Preparatory Event

Open Day 

June 13, 2023

Fabbrica H3,
Giudecca 624-625 Venice (Italy)

Free registration is mandatory. Link to eventbrite HERE.

The event will be coordinated by Gilad Rosenzweig, executive director of MIT DesignX – the venture accelerator of the MIT School of Architecture and Planning. He will introduce the program, its history and successes from its foundation in Boston to the launch of its spin-off in Venice in 2022 in collaboration with SerenDPT. 

Two startups born during the past edition of MITdesignX Venice will participate as testimonials of the program. 

Through a series of assignments and exercises Gilad Rosenzweig will help participants to better frame the problem they try to cope with and the context in which they would operate. He will give valuable insights on how to develop solutions to problems and will introduce some strategies to attract investors and get funding for your startup. At the end of the day, the participating teams will present their pitch

The Open Day will help you design and sharpen your innovative ideas, while creating synergies among participants, with the ultimate goal of facilitating the formation of strong interdisciplinary teams and prepare them for submission into the MITdesignX Venice program. (Submissions are open  until July 31, 2023)

The working Language is English.


MITdesignX Venice is looking for ideas(*) dedicated to solving problems experienced in Venice as well as other coastal and historical cities. In 2023, the themes are: 


(*) At MITdesignX Venice, Intellectual Property (IP) is considered the property of the individuals and/or teams. MIT and SerenDPT will not stake IP or patent claims to new ideas developed at MITdesignX Venice.

Agenda June 13, 2023

9:30 Registration

10:00 - 10:30 Welcome by Fabio Carrera (SerenDPT) + Intro to MITdesignX by Gilad Rosenzweig (Executive Director DesignX)

10.30 - 12:00 Inspirational presentations by past MITdesignX Venice startups - Discussion and Q&A with DesignX alumni 

12:00 - 12:30 Instructions for afternoon sessions and Lunch break assignment

12:30 - 13:30 Lunch Break 

13:30 - 14:00 Plenary discussion of lunch assignment 

14:00 - 15:30 Breakout tables by teams/ideas: frame your problem and context - Who has the problem?

15:30 - 16:00 Plenary recap of problem statements 

16:00 - 17:30 Breakout to develop solutions to problem 

17:30 - 18:00 Plenary recap of solutions

18:00 - 19:00 Plenary discussion of ideas for submission with guided critiques - final Q&A and next steps to submission

19:00 Networking Aperitif

Free registration is mandatory. Link to eventbrite HERE.