Contact us: +1 (513) 400-5884
QIRIS designs and realizes programs promoting awareness and disseminating knowledge for enhancing the adoption of innovation, digital transformation, and entrepreneurship in the community. In addition, the Association organizes training, acceleration, and internationalization initiatives that connect people, knowledge, businesses, and resources.
Explore our initiativesWe realize programs that promote instruction, research, innovation, and youth entrepreneurship.
Designed for empowering professionals, businesses, and schools.
For the dissemination of relevant issues in society.
Scientific experiments, feasibility and market analyses.
To promote projects and activate audiences of interest.
Engaging people in rapid idea-to-product development.
To enhance the capacity of start-ups and businesses.
To increase the sustainability of valuable projects.
We connect heterogeneous people, resources, and skills.
Explore a selection of the programs we have realized so far.
An online cultural exchange program that offers Italian high school students the opportunity to understand different aspects of the American culture by remotely exploring the life of a University in the United States. The initiative, created in 2021, consists of a 55-hour orientation program that teaches transversal skills in the fields of Science, Economics, and Humanities. The program is delivered through online activities (both synchronous and asynchronous) on a dedicated e-Learning platform.
QIRIS Digital Academy is a program dedicated to Italian high schools and focusing on innovation, creativity, science, and digital transformation. The objective of the program is to shape the protagonists of our future society. The initiative is organized into a curriculum of over 25 courses each providing students with technical competencies and soft skills that are key for professional development and contribute to personal growth.
Since 2012, QIRIS organizes High School Ventures, a program dedicated to teaching innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. The program, which aims to stimulate students' creativity and resourcefulness in order to offer them a different overview of the world of work, was replicated in 2013, 2014 and 2015, given its success. It is followed each year by a different class, chosen by the Institute.
Coop start-up is an experimental acceleration initiative developed in collaboration with Legacoop, the main Italian network of cooperative companies. The objective of the program is supporting new cooperative businesses. During the initiative, QIRIS mentored teams who proposed novel ideas based on the values of sustainability, cooperation, equity, and mutual support. After the program, the best teams received funding and support for establishing and growing their companies.
Get global is an acceleration and internationalization program that takes Italian companies abroad and helps them establish a presence in the European capitals by discovering and connecting them with the most fertile entrepreneurship ecosystems. The initiative is dedicated to young innovators, start-ups, Small and Medium Enterprises, and university spin-offs.
In 2013, QIRIS worked as a contractor for the Regional government of Apulia and contributed to the success of MEDIMEX, the largest Music Innovation Exhibition of the Mediterranean area. Specifically, QIRIS launched Makers for Music, an event entirely dedicated to applying digital manufacturing and innovative technology to music. During a three-day event, participants developed and presented new musical instruments, innovative ways to explore music, and non-conventional music production and authoring software and tools.
In 2012, QIRIS collaborated with the Regional Agency for Technology and Innovation in the organization of Maker zone, a free training program dedicated to digital manufacturing technologies. During the initiative, over 500 participants learned concepts related to 3D modeling and printing, they learned how to use Arduino, became familiar with the Processing programming language, and explored software for producing interactive content and experiences.
In 2012, QIRIS collaborated with "Fiera del Levante di Bari", the largest trade expo of the Mediterranean area. As a result, our organization designed SUPER, an entire pavilion dedicated to innovative and social businesses. Over 180 start-ups had the opportunity to exhibit for free and present their products and services to over 10 thousand visitors. Given the success of the first edition, the event was repeated in 2013 thanks to the financial support of the Bari Chamber of Commerce and the Bollenti Spiriti program of the regional government of Apulia.
F5 - Hit refresh was the first Italian summer school dedicated to media screening and voice recognition technologies. Almost twenty programmers from all over Italy lived together for 12 days and had the opportunity to participate in thematic seminars and workshops. During this experience, the developers collaborated in the creation of two software products for the automatic generation of customized press reviews and for translating text into the Italian Sign Language.
In 2013, QIRIS organized a series of meetings and networking events dedicated to exploring the key challenges in doing business as a start-up. The program incorporated guest lectures from entrepreneurs, screenings, technical speakers, and technology mentors. Participants had the opportunity to get to know the protagonists of successful start-ups and met with them 1:1 to receive their support.
Startificio is an open innovation program for supporting the development of business ecosystems by creating a collaboration network for sharing resources and best practices. The initiative is structured into meetings, operational support, and events. It especially targets young businesses, universities, students, talented professionals, and puts them in contact with consolidated companies and investors.
In 2012, QIRIS designed and realized a four-month acceleration program dedicated to young entrepreneurs with an idea for a digital business. The initiative was funded by the Regional Agency for Technology and Innovation of the Apulia Region. Over 400 people participated in the initiative. During the program, thanks to the constant support of 6 mentors, participants developed 30 business ideas. QIRIS helped the best in class raise capital: they are now successful companies.
In 2011, QIRIS partnered with the international network "BeMyApp", and imported the format from San Francisco to Bari (Italy). Beyond any expectation, we organized the world's largest marathon dedicated to the development of mobile apps. It consisted of three days of collaborative development in which 750 people worked in teams with the objective of creating ten innovative mobile applications. After the event, many of them have become an actual business.
Your contribution can make the difference: our initiatives primarily rely on donations from private citizens, businesses, in addition to funding grants.
Donate now with PaypalQIRIS ideates and realizes initiatives focusing on innovation, education, research, and business. In addition to internal activities, our organization supports third-party organizations in realizing their initiatives: we offer the interdisciplinary competencies of our members, expertise in fundraising, and other forms of patronage. We are an ideal partner for business development and internationalization programs, new venture acceleration and incubation, and other activities that facilitate connecting people and resources.
Thanks to the voluntary contribution of our members and collaboration with partners of excellence, over the years, our Association has organized a series of stimulating initiatives for the community. In addition, during its 10+ years of history and activities, QIRIS has supported the creation of over 30 start-ups that collected over $1,500,000 and are currently active on the market.
Organize your next initiative with us