impact technological ideas and solutions, serving local public administrations and beyond. In December, a Memorandum of Understanding with public partners was finalised, strengthening shared governance.
Starting from January, a new work plan will be launched, offering public administrations and companies services for idea generation, development and real-world experimentation of solutions based on AI, data, quantum technologies, robotics, XR and CCAM. These activities will address pressing challenges such as climate neutrality, territorial safety and resilience, urban mobility, and new drone-enabled urban services, including healthcare applications.
A new service catalogue will be developed, with a strong focus on engaging private partners and reinforcing operational collaboration along the entire value chain — from understanding public-sector needs to co-design, experimentation and adoption of scalable solutions. Coordination with other Italian CTEs will continue, notably through the Smart Mobility Cluster led by Turin and connected to the ToMove Living Lab, a natural spin-off of CTE in the mobility domain, as well as the Quantum Cluster developed together with Naples, Bologna and other Italian CTEs.
Along this path, CTE naturally connects with attraction and soft-landing tools such as the Torino Talent Gateway, strengthening Turin’s recognition as an urban platform capable of attracting skills, companies and high-impact innovation.
