Description
On 22 June 2001, the Conference of Heads of Government, meeting in St. Gallen, decided on the new philosophy behind the Arge Alp Prize as an instrument of recognition to promote and support skills, future scenarios and the ability to go beyond the ordinary.
The theme and the concrete contents of the Award are defined by the Arge Alp Chairmanship. The call for entries must be such that the Award is attractive to all Länder, Provinces and Cantons that are members of the Working Community.
The regulations, the terms of participation and the amount of the Prize are defined by the Arge Alp Steering Committee in agreement with the Public Relations Group; the latter is responsible for defining the instruments for disseminating and promoting the initiative.
The following countries are members of Arge Alp: Italy (with the Autonomous Provinces of Bolzano and Trento and the Lombardy Region), Austria (with the Länder of Vorarlberg, Tyrol and Salzburg), Switzerland (with the Cantons of Graubünden, St. Gallen and Ticino) and Germany (with the Free State of Bavaria).
Arge Alp 2025 Award
"Young people in the mountains: projects for life, work and business" is the theme chosen by the Trentino Presidency for the 2025 edition of the Award to draw attention to the typical nature of our territories and to valorise innovative and replicable ideas that offer young people new professional prospects in the Alpine regions, strengthening the link with their own territory.
The title of the Award is linked to the world of youth, to the desire to put in place projects that help young people to work and stay in the mountains, and perhaps even to move, to live in the mountains.
At the Arge Alp 2025 Award Ceremony, which took place on 23 October 2025 at the Buonconsiglio Castle, awards were presented in the following categories
- companies and start-ups that develop innovative and original business projects, especially aimed at young people, using local natural raw materials;
- schools, with enrolled students aged 14 and over, that develop recycling and upcycling projects to enhance the circular economy and the recycling of local natural raw materials.
Winners 2025
- Category: "Enterprises and start-ups
1st place: "ADES - Restoring value to craftsmanship to give a future to mountains in Trentino", presented by Alessio Ramundo (Trentino).
The project promotes the production of furniture and objects made of wood and linen using traditional techniques and natural materials, enhancing the relationship between young people and master craftsmen. The jury recognised its strategic coherence with the objectives of the award and its ability to combine tradition, sustainability and innovation.
Runner-up: 'Circular Chain CSH: Transforming forest/vegetable waste into sustainable resources', presented by Calanca Swiss Herbs SNC by Jonas Macullo and Toni Cappelli (Canton of Graubünden).
The project valorises forest and plant biomass through a cascading operational model that increases economic, environmental and social potential. The jury appreciated the ability to combine environmental protection, energy saving and sustainable management of natural resources.
3rd prize: 'FLEXGrid - die aufspannbare Holzgitterschale / FLEXGrid - the flexible wood grid', submitted by Lukas Zeilbauer and Stefan Pillwein (Land Salzburg).
The proposal introduces an innovative method for logistically efficient and resource-saving free-form timber structures. The jury praised the originality of the design and the possibility of applying the system to different production contexts.
Recognition Award. On the proposal of the International Jury, a special mention was awarded to the Lombardy project 'Rehabbing the Highlands. La Baita Val Canè', presented by Giovanni Vignali.
The project aims to counter the depopulation of the inland areas of the Stelvio National Park through the redevelopment of an alpine structure and the promotion of sustainable, short supply chain tourism.
- Category: "schools, with enrolled students aged 14 and over".
1st place: "Valle dei Laghi" presented by the Istituto Tecnico Economico Antonio Tambosi (Trentino), coordinated by Prof. Isabella Iandarino.
The two-year project focuses on the mountains as a place to be enhanced from a territorial marketing point of view by creating sports events aimed at deseasonalising the offer of the mountain area concerned, the Valle dei Laghi. The project elements with the highest value and consistent with the objectives of the Award were the connection between young people and the multi-sectoral activities of the mountain area, the valorisation of the territory and trails, and the use and promotion of typical mountain food and wine products.
2° classificato: “Woolwunder, das Schaf, ein Nutztier mit viele Facetten / Il prodigio della lana e le pecore, animali da reddito dalle mille sfaccettature” presentato dalla Landwirtschaftliche Fachschule Bruck (Land Salisburgo) coordinato dal prof. Mathias Kinberger.
Sheep farming in the Salzburg Alps produces several tonnes of raw wool each year. Together with the pupils, various alternatives for use are tested, e.g. as recyclable packaging material for parcels or filling material or as fertiliser. The coherence between the design solutions and the professional expectations of the students in finding viable alternatives for using wool, which should not only be considered as waste or by-product in a logic of circular valorisation, was appreciated.