Roll Cloud: the winners of Hack4SocialAI in Rome
The Rome leg of Hack4SocialAI, the national challenge dedicated to inclusion, health and sustainability, concluded on 13 April at the University of International Studies in Rome (UNINT). The initiative forms part of the Roll Cloud. Working in the Cloud programme, which is part of Opening Future, the joint project by Google Cloud, Intesa Sanpaolo and TIM Enterprise, and involved students from Lazio in an intensive day of co-design, with the aim of developing innovative solutions based on artificial intelligence and cloud technologies.
More than just a competition, Hack4SocialAI proved to be a learning experience in which young participants put their technical and soft skills to the test, tackling real-world challenges and concrete societal needs.
Aurora: designing inclusion as infrastructure
The first prize was awarded to the Aurora project, conceived by Matteo Baglioni and Flavio Foglia. More than just an app, Aurora presents itself as a genuine digital infrastructure for inclusion, designed to make financial and professional independence more accessible. The project is based on an approach that puts people’s needs at the centre, moving beyond traditional categories. Artificial intelligence thus becomes a tool to facilitate access in various areas: from cognitive support for people with neurodivergence, to financial education for vulnerable families, right through to the development of young people’s skills via tools such as the ‘Skill Wallet’. Alongside this, Aurora introduces innovative modules such as the “Destiny Simulator”, designed to guide choices and strengthen individual awareness. The winning team will now proceed to the national final on 28 April, during the Romecup.
The jury also awarded three special mentions to projects that stood out for specific characteristics.
The special mention for social impact went to Cash Manager, developed by the team “Gli Ingiocabili” (Daniele Battella, Edoardo Schiappacasse, Federico Pacifici, Davide Agostini and Alberto Sachet), for its ability to respond in a concrete way to the needs of the community.
The mention for the role of artificial intelligence was awarded to Smart-hire-IA, a project created by Sofia Comandini, Martina Sardelli and Sara Sgarra. The solution addresses the issue of bias in selection processes, using synthetic data to train more equitable and inclusive recruitment systems.
Finally, the award for originality was given to SignBridge, conceived by Teresa Vecchiarelli, Nicla Nardi, Giorgia Santacroce, Sofia Porfiri and Noemi Bravi, for the creativity and uniqueness of the proposal.
Throughout the day, the teams worked using design thinking methodologies and design sprints, supported by experts from Fondazione Mondo Digitale, TIM Enterprise and Intesa Sanpaolo. This collaborative environment enabled participants to validate ideas, develop prototypes and refine solutions quickly.
