UPS and Rizoma Announce the Winner of the Urban Mobility Contest

Alberto Piovesan, a student at IUAV University in Venice, has won the Urban Mobility Contest, which challenged students from Italy’s top design schools and universities to design objects, vehicles and accessories that offered an innovative take on the future of sustainable urban mobility by combining elements of the brand identity of UPS with the cutting edge style and vision of Rizoma.

Alberto Piovesan was awarded first prize for Smart Motion, a navigation system for two-wheeled vehicles that uses emerging transparent glass touchscreen technology. The aim of the design is to provide riding assistance without blocking the view, enabling bicycle lovers to enjoy an immersive experience without worrying about navigation. A version with a slightly different shape has been designed for motorcycles, offering the added benefit of improved rider comfort by providing wind protection.

The panel of judges – Pier Francesco Caliari, general director of Eicma; Fabrizio Rigolio, CEO of Rizoma; Iulia Nartea, country manager UPS Italy; Giuliano Salvi, performance race engineer of Scuderia Ferrari; and automotive journalist Pierluigi Bonora – reviewed the concepts created by students from IED Milan, IED Turin, Politecnico Milan, IUAV Venice, and the Department of Architecture and Industrial Design of the Second University of Naples.

“The jury selected Alberto Piovesan’s design because he was able to leverage an emerging technology and create an application with real commercial potential,” said Iulia Nartea, country manager, UPS Italy. “Smart Motion could set a new standard in the design of accessories for two-wheeled transport.” The jury appreciated the connection made between the zero emission dimension of the bicycle and the speed of the motorbike. In both versions, the project meets the requirements of sustainability: the bike accessory by allowing even greater immersion in the environment, while the motorbike accessory allowed for finding the shortest trip right away and combined windshield, security features and navigation in a single component.

Alberto Piovesan won a six-month internship at Rizoma headquarters in Ferno, near Varese, where he will have the opportunity to work closely with the company’s creative team.

The group of Matteo Cappelletti and Andrea Pansini (IED Milan) came second with Urban Climber, a new hand trolley that can better overcome urban obstacles; while Luca Clemente Catrame (Second University of Naples) came third with MidPoint3, a three-wheeled motorcycle with a modular structure which enables the vehicle to be adapted to the quantity of goods being delivered, offering a “flexible fleet” solution.

A special mention for sustainability went to Tribeo, designed by Adriano D’Elia, Chiara Liotti, Valeria Perrotta, a mixed group from the Second University of Naples and IUAV. The trio designed a beetle-shaped pedal-assisted tricycle made of natural polymer matrix fibres produced from nettle, broom, hemp and jute. The recharging system is also innovative, based on solar units that store the sun’s heat and produce energy.

The best nine projects produced by the students will be displayed to the public in an installation designed by Ronen Joseph at Eicma 2015, from November 19 to 22.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.