The previous Call for Proposals

In order to maintain a constant dialogue with market operators, Milano Hub works via its 'Call for Proposals': invitation to market operators to present projects proposals focused on a specific theme related to innovation in the banking, financial and insurance sectors.

Milano Hub supports the projects' development usually for about six months by offering different services: every project's team is assisted by a Banca d'Italia's multidisciplinary team, which will provide technical expertise in banking, financial and other sectors. Moreover, selected projects' representatives will have the opportunity to take part to seminars, networking events with other Call for Proposals' participants and stakeholders of banking and financial ecosystem.

The first Call for Proposals 2021

The first Call for Proposals was focused on this theme: "The contribution of artificial intelligence in improving the provision of banking, financial and payment services to businesses, households and the public administration, with a particular focus on financial inclusion, adequate consumer protection, and data security"

On 29 October 2021 the time window for the presentation of projects closed (see infographics). The list of selected projects was published on 28 February 2022. For more details on the projects see Selected projects - Description.

For further information, please visit the dedicated section on Banca d'Italia's website.

The second Call for Proposals 2022

The second Call for Proposals was dedicated to the following theme: 'Application of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to banking, financial, insurance and payment services, with special regard to ensuring: governance reliability and compliance with the applicable provisions and guidelines expressed by the Authorities; robust settlement mechanisms with particular regard to solutions capable of ensuring the final settlement of payments in central bank money; interoperability with other DLT platforms or platforms based on alternative models (e.g. API); certainty and security of operations from a technical and legal standpoint (for example, in terms of transaction finality); and consumer protection.'

The application window closed on 31 January 2023 (see infographics). The list of selected projects was published on 17 May 2023. For more details on the projects see Selected projects - Description. The activities of the second Call for Proposals of Milano Hub and the main topics addressed during the work are summarized in the related infographic.

For further information, please visit the dedicated section on Banca d'Italia's website.

The third Call for Proposals

The third Call for Proposals was dedicated to the following theme: 'Instant payments - and, more generally, digital payments - as enablers of innovation for banking, financial and insurance services and products, with particular regard to the need to ensure:

• the efficiency and speed of value transfers, including through the use of dedicated settlement infrastructures and the capabilities offered by open banking; in this regard, it notes the possibility of easy and immediate use of instant payments at the Point of Interaction (e.g. e-commerce portals, points-of-sale-PoS, tax and contribution payments) and in payments between people (P2P);
• security and resilience against cyber and operational risks, including with regard to the ability to detect and prevent new forms of fraud;
• the traceability of transactions as well as the authentication of those involved, including in relation to developments in digital identity management;
• interoperability with other payment services, through the use of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) based on shared standards;
• financial inclusion, transparency and consumer protection, including in relation to privacy profiles (GDPR);
• the ability to adapt to future operational contexts determined by rapid technological evolution.

The application window closed on 24 July 2024 (see infographic). The list of selected projects was published on 29 November 2024. For more details on the projects see Selected projects - Description.

For further information, please visit the dedicated section on Banca d'Italia's website.