April 2025: The FBK projects making headlines

Also in April, Fondazione Bruno Kessler’s activities received wide coverage in the press and on the radio. From cutting-edge quantum research made in Italy to positive applications of artificial intelligence featured on the radio, and the innovative ideas developed by young researchers — here is an overview of the publications, programs, and initiatives that have engaged the FBK community over the past month.

Un buon futuro: voices from FBK share the story of AI on Radio Italia Anni 60 network

Aired on Radio Italia Anni 60, ‘Un buon futuro‘ (A Good Future) a show dedicated to the positive applications of artificial intelligence featured strong participation by experts from the Fondazione Bruno Kessler.  Paolo Traverso, Director of Strategic Planning and guest of the first two episodes, discussed both the positive impacts of AI on our lives and society, as well as the challenges it presents. In the next two episodes, Greta Sofia Lampis, a researcher at IRVAPP, explore the social impact of AI, noting: “AI doesn’t necessarily replace entire professions—it reshapes the tasks within them. It simplifies tasks we once considered complex, yet it struggles to understand causal relationships that even a child finds intuitive. Follow the new episodes in the coming weeks to explore the applications of artificial intelligence in other areas such as sports, health and sustainability together with FBK researchers.

Radio Italia Anni 60, Un buon futuro, April 2025

In the qubit factory

As La Repubblica – Italian Tech reports, an important technological milestone has been achieved in Fondazione Bruno Kessler’s labs. Thanks to the state-of-the-art infrastructure of the Clean Room—an ultra-controlled environment with sterility levels exceeding those of an operating room—FBK researchers have successfully designed, fabricated, and tested Italy’s first fully homegrown superconducting qubit. It is a miniaturized quantum circuit, a few micrometers in size, made on a silicon chip by using superconductive materials. This fundamental unit of quantum computing represents a strategic asset for our country, which now joins the select group of nations capable of independently developing these advanced technologies. Within 30 months, FBK’s Clean Room will expand to 2,000 square meters, establishing itself as one of the leading facilities of its kind in Europe. President Ferruccio Resta said: “Research, human capital, and infrastructure are the foundations through which a country builds its capacity to innovate, grow, and compete. The expansion of the Clean Room and the 500,000 euros earmarked for the “PoC by FBK: Test Your Idea!, designed to support the ideas of our young researchers are tangible examples of this commitment.”

La Repubblica – Italian Tech, Nella fabbrica dei qubit, April 23, 2025

PoC by FBK: half a million for innovative ideas

“PoC by FBK: Test Your Idea!” is the new program by Fondazione Bruno Kessler that aims to transform the creative potential of young researchers into concrete entrepreneurial projects. In an interview with L’Adige newspaper, President Ferruccio Resta explains the strategic importance of the program: “we want to show that FBK is not only an internationally recognized research center, but also a forge of ideas, entrepreneurship and innovators.”

The response to the program exceeded all expectations: more than 20% of the internal scientific community submitted a project proposal. “We hit the right chord,” the president commented. More than half of the ideas concern artificial intelligence and technology, but many projects also span areas such as health, industry and active citizenship.

The program, which provides funding of up to 80,000 euros per project, is not limited to providing funds: participants are also offered a training course for the development of entrepreneurial skills, such as team management, communication and relations with investors. It’s not enough to just have the idea; building a strong team and preparing for the market are essential,”Resta explained.

L’Adige – Mezzo milione per le idee innovative, April 4, 2025