08/06/2026
_ The Lagazuoi Winning Ideas Mountain Awards (WIMA), the award dedicated to the most innovative, sustainable and inclusive ideas related to the world of the mountains, are back at the Lagazuoi Expo Dolomiti. The seventh edition of the award was held on Saturday 6 June in the exhibition spaces of the Lagazuoi Expo Dolomiti, at an altitude of 2,732 metres above Cortina d'Ampezzo, with the announcement of the winners and the inauguration of the exhibition dedicated to the selected projects, open to the public until March 2027.
This year, the WIMA again received applications from companies, start-ups, associations, cooperatives and organisations committed to developing new models for living, working and producing in the mountains. The award, conceived by Stefano Illing, thus continues the work started by the Lagazuoi Expo Dolomiti as an observatory on the transformations of the highlands, focusing on technological innovation, environmental sustainability and social impact.
For the Mountain Equipment and Clothing category, the winning project is "Manifattura Diffusa", by Elbec, a company founded in Val Pettorina that combines a short supply chain, craftsmanship and social inclusion. The project starts with the merino wool produced in Campo Imperatore, continues in the textile factories of Biella, and ends in the Belluno Dolomites, where the workers of the valley make the products by hand. The jury rewarded the project's ability to create economic and social opportunities in the mountains, counteracting depopulation and enhancing local skills through a sustainable and contemporary production model. The project's ability to build a short supply chain and develop an economic model rooted in Alpine communities was also recognised, as it goes beyond a simple technical product to become a tool for social and territorial revitalisation.
In the same category, the jury awarded two special mentions dedicated to the theme of mountain safety. The first went to Ortovox AVABAG LITRIC TOUR 30, the backpack with an avalanche airbag system designed to increase the chances of survival in critical situations. Equipped with electronic technology that can be recharged via USB, the device was awarded for the important research and innovation work applied to the safety of people who visit the mountains, as well as for the company's ability to invest in concrete solutions dedicated to risk prevention.
The second special mention was awarded to ICE-KEY TAG | IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, the device designed by Roberto Simonelli that allows rescuers to quickly access the user's health and personal information in the event of an accident. The project, which can be integrated into helmets, clothing or outdoor equipment, was recognised for its ability to spread a culture of prevention and safety through a simple, immediate tool with high social value.
For the Projects and Services for the Mountains category, the winner is FOREMYC – Radicati nel Futuro, a start-up that has developed a forest monitoring system based on the creation of a digital twin of forest ecosystems. The project helps foresters and local operators to understand, protect and regenerate alpine forests threatened by climate change. The jury recognised the innovative value of the platform and its ability to open up new economic and territorial perspectives for the sustainable management of mountain areas.
Two special mentions were also awarded in this category. The first went to Arte Dolomiti, the cultural project of the Cyprianerhof Dolomit Resort in South Tyrol, which integrates hospitality and artistic offerings through chamber music concerts, cultural events and exhibitions open not only to hotel guests but to the entire local community. The jury rewarded the project's ability to create opportunities for meeting and cultural participation in the mountains, introducing an innovative model of the relationship between tourism, culture and the local area.
The second special mention was awarded to AUT-LAB Scarpinocc Inclusivi e Solidali, a workshop created in Alta Val Seriana to offer work and social opportunities to young people with disabilities through the production of scarpinocc, a type of pasta typical of the Bergamo area. The jury recognised the strong human, social and territorial value of the project, developed thanks to the direct commitment of families and capable of creating concrete inclusion in a mountain area where experiences of this type are still rare.
In the Food, Wine and Agricultural Production in the Mountains category, the winning project is the Wine of the Alpi dell'Adamello Cooperative, which produces wines exclusively from PIWI vines, varieties that are resistant to the main fungal diseases. The project was awarded for the consistency and vision with which it interprets a model of sustainable mountain agriculture, capable of combining environmental protection, production quality and social inclusion thanks to the employment of young people with disabilities.
The jury also awarded two special mentions. The first went to Federico Graziani for the project "Alchemy and experimentation on the mountain of fire", dedicated to the promotion of mountain viticulture on Mount Etna through sustainable agricultural practices and innovative NFC traceability systems applied to wine labels. The project's ability to combine technological innovation, communication and cultural enhancement of the volcanic area was recognised.
The second special mention went to Delizie del Dahu, a network of thirteen small agri-food producers established in the Chisone and Germanasca Valleys and committed to the shared promotion of mountain products. The project was awarded for its ability to innovate the way local products are marketed and to build a collaborative model capable of strengthening the economic and territorial identity of Alpine areas.
The 2026 programme of the Winning Ideas Mountain Awards also includes the Lagazuoi Prize for Journalism, promoted by GIS - Giornalisti Italiani Sciatori - in collaboration with Lagazuoi Expo Dolomiti and the Lottomatica Foundation. The award was created to recognise articles, reports and features that tell the story of contemporary mountain life in an original and authoritative way, including innovation, sustainability, sport, culture and environmental transformations linked to the effects of climate change.
The exhibition dedicated to the finalists will remain open in the spaces of the Lagazuoi Expo Dolomiti until March 2027.
THE JURY
The jury of the seventh edition of the Lagazuoi Winning Ideas Mountain Awards was chaired by Stefano Illing, creator of the Lagazuoi Expo Dolomiti. Also on the jury, for all categories, was Mauro Toti, Head of the North-East Territorial Macroarea of BPER Banca Private Cesare Ponti.
For the Mountain Equipment and Clothing category: Giampaolo Allocco, Marco Di Marco, Antonello Marega and Paolo Paci.
For the Projects and Services for the Mountains category: Emanuele Bompan, Max Cassani, Maria Cristina Ceresa and Claudio Lucchese.
For the Mountain Food, Wine and Agricultural Products category: Annalisa Cavaleri, Bruno Gambacorta, Alberto Lupini and Ludovica Rubbini.
PARTNERS
Media Partner: Sciare Magazine.
Media Partner: Materia Rinnovabile | Renewable Matter.
Media Partner: Italia a Tavola.
