Academo Secures €215 Million Funding for Innovative University Campus in Milan

Academo Srl, a collaboration between Lendlease and the Equiter Infrastructure II fund, has secured €215 million in financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), with support from InvestEU, to construct a cutting-edge university campus in the Milano Innovation District (MIND). The project, which totals over €450 million, aims to host over 23,000 people, including students, researchers, and staff, supporting Milan's educational, sustainability, and urban development goals.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) have granted €215 million in financing, partly guaranteed by InvestEU, to Academo Srl—a venture formed by Lendlease and the Equiter Infrastructure II fund (managed by Ersel AM)—to design, build, and manage a science and technology campus in the Milano Innovation District (MIND). This project, which aligns with CDP’s strategic plan and EIB’s mission, will create new educational spaces as part of a broader sustainable urban regeneration effort in Milan.

The €215 million funding package includes a project finance-based direct loan, with €95 million each from the EIB and CDP. This arrangement, offering favorable lending terms from the EIB, aims to minimize the project costs for the public sector. Additionally, CDP is providing a €25 million VAT line for the project.

This strategic initiative will create an innovative campus that unites various scientific disciplines, supporting the University of Milan’s broader development goals. The campus may achieve GOLD-level energy-environmental certification under LEED standards, featuring renewable energy systems like solar panels and groundwater, and predominantly electric vehicles.

The project supports CDP’s 2022-2024 strategic plan and EIB’s objectives for universities and research, enhancing academic infrastructure in Italy. EIB Director Alessandro Izzo highlighted the bank’s long-term support for education, with over €3 billion allocated to Italy's educational sector in the last decade. CDP's Head of Infrastructure, Carlo Lamari, emphasized the project's alignment with CDP's goals to modernize social infrastructure.

Lendlease’s Francesco Mandruzzato, CEO of Academo, and University of Milan Rector Elio Franzini, expressed excitement about the project’s potential to create a cutting-edge, multidisciplinary university campus, fostering innovation and idea exchange for students and staff.