Red Bull Basement 2026 stops at H-FARM College

Today we hosted one of the Red Bull Basement launch events, the international initiative that supports students and young innovators in developing their ideas, with an increasingly strong focus on artificial intelligence.

The format is simple: do you have an idea, or are you looking for one to develop? Red Bull Basement provides mentors, tools, and a structured journey that guides participants from the early stages all the way to the opportunity, for the top projects, to reach the World Final in the United States at Stanford University. A concrete opportunity to turn an intuition into something real, testable, and ready to be presented on a global stage.

The event opened in the College Study Room with a welcome speech by João Fernando Saddock, Marketing Director.

This was followed by two members of the Red Bull Italy team – Sara Rabie, Jr Field Marketing Specialist Triveneto, and Matilde Puglia, Consumer Collecting Specialist – who shared insights into the Red Bull world, from the origins of the brand to its positioning built through projects and field marketing activities that directly engage new generations. Within this context sits Red Bull Basement, launched in 2016 and now a global platform for those who want to develop ideas with the support of technology and mentorship.

João then returned “on stage” with a session dedicated to “How to have ideas and pitch them”, offering practical insights on how to generate ideas and, above all, how to communicate them clearly and effectively—an essential skill when taking part in initiatives like Red Bull Basement.

The spotlight then moved to Etrash: Sebastiano Felicetti, CMO and co-founder, shared with students the journey that led them from H-FARM College to winning Red Bull Basement Italy 2021. Their story is one that we are particularly proud of: from students to startup founders, building on an experience that began right here. In his talk, Sebastiano explained how the idea was born, how it evolved over time, and the key steps that led to the development of MIDA, their smart bin capable of automatically recognizing and sorting waste. The project also carries a symbolic meaning: the first device was installed in January 2026 right inside H-FARM College, just a few meters from where the event took place. More than just a testimonial, his speech represented a direct bridge between current students and those who, starting from the same place, turned an idea into a real entrepreneurial project. A clear invitation to students to apply, take part, and leverage opportunities like Red Bull Basement to begin their own journey.

With an aperitif, networking, and a DJ set in the College courtyard, the afternoon naturally continued in an informal atmosphere, with conversations, new connections, and ideas flowing freely.

Applications for Red Bull Basement are open until April 5: a concrete opportunity to get involved and take your idea one step further.