VOLTA27 — NAVIGATION 5.0 — LAKE COMO, ITALY, 2027

Navigating
a Greener
Tomorrow

Celebrate Alessandro Volta's legacy with an international innovation challenge for design and engineering. Volta27 — NAVIGATION 5.0 brings together academia and industry to shape the future of sustainable navigation on European lakes and rivers.

Explore the Challenges Support the Project
Key Dates

Coming Up

06.2026
Project submissions
07.2026
Selection of exhibition
09.2026
Design Challenge launch
12–20.09.2026
UAL / Central Saint Martins MADI5 Students exhibition at Design Week Como
05.03.2027
Celebration of the death of Alessandro Volta
05.2027
Engineering Challenge, Electric Boat race and exhibition (to be confirmed)
11–19.09.2027
Design Week Como — Volta
The Inspiration

Celebrating
Alessandro Volta

Alessandro Volta (1745–1827), the Italian pioneer of electricity and native of Como, invented the electric battery and revolutionised humanity's relationship with energy.

In 2027, the 200th anniversary of his death will be celebrated in Como and across Italy through the multidisciplinary 200VOLTeVOLTA programme — and Volta27 is proudly part of it.

"You must be ready to give up even the most attractive ideas when experiment shows them to be wrong."— A. Volta
Alessandro Volta — historical engraving by Gaetano Bonatti
Lake Como — sustainable inland navigation
Our Initiative

Industry 5.0
meets the Water

We are launching an international innovation challenge that brings together universities and industry partners to develop sustainable navigation solutions for European lakes.

Participants will collaborate on state-of-the-art electric vessels, supporting infrastructure and services that benefit local communities, boost the economy, and regrow the lake's biodiversity.

i.
Human Desirability
Vessels designed around human needs and the quality of life of local communities.
ii.
Circular Resource Use
Clean propulsion and circular materials rooted in Italy's naval heritage.
iii.
Positive Ecosystem Impact
Solutions that reduce emissions and protect lake biodiversity.
iiii.
Industrial Viability
Bridging design ambition with economic reality at scale.
A European Vision

Pursuing Volta's legacy:
A European Navigation Innovation Center
for inland waters in Como

Leveraging the learnings and momentum of the 2027 milestones, we aim to support the potential set-up of a European Innovation Center for inland navigation. Anchored in the extraordinary landscape of Lake Como, inspired by Italy's craftsmanship heritage and the principles of Industry 5.0, this initiative would seek to bridge academia and industries across Europe, through collaborative Design, Engineering, and Business Modeling to "implement the future of Navigation for inland waters" to the benefits of society and the planet.

The Initiatives

Two Challenges,
One Vision

01 · Design Challenge · 2026–2027

International
Design Challenge

Volta27 — Seeding · 12–20.09.2026

12–20 Sept 2026: UAL / Central Saint Martins Master of Design Industry 5.0 (MADI5.0) Students exhibition at Design Week Como. Location to be announced. See here for the Festival program.

Designing the Challenge

The Volta27 — NAVIGATION 5.0 Design Challenge is open to academic universities and Design Studios wishing to participate. The challenge is currently being designed by a group of leading Design universities and institutions. It will be announced during the summer to fit the academic and the Alessandro Volta Celebration calendars.

Click here to stay informed →
Design Challenge — Lake Como
Energy boat racing
02 · Energy Boat Challenge · 2027

Energy
Boat Challenge

In collaboration with the local navigation authorities and partners eager to promote the future of sustainable yachting, we are supporting the set-up of an engineering challenge under the form of a boating competition.

We envisage various tracks such as autonomy, performance and manoeuvrability and plan to announce the competition in September, to fit the Alessandro Volta celebration calendar.

Click here to stay informed →
Partners

Partner's Logos

A coalition of institutional and academic partners supporting the Volta27 vision.

Volta Foundation UAL / Central Saint Martins Politecnico di Milano Lancaster University Glasgow University Additional Partner

Partner logos to be added soon. Each placeholder links to the partner's website.

The Founders

Meet the Board

A diverse group of experienced professionals from Italy, Belgium, and Ireland — united by a passion for innovation, sustainability, and Italy's extraordinary heritage.

Nicolas de Cordes
Nicolas de Cordes
Innovation & Strategy
Co-Founder of OPALImpact.tech (Data & AI for Climate), and additivecompanion.com (3D printing). Associate Lecturer at Central Saint Martins, Master of Design for Industry 5.0.
"Cappuccini are the true fuel of innovation."
Guillaume Bregentzer
Guillaume Bregentzer
Energy & Finance
Country Management Director at ENGIE. Banking and energy infrastructure strategy across the Americas and Europe.
"Cultural mix is the recipe for innovation."
Laurent Warlop
Laurent Warlop
Engineering & Entrepreneurship
Serial entrepreneur and electro-mechanical engineer. Ventures in electric mobility, wooden architecture and sustainable building physics.
Katya Degrieck
Katya Degrieck
Media & Governance
Director at Google managing publisher partnerships across Northern Europe, MEA. Non-Executive Director at Bancup. 25 years in media.
"The best partnerships — like the best architecture — are built to last."
Florence Piers de Raveschoot
Florence Piers de Raveschoot
Institutional Relations
Team Leader at the European Commission. Extensive experience in event organisation, coalition building and inclusion initiatives.
Olivia Verhaeghe
Olivia Verhaeghe
Architecture & Design
Belgian architect based in Brussels. Practice blends contemporary transformation with heritage renovation, creating spaces of elegance and sustainability.
"True beauty lies in the balance between heritage and future."
Join Us

Be Part of
Something Lasting

Whether you seek meaningful ESG engagement, a landmark cultural partnership, or want to shape the future of navigation — there is a place for you in Volta27.

i.
Corporate Sponsor
Associate your brand with a landmark European innovation event. Gain visibility, access to cutting-edge research, and a meaningful ESG narrative aligned with clean energy and sustainable mobility.
Contact us →
ii.
Academic Partner
Bring your students and researchers into a real-world innovation challenge. Collaborate with leading European universities on projects that matter — for the planet and for society.
Contact us →
iii.
Institutional Patron
Support a not-for-profit initiative with lasting cultural and environmental impact. Help build the foundation for a European Navigation Innovation Centre.
Contact us →
iiii.
Volunteering
Bring your enthusiasm and your talent to help our initiative take shape and make it a success. Join us for a week or for 6 months and become part of the story.
Contact us →
Get in Touch

Let's Build
Together

As we actively develop our challenges in support of our longer term ambition, we are eager to engage with partners, sponsors, and academic institutions who are passionate about navigation innovation and lake sustainability in Europe.

We would love to hear your thoughts or provide more details on our current development, and should you need to link to us or use the Volta27 logo — please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Organisation
Volta27, Intreccio asbl
Brussels, Belgium  ·  Blevio, Como, Italy
Volta27 is a non-profit organisation registered with the Belgian Tax and Customs Administration.