On Saturday, 28 March 2026, the Suglio Business Center in Lugano-Manno hosted the EntrepreneurSkillsTicino Regional Championship, an official SwissSkills competition dedicated to fostering the entrepreneurial skills of young talent. Teams composed of two apprentices or recent graduates tackled the challenge of developing an innovative business idea and presenting it before a jury of business representatives. This year's edition saw SUPSI students excel, claiming the entire podium — a result that reflects the quality of the education and entrepreneurial spirit nurtured within the university.
First prize went to Danilo Daví and Leonardo Di Silvestro, students in the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with their project CityMatch: a platform designed to connect students looking for affordable housing with people living alone who have unused living space. The idea addresses a concrete and widespread need, proposing a solution that creates value for both parties while contributing to a broader vision of inclusive and sustainable cities.
Second place was awarded to Natan Benzoni (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration) and Roberto Pereira Marques (Bachelor of Nursing) with Ethic Share Ticino, a collective crowdfunding project that brings together property owners and construction industry professionals — craftspeople, architects, firms and private investors — to finance renovation work aimed at achieving sustainability targets. The project stands out for its ability to mobilise distributed resources around a common goal, combining financial innovation with ecological transition in the real estate sector.
Completing the podium, Alban Shala and Florian Xhaferi (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration) presented Edil Verde, an initiative aimed at reducing energy waste in existing buildings through improved thermal insulation, with the goal of increasing the energy efficiency of the existing building stock. The project also includes energy sustainability monitoring and certification services, providing property owners and industry operators with a concrete tool to move towards higher standards.
The three award-winning projects share a common thread: they stem from direct observation of everyday reality and offer tangible responses to current challenges, particularly in the area of environmental and social sustainability. The competition brought to light not only the quality of the ideas presented, but also highly valuable transversal skills: analytical thinking and problem solving, creativity, teamwork and confidence in oral communication. Notably, while artificial intelligence was available as a tool, what ultimately made the difference was the participants' ability to develop their own independent critical thinking.
An important role in the organisation and support of the initiative was played by Leandro Bitetti, researcher and lecturer at the Centre of Competence in Management and Entrepreneurship and director of the Master of Science in Business Administration, and by Mattia Bedolla, scientific collaborator at the same centre. Their active involvement reflects SUPSI's commitment to fostering a culture of entrepreneurship that is both concrete and deeply rooted in the Ticino region. The event also saw Leisure Management student Alessandra Maniezzo playing an active role in reaching out to and engaging new participants. This reflects one of the event’s core values: the involvement of young students as an integral part of the project’s development and success.
The regional winners now advance to the next stages of SwissSkills, opening the door to national and international competitions — a valuable opportunity to keep challenging themselves, growing, and bringing their ideas to ever wider audiences.