H-CAMPUS, construction begins on the biggest innovation hub in Europe

A ceremony to lay the first stone of the new campus was held today at our headquarters in the presence of regional institutions, mayors and partners in the project.

Work began today on the expansion of our H-CAMPUS, whose 51 hectares of ground surface will be able to host up to 3,000 people and which will become the largest innovation hub in Europe. 

The expansion plan, of which only 10% is made up of built structures, foresees the construction of 13 new buildings dedicated to education, startups, and companies for a total area of 30,000 square meters. The project boasts zero architectural impact thanks to the recovery of several existing abandoned or neglected structures belonging to a former military base in the area.

The campus will include a student residence hall that will accommodate around 250 students and a 7,000 square metres sports center, including a skate park and a track for athletics. The most significant and central building on campus that will house a library, an auditorium, and a restaurant was designed by the famed architect Richard Rogers, who is responsible for, among others, the Center Pompidou in Paris.

H-CAMPUS will be one of the most technologically advanced destinations in Italy and among the first to have 5G technology. The campus will also be highly sustainable as it is self-sufficient for 85% of its energy needs thanks to photovoltaic energy storage and exchange systems.

The remaining outdoor space will be dedicated to parkland, with over 27 hectares of wooded areas that will be open to the public. Approximately 3.500 new trees and plants will be planted, which will allow for the repopulation of the native biodiversity of the area: an extension in perfect synergy with our historic headquarters and in total harmony with the surrounding countryside.

Thanks to specially designed partnerships, all residents of neighboring cities will be able to access the campuses’ sports facilities, green spaces, services and cultural events.

Guests at the inaugural ceremony included: Luca Zaia, President of the Veneto Region; Riccardo Donadon, our founder and CEO; Paolo Bedoni, President of Cattolica Assicurazioni; Mauro Sbroggiò, CEO of Finint Investments SGR; Marco Sangiorgio, Generak Manager of CDP Investimenti SGR and Paola Delmonte, Chief Business Development Manager of CDP Investimenti SGR. Luigi Brugnaro, mayor of Venice; Pieranna Zottarelli, mayor of Roncade; and Claudio Grosso, mayor of Quarto d’Altino were also in attendance.

The following is an official statement by our founder and CEO, Riccardo Donadon:

"We are very proud of this important accomplishment and are very motivated to ensure the success of this project. At H-FARM, we work within a sector that will become increasingly essential in the business world. That is why our objective is to make our campus become a destination for new talents, so that we are able to bring significant value and a new profile to the local territory and to the country.
Current economic models will face disruptive change in the coming years. The exponential growth curve requires a new design and here we have the ambition that is needed to create a revolutionary model; where education, business and innovation are able to work side by side, benefitting and feeding off of each other.
Today more than ever, it is necessary to change the paradigms on which the growth of the country is based. We have a strong responsibility towards the new generation because the adults of tomorrow will have habits, ambitions and opportunities that are profoundly different from those that we are currently accustomed to. Thanks to all those who have believed and continue to believe in this project along with us."