Scientific research, startups, and sustainable innovation. A one-million-square-meter technology district now stands on the former site of the Expo 2015. With investments of over €2.5 billion and the ambitious aim of creating 70,000 new jobs by 2030, MIND — the Milan Innovation District — stands as a symbol of a growing Milan, where technology and human well-being meet.
Visitors of the Expo 2015 — the universal exhibition held in Milan — may struggle to connect the dots between the two events, but the very same site is now home to the ongoing development of the Milan Innovation District, MIND, an ambitious project sprawling over a one-million-square-meter area which is rapidly becoming a global hub for scientific research, technology, and culture.
MIND's purpose is much more than just a technology district: it is an ecosystem that brings together some of the world's most influential institutions. At the heart of this new hub is the Human Technopole, a research center of excellence dedicated to genomics, data science, and life sciences, with its state-of-the-art laboratories occupying some 30,000 square meters. By 2026, the State University of Milan will move its scientific campus here, bringing over 18,000 students, researchers, and professors to live and work. Rounding out the healthcare infrastructure is the new Galeazzi Hospital, already operational, integrating the healthcare area with cutting-edge medical research.
In a world where sustainability and technology are imperative for progress, MIND is positioning itself as a global model for innovative urban development. The district has been designed to meet the highest environmental standards, with 90% of its energy supplied from renewable sources and extensive use of green technologies, such as energy-efficient buildings, smart infrastructure, and a green mobility network that reduces the site's ecological footprint.
But there's more than just science and technology: MIND is also home to a thriving ecosystem of start-ups, business accelerators and incubators, where ideas for transforming the global innovation landscape are born. At the heart of this vision is Lendlease, the Australian real estate giant responsible for the district's property development, which plans to invest more than €2.5 billion over the next 10 years.
By 2030, MIND is expected to have created approximately 70,000 jobs, contributing to the economic growth of the entire Lombardy region. With over €500 million already invested, it is set to become a key hub for the global scientific and technological community, connecting Milan to a network of international innovation centers.
The combination of technological innovation, scientific research and focus on sustainability make MIND a global model of excellence in addition to being a crowning achievement for Milan and Italy. We are witnessing one of the largest urban regeneration operations in Europe, and it represents a paradigm shift in the way cities can respond to the global challenges of the 21st century.
Ultimately, MIND is not just a place, but a concept: a symbol of the Milan of tomorrow, a city that embraces the future, able to combine its rich cultural history with a capacity for innovation that anticipates the challenges of tomorrow. As is its wont, Milan doesn't just look to the future: it shapes it.