No professors, no degrees required, and no traditional lessons: all you need to do is learn to navigate digital code. Following its launch in Rome, the coding school from the international '42' network is now coming to Florence under the name "42 Firenze Luiss by FCRF," established through the collaboration of Fondazione CR Firenze and Luiss Guido Carli University. The new location will be housed in the Innovation Center of Fondazione CR Firenze, with the goal of training 150 young digital professionals each year. The school is completely free and features a unique training model inspired by video games. Students engage in a series of projects, each one unlocking the next level with progressively greater difficulty. This self-learning system rewards determination and teamwork. '42 Firenze' is open to anyone 18 years of age or older: students, university attendees, those who are not in education, employment, or training, and anyone eager to get involved or get back in the game, believing in the digital world as a catalyst for development and growth.

The Three 'Pools' and the Course
Registration is now open for the first year, which begins in September. You'll need to pass an online logic test (available at www.42firenze.it). After that, there will be an introductory meeting and the “Piscine,” an intensive, roughly three-week program in the world of programming. It's based on continuous practice and mutual exchange, and it's open to adults who don't need any formal qualifications or prior experience. Participants will be “thrown into the 'digital sea,'” and only those who learn to “swim” will survive. There will be three “Piscine” sessions: the first from May 2 to 27, the second from June 6 to July 27, and the third from July 11 to August 5. We will select 150 of the most deserving young men and women, who will embark on a three-year journey that includes at least one internship.

A breeding ground for businesses and career opportunities
42 students will develop the skills needed to compete internationally in today's most in-demand professions, including production engineer, software architect, tech team leader, web developer, mobile app developer, UI/UX designer, IT security specialist, and game developer. At École42 in Paris, 100% of the students who attended immediately found a job, even before completing their program. Indeed, the school serves as a true incubator for qualified human resources, which are now essential for the growth and competitiveness of the entire production system. Local businesses also have the opportunity to become partners of '42 Firenze,' supporting its development and thereby establishing a preferred channel for connecting with the students.

The French network
The '42' network, founded in Paris in 2013 as the visionary project of entrepreneur Xavier Niel, now has two campuses of its own (École 42 in Paris and 42 Fremont in Silicon Valley) and over forty “satellite” schools spread across 25 countries worldwide. A peer-to-peer educational approach, which literally means learning from peers, allows students to learn in the field by doing hands-on activities and learning from their mistakes. '42' students engage in projects that train them to work in teams and develop problem-solving skills. The training model at École 42 breaks away from the traditional learning approach, focusing on cross-cutting skills like the ability to create, assess, and resolve unforeseen issues and critical challenges with an innovative mindset.

The campus in the Innovation Center
“42 Firenze” is located in the Innovation Center of Fondazione CR Firenze, a former Medici granary transformed into a hub for promoting digital technology. Acquired and restored by Fondazione CR Firenze, it now houses one of Italy’s most important ecosystems dedicated to the frontier of innovation. The school is spread across two levels, featuring a 1,200-square-meter open space with cutting-edge technology and views of the Florentine Lungarno. The campus is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (including weekends and holidays). Students will be able to manage their time independently, allowing them to choose when to tackle the school's challenges.

“The opening of '42 Firenze' marks another significant leap forward in our already extensive range of education and training programs. In particular, we are supporting all processes related to innovation and digitalization, two areas that are key to the country’s revival. We thank Luiss Guido Carli University for their collaboration, and we are delighted that the school is located within the Innovation Center of Fondazione CR Firenze. This former Medici granary, which we purchased and restored, has now become one of Italy’s most important innovation ecosystems. With '42 Firenze,' it reaches its full potential, marking the first step in shaping the Florence of the future—one that we must all begin to design together. This significant initiative also aligns with the new role that banking foundations now play, as they are able to pool expertise and resources for the common good,” said Luigi Salvadori, President of Fondazione CR Firenze.

“42 Firenze Luiss by FCRF is a tangible, immediate response to one of the fundamental questions: creating skills and jobs while fostering the digital transition of businesses and public administration in our country. Luiss is proud to have arrived in Florence, one of Italy's cities where tradition and innovation come together, with the 42 network's revolutionary coding school. This project was made possible thanks to the invaluable support of Fondazione CR Firenze. With the opening of 42 Firenze, Luiss is once again exporting a completely innovative educational model. “This is an opportunity for young people across Tuscany and the central-northern regions to develop the digital skills that are crucial for the job market,” said Giovanni Lo Storto, the Director General of Luiss University.