Lachesis Bio, a project from the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, won Start Cup Toscana 2025, a competition that rewards the best entrepreneurial ideas with a high level of innovation arising from Tuscan research. This represents the regional phase of the National Innovation Award (PNI).
The award ceremony took place today at the Le Benedettine Conference Centre of the University of Pisa, which organised the 2025 edition of Start Cup in collaboration with the Regional Office for Technology Transfer of the Tuscany Region. The Region promoted and funded the event as part of the Giovanisì project.
Also on the podium are NSight Dynamics from the University of Florence and Magys Drive from the Sant’Anna School.
First place goes to Lachesis Bio of the Scuola Normale, which combines the potential of artificial intelligence with the biology of ageing to create an innovative drug discovery platform designed to address age-related diseases.
Second place went to NSight Dynamics, also from the University of Florence, for developing a new optical biosensor that is low-cost, scalable and capable of rapidly and non-invasively diagnosing diseases with high sensitivity through molecular analysis of the main biological fluids.
Third place went to Magys Drive of the Sant’Anna School in Pisa for their idea of a mechanical reducer based on magnetic technology, a highly efficient system that enables significant energy savings and promotes sustainability in industrial robotic applications.
MuonLab of the University of Florence received an honourable mention for their muographic imaging project, which allows for non-invasive investigation.
A bridge between research and business
The top three winners will receive cash prizes of 5,000, 3,000 and 2,000 euros, provided by the Region of Tuscany, and will participate, together with the project that received an honourable mention, in the national final of the National Innovation Award – PNI 2025, scheduled to take place in Ferrara on 4 and 5 December, where they will represent Tuscany together with the other award-winning projects.
“StartCup Toscana 2025 is an opportunity to promote innovative ideas and build bridges between research and business,” commented Chiara Galletti, the University of Pisa’s delegate for business relations. “This initiative aligns perfectly with our university’s increasing dedication to fostering and backing the development of new enterprises, as demonstrated by programmes like the university-wide course ‘Startups and Multi-disciplinarity” and the Contamination Lab’s activities, including “Create Your Business”. This day confirms the great talent and creativity present in our Region.”
In addition to the three main winners, the jury awarded special mentions provided by the Regional Office for Technology Transfer of the Tuscany Region. The ‘Social Innovation’ award for the best social innovation project went to Onaya Biotech at the University of Pisa; the “Female Entrepreneurship” award for the best business project led by women went to Light On Mechanobiology at the University of Florence; and the “Climate Change” award for the best business project addressing climate change went to BIOTRONIKA at the Sant’Anna School.
The sponsors also awarded special prizes: the Navacchio Technology Park awarded BIOTRONIKA; Studio Rubino & Partners Biotech awarded Società Addì MuonLab of the University of Florence; and Studio MM awarded Onaya Biotech.
