UniWeLab
Webuild's research lab and the University of Genoa
UniWeLab: young people, innovation and work are the pillars of Webuild's collaboration with the University of Genoa
UniWeLab was born in February 2021: the new research lab and model of open innovation resulting from the collaboration between Webuild and the University of Genoa. The Lab - supported by the Municipality of Genoa - is the concrete symbol of teamwork between a university and a company, whose mission is the applied scientific research and higher education in the sustainable mobility sector.
The initiative strengthens an already consolidated partnership between Webuild and the University of Genoa, thanks to a framework agreement that establishes the mutual commitment to promote and carry out research of common interest in the production sectors to which they belong. Part of the agreement is dedicated to contributing to the training of qualified resources in civil and environmental engineering disciplines, architecture, mechanical, management and transport engineering and the creation of research labs, also through the activation of doctorates and research grants.
UniWeLab is the concrete launch of the agreement between Webuild and the University of Genoa to produce innovation together and create value for the territory. The partnership between Webuild and the University of Genoa is a partnership that enriches both, and is precious for the city of Genoa.
UniWeLab: il laboratorio di ricerca congiunto tra Webuild e l'Università degli Studi di Genova
Second UniWeLab Hackathon Award 2023: marathon for innovation in sustainable mobility
March 2023 saw the conclusion of the second edition of the UniWeLab Hackathon Award. Youth, sustainability and innovation in infrastructure through established institutional partnerships: these were the keywords of the innovation marathon promoted by Webuild with the University of Genoa. In a two-day contest, Webuild and the University of Genoa challenged the university's master's students in civil, construction and robotics engineering to an innovative competition on infrastructure digitisation. The initiative is part of Webuild's programmes of collaboration with the world of research and universities and, more generally, its investment in enhancing its ability to attract young people, who already represent 44% of the Group's workforce.
The students were asked to identify innovative ideas to make the tracking of work progress on site more efficient, with robotised and automated solutions, as well as certain processes in which safety processes could be further improved, such as the maintenance of large TBMs (Tunnel Boring Machines) used for the excavation of tunnels.
Among the many proposals, the idea of three young men - Gianluca Galvagni and Mario Prato from Italy and Baba Hadj Said from Algeria - reached the podium. They proposed a digital ecosystem capable of integrating different levels of technology within the construction site, capable of communicating with each other and verifying the progress of work in a virtual environment.
What’s the best thing that a company can do today? Invest in the future, nurture the next generation, invest in universities and, most of all, do it together. This is the new model to adopt to contribute to making Italy ever more competitive in the world.
UniWeLab Hackathon Award: a competition of ideas on the future of Genoa
The first Uniwelab Hackathon will be held on September 15 and 16, 2021: a competition of ideas that is useful for identifying innovative, creative and intelligent proposals for the city of Genoa.
The initiative is aimed at students, fellows and doctoral students of Engineering, Architecture and Design, computer science, economics, sociology and communication sciences of the University of Genoa. Participants will compete in a two-day marathon to identify innovative and creative solutions to make the future of the city of Genoa more sustainable, with a competition of ideas on the urban infrastructure of the elevated Corso Aldo Moro, with a view to the future construction of the subport tunnel that connects San Benigno and Calata Gadda.
The main focus is in fact to transform the flyover into a sustainable infrastructure through proposals that can bring innovations in a responsible and dynamic way, reducing the negative impact and maintaining the balance between ecological, economic resilience and cultural sociality.
The winners of the competition will have the opportunity to undertake an internship within Webuild, for a maximum of 6 months, confirming the Group's tangible commitment to support young people and research.
Training and talent attraction programmes
Training and talent attraction programmes
UniWeLab is part of the training and talent attraction programmes for young people, which Webuild has been implementing for years already, in partnership with the most prestigious universities in Italy and around the world.
The first Hackathon and the collaboration with UniWeLab highlight one of the values of the Webuild Group: leveraging young people to design the future, involving them and investing in their ideas to develop innovation together.
Innovative and Smart Builders:
Our commitment to technological innovation stems from partnerships with universities
Innovation is one of Webuild's strategic pillars, for the Group's sustainable growth. We invest in innovation and research and development, both at a project and corporate level. Our aim is to leave a sustainable footprint, which considers environmental, engineering and technical challenges, the safety of our people and the local communities of the territories where we work.
Webuild and the city of Genoa
The UniWeLab Hackathon Award is a new chapter in the bond that unites Webuild to the city of Genoa
