Fondazione Triulza has become one of Italy’s leading organisations in promoting and advancing the social economy by strengthening the role of Third Sector organisations within MIND – Milan Innovation District and by developing innovative capacity-building programmes, technology transfer initiatives and social procurement practices in collaboration with universities, research centres, businesses, public institutions and Civil Economy networks.
In recognition of these activities, in 2023 Fondazione Triulza was officially acknowledged as an EU Social Economy Cluster and became part of the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP), the European Commission’s institutional platform for clusters
Its inclusion in the EU Cluster ecosystem confirms the strategic role of Fondazione Triulza within MIND and represents “a unique European experience that opens the way to a major space for experimentation within MIND and across Italy,” according to Mario Calderini, Full Professor at the Politecnico di Milano and Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Social Innovation Academy in MIND.
Fondazione Triulza is also a member of Diesis Network, one of the largest European and international networks based in Brussels dedicated to supporting and advancing the social economy, social entrepreneurship and social innovation. The network brings together more than 50 organisations across over 30 countries.
- Technology for Health and Social Challenges (since 2024) – developed with Politecnico di Milano, engaging students in Biomedical, Management and Automation Engineering in the design of prototypes and innovative solutions for cooperatives and Third Sector organisations. Project link.
- Social Procurement in MIND – an experimental initiative developed with TIRESIA – Politecnico di Milano, Consorzio CGM, Legacoop Lombardia, Confcooperative Lombardia, and Federated Innovation @MIND, aimed at fostering open innovation by connecting businesses and organisations based in MIND with the expertise, values and services of the social economy.
- Social Tech – a capacity-building and technology transfer programme involving 74 innovative cooperative start-ups and scale-ups, implemented together with Fondosviluppo – Confcooperative, Coopfond – Legacoop, and General Fond – AGCI.
- Catch atMIND – a social procurement empowerment programme involving 12 cooperatives and social enterprises, developed in collaboration with the University of Milan and MIND stakeholders.
- Scientific Committee activities of Social Innovation Academy – since 2018, Fondazione Triulza has organised regular discussions with Italian and European institutions and experts on topics including impact measurement, innovative financial instruments, the European Social Economy Action Plan, and national and regional action plans for the social economy.
- Industrial PhD programmes – activation of two industrial PhD projects in collaboration with researchers from the University of Milan, focusing on research and innovation in the social economy.
- Participation in international events – including the European Social Economy Summit 2025 in Murcia and other national and international conferences dedicated to social economy and innovation.
- Social Innovation Campus – a flagship initiative that serves as a hub for promoting social innovation, impact and the social economy among younger generations through co-design and collaborative learning experiences.
- Partnerships with Finlombarda and PlusValue – supporting impact-driven innovative enterprises in entering the MIND innovation ecosystem through initiatives such as the Social Tech Calls and the MatchIS project.
