Over the two days, more than 45 university students from over ten countries engaged in dialogue with prominent figures from the international academic and political arenas, including 2024 Nobel Prize laureate in Economics Daron Acemoğlu and renowned American political scientist Francis Fukuyama. The central theme of the Summit was the role of Blockchain technology in advancing ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles and its implications for the future of global economic development. Among the participants were also students from the Master of Business Administration program at the Department of Business Economics, Health and Social Care (DEASS).
The event, promoted by the ESG Center of Excellence in collaboration with the Institute of Information Systems and Networking (ISIN) at SUPSI-DTI, aimed to foster critical discussion around strategies and tools to align sustainability with digital transformation.
“Focusing on Blockchain as an enabling technology for sustainability and corporate social responsibility is incredibly valuable,” said Giacomo Poretti, Blockchain expert and lecturer-researcher at ISIN. “We deeply value the Summit and the Summer School promoted by the ESG Center of Excellence, as they prioritize the exchange between international experts and students, enriching both knowledge and networking opportunities.”
The Summit provided a unique educational experience, allowing students to engage directly with a diverse community of experts, researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. Through plenary sessions, project pitches, and collaborative activities, participants explored how Blockchain technology can serve as a lever to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key themes included human dignity, education and training, infrastructure development, and the "twin transition," placing both Blockchain and SDGs at the heart of corporate transformation.
"The opportunity to explore, in person, how Blockchain can support the UN Sustainable Development Goals through real-world applications—especially within a multicultural context—was an exceptional and enriching experience, rarely offered in traditional academic settings," added Poretti. “Working side by side with renowned speakers and experts gave our students the chance to engage in a unique and enriching learning environment. I'm particularly proud that one of the winning teams in the final awards was from the SUPSI Startup Garage.”
The Summit concluded with the presentation of international awards to recognize outstanding projects and research initiatives in the ESG and Blockchain fields. Congratulations to the winners:
- VISIONARY Award – Reto Ringger
Founder and CEO of Globalance Bank | Entrepreneur | Financial leader | Innovator - IMPACT Award – Elena Panaritis
CEO of Panel Group | President of Thought For Action | Leader of the “70% Informals” campaign - Game Changing Award – Pietro Gorgazzini
Founder of Hypercube, honored for the implementation of a global water credit system - BOLD Award – Christian Pala and Davide Gamba
For the project “Dynamic Synthetic Data” developed within the SUPSI Startup Garage