Press Release

Bicocca and Connexun® launch a new portal that connects people around the world

The portal connexun.com, a collaboration between the University of Milano-Bicocca and Connexun® | Start-up Innovativa, provides people abroad a platform to discover News, Points of Interest and build Community Network

Milan, 23 September 2014 – Finding people , discovering Points of Interest and News while travelling or living abroad - is what connexun.com offers.

The new portal was presented during a conference at the University. Speakers included Manish Prabhat-Consul General of India in Milan, Cristina Messa - Rector -University of Milano-Bicocca, Mattia Corbetta – Italian Mininstry of Economic Development, Carlo Patrini - IT Architect and Business Intelligence SME IBM Italy, Alexandre Tresgallo Pardo - Senior Manager Deloitte Financial Advisory Services, Giacomo Biraghi-Digital PR and Media Expo 2015, Prasad Meharunkar - Tata Consultancy Services and Nikhil Aggarwal - Founder Connexun.com. The meeting was moderated by Emil Abirascid.

Prof. Carlo Batini and Matteo Palmonari -Department of Computer Science, Systems and Communications (DISCo) presented Cupid (Cultural POI Discovery & Profiling), part of semantic engine BIRBAL® (Brilliant Information Research Bigdata Algorithm). Cupid is able to retrieve several points of interest related to a particular country, restaurants, business or embassies/consulates, when one is abroad. Cupid has analyzed more than 1.6 million points of interest in Italy and India in over a month time.

The results of Cupid project are found in the section “Around” of www.connexun.com. As Italy and India are the two countries where the platform was tested for Cupid, the portal already shows maps for all points of interests located in Italy connected with India and all points of interests located in India connected with Italy. In other words, everything being “India” in Italy and “Italy” in India. In this way, people that are used to travelling or living abroad can find a part of themselves everywhere they are with interests connected with their country of origin, ranging from business to hobbies. In the future, the platform will aim at expanding the search and analysis of points of interest in countries such as Canada, Brazil, China, Russia in order to involve more and more communities worldwide.

«This cooperation - Professor Batini explains as scientific leader of the project - is a very good example of rigorous research activity with a concrete employment in semantic analysis and data selection of massive information in the web. In fact, this engine addresses the challenges launched by 3Vs model for describing Big Data: high volume, high velocity, and high variety. Additionally, social relevance of research is substantial as it is prospectively intended to connect communities worldwide ».

"I have lived in Italy for over twelve years and I realize how difficult it is to integrate in a foreign country, primarily because of the language barrier - explains Payal Aggarwal, founder of Connexun®, which has been recently recognized as an Start-up Innovativa by the Ministry of Economic Development in Italy. “When I am looking for information in Italy, I only consult Indian or English TV and newspapers: a limitation, which today can be overcome with technology and with projects like Connexun®."

"I am pleased with the fruitful relationship that has been established with the University of Milano-Bicocca - added Fabio Biccari, General Manager of Connexun® - “a fact attested by joining of Riccardo Corti ,ex-student of Biccoca and now is Technical Project Manager at Connexun®. "

For additional informationUfficio Stampa Università di Milano-Bicocca, ufficio.stampa@unimib.itLuigi Di Pace 02 6448 6028 cell. 331 5720935, luigi.dipace@unimib.itDavide Golin 02 6448 6249, davide.golin@unimib.itfacebook.com/BnewsBicocca@BnewsBicocca

For Connexun®

info@connexun.comFabio Biccari 02 87187162 cell. 3938928747, fabio.biccari@connexun.com