A different way to network, in the mountains!
Speck&Trek is an initiative born from the idea of exploring the territory around us together with our community. We meet up, hike towards a destination - whether it's a peak, a mountain hut, or a scenic viewpoint - and once we arrive, we talk about tech, eat panini together, and hang out. A different way to network, in the beautiful mountains of Trentino.
Next trek
We will spend the day togetherwith SAT Ravina hiking to Corno Battisti first, and Rifugio Lancia later, following one of the most scenic trails in the Trentino mountains. At the refuge we will stop for lunch, relax in the sun, and enjoy some time together before heading back down.
Our guest, Augusto Ciuffoletti, will share his research on sustainable trail signage, exploring how QR codes can be used on hiking routes and archaeological sites, even in places without internet connectivity. The discussion will touch on sustainability, digital infrastructure, and the balance between technology and the natural environment.
Join us for this trek!
Past treks
We hiked up to Palon de Tovre above Lake Molveno, starting from the Valbiole area, with a steady climb of about 1.5 hours. At the top we stopped for lunch, relaxed, and enjoyed wide views over the lake below.
We wrapped up back in Cavedago at Al Picchio Rosso, where the tech focus of the day was generative AI, discussed with Michele Marchi (MSc Data Science, University of Trento). We looked at closed vs open source models and the open questions around ethics, and spent time on image generation and a comparison of the main models in use today.
An informal talk turned into a 2h-long open discussion during aperitivo.
In a light rain, we hiked up to Cima Panarotta from Vetriolo, a couple of hours of steady ascent. At the top, in the middle of the fog, we stopped for lunch, relaxed, and spent some time together before heading back down.
In Tenna, at the Alta Valsugana Smart Valley space, Matteo Rucco (Data Science Manager, Biocentis) introduced his work on applying innovative gene-editing techniques to mitigate agriculture and public-health issues caused by malicious insects, both as pests and disease vectors. The discussion focused on genetically engineered insects as a concrete example of how differential equations and agent-based modeling simulations can be combined to study complex biological systems.
We hiked up to Forte Spitz Vezzena, starting from Passo Vezzena, with a sweet climb of about 2 hours. Once at the fort we enjoyed a panoramic view, had lunch, and decided to push a bit further toward Cima Mandriolo before heading back.
At Ristorante Al Verle, Luca Coviello (PhD student at University of Trento, Data Scientist at Enogis) led an open discussion on the role of AI in agriculture. We looked at where it’s actually used today, what slows adoption down in practice, and the main constraints around data, models, and cost, plus what might realistically improve in the next few years.
A dozen of us hiked up to Lake Erdèmolo in Val del Fersina (Bersntol), a gentle climb through forest and open alpine stretches. At the lake we stopped for lunch, relaxed on the grass, and spent a long, long break between card games and tech conversations. After a few hours cooking in the sun, we headed back down to where we started.
For our first official Speck&Trek we were a group of 30 people, who hiked up to Cima Marzola from Rifugio Maranza. At the top we stopped for lunch with panini, stayed around for a while, and started running down since it was getting rainy. We then stopped at Baita Fontana dei Gai, where Alberto Montresor (Professor at University of Trento) ran an informal conversation on digital education, algorithms and computational thinking. we then played board games and, when the rain stopped, headed back to Trento.
It started with a small, unofficial hike right after the pandemic lockdowns, more like a test than anything planned. A few of us met in Villamontagna and hiked up to Cima Calisio, all while talking tech, and realized that mixing trekking with proper geek discussions could actually work. After a long time, finally a Sunday of nerdy chats, beers, card games, panini allo speck, and our beloved Trento in the background.
Upcoming treks
Want to join our next adventures? Follow our channels to stay updated on upcoming Speck&Trek dates.
Stay tuned!
