Become a resident in Cofactory

Join a world-class innovation hub for design leaders, where design-driven companies, startups and designers from across the globe come to innovate in Milan.

Cofactory supports a wide range of industries, from furniture to tech, by providing facilities dedicated to design and digital fabrication.

Join a world-class innovation hub for design leaders, where design-driven companies, startups and designers from across the globe come to innovate in Milan.

Cofactory supports a wide range of industries, from furniture to tech, by providing facilities dedicated to design and digital fabrication.

Startupbusiness

We are excited to announce that Designtech has acquired Startupbusiness, becoming its new publisher.

Together, we aim to amplify the voice of innovation from leading ecosystems while supporting the growth and maturity of the Italian startup community.

We are excited to announce that Designtech has acquired Startupbusiness, becoming its new publisher.

Together, we aim to amplify the voice of innovation from leading ecosystems while supporting the growth and maturity of the Italian startup community.

Design momentum

Designtech launched Design momentum. The design-driven and equity-free acceleration program that fosters the development of innovative and sustainable products and solutions in the field of design, facilitating collaboration between startups and leading companies in the industry.

Designtech launched Design momentum. The design-driven and equity-free acceleration program that fosters the development of innovative and sustainable products and solutions in the field of design, facilitating collaboration between startups and leading companies in the industry.

Join us on the tech side of Design

Join Designtech Hub and shape the future of living. Connect with industry leaders and access spaces and services to innovate at the intersection of design and technology.

 

Join Designtech Hub and shape the future of living. Connect with industry leaders and access spaces and services to innovate at the intersection of design and technology.

 

CoFactory opening

Innovation spaces

Innovation spaces

We partner with global real estate developers to build future-proof innovation facilities. These design-living-labs offer creatives and innovators shared resources and expertise, providing startups and companies the opportunity to build beyond limits in scale, shape, or materials while broadcasting the lives of 3D innovators.

 

We partner with global real estate developers to build future-proof innovation facilities. These design-living-labs offer creatives and innovators shared resources and expertise, providing startups and companies the opportunity to build beyond limits in scale, shape, or materials while broadcasting the lives of 3D innovators.

 

Prototyping area
Offices
Lounge area
Cowo
Garden
Meeting room

CoFactory
 

 A 1,500 sqm hybrid space with a light industrial floor for advanced manufacturing, seamlessly integrated with offices, coworking areas, labs, and event spaces. Designed as an open urban factory, it fosters collaboration among manufacturing startups, scaleups, designers and corporations.

 

 A 1,500 sqm hybrid space with a light industrial floor for advanced manufacturing, seamlessly integrated with offices, coworking areas, labs, and event spaces. Designed as an open urban factory, it fosters collaboration among manufacturing startups, scaleups, designers and corporations.

 

via Polidoro da Caravaggio 30B 20156 Milano

Lounge
Meeting podcast room
Meeting podcast room
Show cooking
Podcast recording
Hot desk
Outdoor Campus La Forgiatura

C.space
 

 C.Space is the design and media tech lounge dedicated to podcast production, private events, workshops, team building, design thinking sessions, business lunches and more. 

 

 C.Space is the design and media tech lounge dedicated to podcast production, private events, workshops, team building, design thinking sessions, business lunches and more. 

 

via Varesina 162
20156 Milano

Open Innovation

Through open innovation programs that connect startups that want to accelerate their growth and industry-leading companies in search of innovation, we initiate pilot collaborations, creating PoCs (Proof of concept).

Designtech connects its members to collaboration opportunities by hosting open innovation initiatives that bridge design and technology to reinvent living. We link growth-focused startups with industry leaders, initiating pilot collaborations and supporting successful PoCs.

Lab status:
Closed

AUGMENTED
LIVING LAB

A new initiative themed Augmented Living. 
The Lab aims to select innovative technology solutions that will redesign the concept of Living, from an inclusive, adaptive and smart approach.

Lab Status:
Closed

ADDITIVE
DESIGN LAB

The Additive Design Lab was born to promote the experimentation of innovative solutions in the field of Additive Manufacturing. Its applications address the three technology areas of Materials, Hardware and Software, and Services, to integrate Additive technology in Construction, Interior and Product Design.

Lab status:
Coming soon

FASHION
FURNITURE
CIRCULAR LAB

The Fashion Furniture Circular Lab, in collaboration with the Fashion Technology Accelerator, aims to generate and diffuse innovative solutions for tracking and upgrading textile production waste, with a cross-industry upcycling approach.

Lab status:
Closed

OFFSITE
LAB

The Offsite Call led to the selection of innovators and startups with enabling ideas and technologies for the transformation of the Construction sector. The Lab researched projects and solutions in the area of offsite construction systems (construction hybridized with manufacturing) that can reduce the time, cost and environmental impact of construction.

