Trusttechnology to supply Turin with gazebos

Turin, the capital city of the Piedmont region in north-west Italy, has placed an order for 50 Protego structures from the Ticino-based start-up Trusttechnology. These are intended to protect the bars and restaurants on the banks of the River Po in the Murazzi riverfront district from the risk of flooding, according to a report published on startupticker.ch.

When required, these transparent protective structures independently fold down using a battery powered central motor to cover an area of around only a single square mater. This complies with the city’s flood emergency protocols: when water levels start to rise in the arcades and boathouses on the western bank of the Po, the structures can be rapidly collapsed and stowed away by the staff on hand. Installation of the structures is planned as soon as the gastronomic sector is allowed to reopen following the coronavirus lockdown.

According to the article, the entrepreneurial journey of Trusttechnology owner Tiziano Pili, now aged 47, started out during an advanced semester at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Italian Switzerland (SUPSI) before progressing to the Venturelab and finally the Tecnopolo of the Agire Foundation in Manno in the canton of Ticino, where he ultimately founded his company. In 2014, Pili receive an international patent and then the Swiss Made certification. As a finalist in the StartCup Ticino competition, he was eventually admitted to the USI Startup Centre of the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI: University of Italian Switzerland).

“I believe that with the solution that I designed the market for temporary outdoor protective structures will change radically”, according to Pili, who adds: “The ink is still not dry on the Turin contract and already I am ready to finalize a deal with a large business entity in the nearby region of Asti, who is eager to invest in this solution”.