4th Edition of the Biotech Challenge Kick-off:
Students and companies team up for Biotech Innovation
The fourth edition of the Biotech Challenge officially kicks off on Friday, September 11, 2026. Promoted by the CIBIO Department of the University of Trento, in collaboration with the Hub Innovazione Trentino (HIT) Foundation, the initiative takes place within the framework of the PNRR iNEST project.
The initiative engages Master's students in Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology and Quantitative and Computational Biology, who will tackle real-world challenges posed by leading companies in the biotech and biomedical sectors. This year's challenge provider is Melinda, the consortium that brings together around 4,000 apple-growing families in 16 cooperatives across Val di Non and Val di Sole and one of the most recognisable names of the Trentino agri-food landscape.
Using a challenge-based learning model, student teams will work closely with corporate mentors and CIBIO, dedicated to analyzing operational processes, performing literature and patent searches, and exploring innovative solutions addressing real-world challenges across advanced biotechnology fields.
The program will end on December 18, 2026.