Made in Designtech

We are the go-to hub for developing 'phygital' and circular products. Our ecosystem leverages collective intelligence and services, providing strategic insight and reducing barriers to computational design and cutting-edge manufacturing technologies. We transform traditional industries and enhance sustainability through digitalized production. Discover our library of products and solutions developed within Designtech's ecosystem.

We are the go-to hub for developing 'phygital' and circular products. Our ecosystem leverages collective intelligence and services, providing strategic insight and reducing barriers to computational design and cutting-edge manufacturing technologies. We transform traditional industries and enhance sustainability through digitalized production. Discover our library of products and solutions developed within Designtech's ecosystem.

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Aura

Nature based solutions

Breathing wall

The Sphera breathing wall aims to utilize natural technology to replace high-energy mechanical systems, maximizing benefits and reducing waste to zero. Air is filtered through a biofilter, with pollutants absorbed and eliminated by plants via phytoremediation. The biofilter contains a purifying substrate and 16 plants, ensuring efficient air purification.

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PQ Design

Industrial Design

Innovative augmented reality viewer

Holo Industry, in collaboration with Foxconn, tasked us with developing an augmented reality viewer capable of seeing animals or people in the dark, looking inside walls, and monitoring the temperature of fluids and gases. Our user-centric approach and expertise in industrial design turned innovative ideas into concrete results. LEAN project management significantly reduced time to market, enabling Holo Industry and Foxconn to realize their vision within a precise timeline.

 

 

 

 

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Designtech

Digital product customization

Online Configurator

Collect user data via API and send to Hubspot for remarketing. View request details and reconstruct 3D models. Generate backend assets and pre-filled PDFs for quotes and order confirmations. Use the Mailflow Tool for professional communication and generate checkout URLs for payment and order processing.

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Puntozero

Design for additive

3D Footwear

We have reinvented footwear design and production using implicit modeling, parametric design, and 3D printing. This methodology enables customized, innovative designs optimized for consumers' needs and improves product performance. Our case study showcases this approach's potential through iterative design and prototyping, creating components and entire footwear that meet aesthetic expectations, offer superior performance, and ensure environmental sustainability.

Powered by:
Caracol

Additive manufacturing

Mikkel Nielsen

We print high-performing polymers and composites, selecting and engineering industrial-grade materials for efficient production across industries. "Soft Structures no.5" by Studio Mikkel Nielsen is one of the largest single-piece 3D printed installations, over 3 meters tall, made with Caracol's LFAM robotic system using transparent recycled polymer. This structure, exhibited at Designmuseum Danmark's "The Future is Present," appears light, glass-like, and airy.

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Hi-Interiors

Internet of furniture

Histand

We integrated cutting-edge technology into a nightstand, transforming it into a multifunctional smart device with enhanced functionality and user experience. The project includes a purifier system, touch panel controls, and sensors for lighting. The conversational lighting system indicates air quality with real-time color changes, creating a soothing atmosphere. Our IoT solutions improve usability and quality of life while preserving the original design's beauty.

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Furf

Concept development

Vaso Fiore

Five vases, designed using computer-aided design software, are combined to form a flower-like shape. They can be 3D printed using biodegradable polymer. Customization with sponsor logos is possible during printing, ensuring durability and a polished finish for promotional purposes. Light sensors add an interactive feature, automatically illuminating the vase in the presence of nearby movement.

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Replica

Digital twin

Miniforms

Our Smart Assets replace 3D models with authentic, authorized, and ready-to-use items, complete with built-in technical data kits and variants. This means architects can design with real data-connected products, in real-time. The result? A staggering 55% reduction in visualization time and significantly lower production costs.

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PwC

Codesign workshop

Smart kitchen

The process begins with defining the scope and objectives, outlining goals for integrating technological solutions into kitchen design. Continuous refinement during the Codesign session ensures feedback loops address issues and improve usability, reliability, and market readiness. The final session presents the concept of smart locks integrated into kitchen cabinets, detailing design rationale, user journey maps, and prototype demonstrations to showcase functionality and benefits.

 

 

 

 

3

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Hi-Interiors

UX/UI Design

App Hi-Interiors

Our product features interactive controls via a mobile app, enabling users to command smart functionalities such as lighting, ambient settings, and audio-video components. The design emphasizes intuitive navigation and visually appealing interfaces for a seamless user experience. Users can effortlessly adjust settings at home or remotely, ensuring they can create their ideal environment anytime, anywhere.

