From 28 to 30 April 2026, the RomeCup, the multi-event dedicated to innovation and young people to respond to the challenges facing our country, returns to Rome.
The 19th edition, promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale ETS, will take place at Sapienza University of Rome and the Campidoglio and is part of a special year: 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale. The title chosen for this edition is an open question and, at the same time, a call for collective responsibility: What's next? What is the next step for education, research, business and institutions? And what role will the younger generations play in building the future?
Augmented intelligence and languages at the centre
After exploring the convergence between artificial intelligence and robotics in 2025, RomeCup 2026 opens up a new cultural frontier: augmented languages and the dialogue between the humanities and computational sciences. It is through language, in fact, that artificial intelligence enters everyday life: assisted writing, machine translation, text and image generation, and online identity construction. The issue is not only technological, but also cultural and educational: how can we govern the impact of algorithms on knowledge, communication, education and citizenship? RomeCup 2026 aims to be a public space for discussion between schools, universities, research centres, businesses and institutions to address this question in a shared manner.
An ecosystem in motion
In 2026, the event will once again combine:
- interdisciplinary conferences and dialogues
- robotics competitions and creative contests
- hackathons and projects with companies
- educational workshops integrated with academic activities
- a demonstration area with prototypes from schools, universities and start-ups
- the fourth edition of the Most Promising Researcher in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence award, which introduces the special category Cyber Humanities dedicated to Tullio De Mauro.
For the first time, the educational activities of the host university are not suspended but integrated into the programme: the RomeCup enters teaching and teaching enters the RomeCup, giving rise to a model of learning convergence .
The inaugural conference: young people, the future, responsibility PARTICIPATE
The event opens on 28 April at La Sapienza with the inaugural conference, moderated by journalist and columnist Riccardo Luna. In a time marked by technological acceleration and profound transformations, the conference focuses on the protagonism of the new generations. Stories of innovation born from training and research paths that today generate employment and social value. A concrete sign of how talent, skills and vision can be transformed into real opportunities. Young students will engage in dialogue with leading figures from the scientific and cultural world on the ethical issues of technological transformation:
- conscious use of artificial intelligence
- responsibility and rights
- the relationship between human and artificial intelligence
- gender stereotypes and online representation
The discussion will start with questions from the younger generations and recognise their active role in building a shared governance of innovation.
From natural language to artificial language
Among the highlights of the 2026 edition, the tribute to Tullio De Mauro opens a structured dialogue between linguistics, philosophy of language, data science and artificial intelligence. Language, understood as a common good and a lever for emancipation, becomes the key to understanding and guiding technological transformations.
What's next?
RomeCup 2026 does not offer ready-made answers. It creates a space where intelligence and talent engage in dialogue to transform complexity into responsibility, technology into culture, and innovation into a common good. In the coming days, we will provide detailed information about the protagonists and opportunities for participation.
