ESA and H-FARM College: a day dedicated to space, innovation and the future

As part of its ongoing partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), one of H-FARM College’s key partners, on Oct. 12 our campus hosted a day entirely dedicated to space, innovation and the future, an experience that changed the way our students look at the sky.

Through a series of talks, the day explored how space shapes life here on Earth: how satellites help us understand climate change and protect the planet’s resources, how a fast-growing space economy is opening doors for startups and new business models, how artificial intelligence is making missions smarter, and what spacecraft could look like in 2040.

The key takeaway was clear: space is not just for astronauts and engineers. It is a field that needs curious minds from every background, ready to look up and ask “what if?”

The panel was opened by Antonella Sannella, Managing Director of H-FARM College, with an institutional welcome highlighting the value of the partnership with ESA and the opportunities it continues to create for students.

The speakers included:

• Pierre-Philippe Mathieu, Lead Ecosystem Innovation Architect at ESA
• Fulvio Marelli, Founder and CEO of Space42 Europe
• Roberto Cossu, Head of ESA Innovation Services Section
• Jorge López Trescastro, Head of the AI and Data Science Section at ESA
• Tiziana Cardone, Head of the Structures Section at ESA

A highlight of the day was welcoming back Alessandra Beretta, an H-FARM College master’s student who connected with ESA during her studies and is now part of the Agency’s team. Her story is the clearest proof of what this partnership means: the path to space can truly start right here.