 

 

 

 

3.5

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Cosmob

Testing & quality

Le Bambole
In 1972 B&B made two types of sofas called “Le Bambole”, which won the “Golden Compass” prize in 1979 as one of the most relevant examples of Made in Italy products. Fifty years later, “Le Bambole” were redesigned including principals of circular economy in order to convert these products into more sustainable ones. The products have been redesigned to be more easily disassembled and recycled. Due to these changes “Le Bambole” had reached 81% in COSMOB’s certification of circularity of furniture products.

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Innovation System

Building management system

Energy consumption optimization

Innovation System optimized the energy consumption of Conceria Zonta by implementing the IoT platform OnSystem. This platform monitored and managed energy flows in detail, leading to cost reduction, a lower environmental footprint, and improved operational efficiency. It provided real-time data, facilitating strategic decisions and continuous improvements in energy management.

 

 

 

 

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Materially

Material innovation

Fizik Antares Versus Evo 00 Adaptive

Selle Royal Group involved us in the research for new solutions for the saddle’s comfort. We explored various possibilities both in terms of materials and manufacturing processes, taking into account the performance of the saddle, its lightness, and other parameters, such as manufacturability. Among the various solutions we proposed was a lattice structure to simulate the elasticity and responsiveness of polyurethane, which was eventually designed and produced by Carbon using SLS printed elastomers. 

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Sustainme Hub

Life cycle assessment

Rethinking the product, the business model, and the packaging Packaging made 100% from recyclable metal. Contains the equivalent of 30 coffee capsules. The materials of the container influenced the choice of production processes (cold extrusion and sheet metal bending) and consequently the thicknesses of the model on which weight calculations were then made. Among the processes considered were calculations for electrical energy consumption, production waste materials, materials for secondary and tertiary packaging, and finally their transportation at the national level.

 

 

 

 

Our Team

Designtech team brings together professionals with established backgrounds in different fields, with the common goal of building the future of habitats and cities by promoting open innovation programs that accelerate the growth of community members.

Ivan Tallarico
Founder & CEO

Graduated in Management at the Bocconi University of Milan, Ivan is a multifaceted business designer with a passion for visionary ideas that can improve people's lives and stimulate the best version of ourselves.

PATRIZIA VAVASSORI
CoFounder & COO

Graduated in Design with a Master in Marketing for Multimedia at the Politecnico of Milano, she has over 20 years of experience in fostering business innovation and promoting the digitalization of processes. 

ALESSANDRO DE CILLIS
CoFounder & CMO

With a 20-year background in international marketing and communications, he has been regional and national President of Corecom and is now strategic marketing consultant for several major companies.

DOMENICO GRECO
CoFounder & CIO

Graduated in Economics with a Master in Business Administration from SDA Bocconi in Milan, he has an entrepreneurial background of more than 20 years in the fields of Innovation & Innovative Ecosystem Development.

ILARIO DELLANOCE
Group CFO

With an established 20-year background in listed multinational companies, Ilario has spent the last 15 years in the high-end bedding industry, first in the role of CFO and later as Managing Director.

EMIL ABIRASCID
CoFounder & Startup Ecosystem Advisor

Journalist, founder and director of Startupbusiness, the magazine about startups and scaleups. Curator of StartupDigest Italy, advisor to Austrian Business Agency, Fondazione Symbola, Quadrans Foundation, 
TechChill Milano. 

ELENA GIRARDI
Factory Manager

Entrepreneur with strategic and innovative vision. She joined Designtech with the responsibility of managing the CoFactory project, making the most of over twenty years of experience in the industrial plant sector.

BAHAR HAMI
Project Design Manager

With a master's degree in Spatial Design at Politecnico di Milano and experience in spearheading design and innovation projects, Bahar specializes in managing creative solutions and turning disruptive ideas into reality.

GIOVANNA CORBANI
Responsabile amministrativa

Administrative manager with twenty+ years of experience gained in multinationals. With her invaluable skills she contributes to the organizational growth of Designtech, effectively managing the accounting of the company and its startups.

Our Events

Our Events

Join our events to harness the network effect in Milan, home to the world's largest design ecosystem. Designtech is the new hotspot for innovation in the design industry.

 

Join our events to harness the network effect in Milan, home to the world's largest design ecosystem. Designtech is the new hotspot for innovation in the design industry.

 

ECODESIGN AND DECARBONIZATION: measuring and reducing the impact

SEPTEMBER 5
16:00 - 17:30

Event organized in CoFactory by Sustainmehub in collaboration with Designtech

 

SEPTEMBER 5
16:00 - 17:30

Event organized in CoFactory by Sustainmehub in collaboration with Designtech

Register here

Open Event

Circolo Business Angels - 15th Edition

SEPTEMBER 19
17:00 - 19:45

Meeting for industry professionals; participation by invitation.

SEPTEMBER 19
17:00 - 19:45

Meeting for industry professionals; participation by invitation.

Join us!

Designtech community members are building the future 
of habitats and cities.

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