Innovation Is in ICRIOS DNA
Under its old name of CESPRI, this center was the first at Bocconi to take on projects with a European dimension on innovation issues. Now, after numerous acquisitions over the years, it has become ICRIOS (The Invernizzi Center for Research on Innovation, Organization, Strategy and Entrepreneurship) and continues its vocation in the study and research on topics such as innovation, technology, and research and development, to which the areas of strategy, organization and entrepreneurship have been added. "This is a rather composite research center, but it refers only to the Department of Management & Technology," explains Stefano Breschi, full professor at Bocconi University and director of ICRIOS.
"It covers different topics, but they all fall in the broader sphere of management."
"The Center benefits from funds disbursed by the Invernizzi Foundation, while other resources are found through participation in European and, to a lesser extent, national tenders," continues the director. "We want to produce knowledge that has an impact on society and citizens, and we allocate resources above all to support projects that combine originality and methodological rigor, but which also aim to respond to relevant socio-economic problems," continues Breschi.
His research is then disseminated through publication ("in 2020 we published 44 papers, three of which in range A + and 12 in range A") and workshops. But the numbers also testify that ICRIOS is an international reference point in terms of innovation, organization, strategy, and entrepreneurship. "In the five-year period 2016-2020, the center obtained funding for two projects of significant national interest (Prin) and eight projects within the European H2020 Program", continues Breschi," while in 2020 it coordinated 29 national and international research initiatives, of which six financed by the European Union. Also in 2020, we landed two projects in Horizon 2020, the European Framework Program for research and innovation of the European Commission, plus four European MSCA projects, for the training and mobility of young researchers. Furthermore, at the beginning of 2021, one of our affiliates, Alfonso Gambardella, director of the Management & Technology Department, was awarded an Advanced Grant from the European Research Council, the most important European research support body."
An initiative of which Breschi is particularly proud is that of the Seed Grants: "Thanks to the support of the Invernizzi Foundation, we have set up start-up grants that support the research of the younger generation as protagonists of the scientific development of the future".
Icrios can currently boast around 40 Fellows, for the most part scholars within the University.