How can an inclusive sports initiative be transformed into a model capable of generating social impact on an international scale? This was the central question of the event “RunChallenge Europe: Scaling Social Inclusion Through Sport,” organized by CERGAS – SDA Bocconi in collaboration with PlayMore!

The event brought together researchers, nonprofit organizations, companies, and international partners from the RunChallenge network to discuss opportunities, enabling conditions, and challenges related to scaling social inclusion models through sport. Following opening remarks by Amelia Compagni, Director of CeRGAS-SDA Bocconi, and Dino Ruta, Rector’s Delegate for the Olympic Movement at Bocconi University, the event continued with the presentation of research findings on social franchising as a model for scaling social impact.

The study was presented by Giuliana Baldassarre, Lecturer in Government, Health & Not for Profit, and Francesco Vidé, Assistant Professor of Practice in Government, Health & Not for Profit at SDA Bocconi School of Management. Both are members of the research team and authors of the research report “Social Franchising and Social Inclusion Projects Through Sport: The RunChallenge Model.”

The event then explored the RunChallenge case through presentations by Luigi De Micco, Founder and President of PlayMore!, and Enrico Petracco, Head of RunChallenge, who illustrated the project’s evolution and its expansion across Italy and Europe.

Subsequently, Giuliana Baldassarre and Francesco Vidé presented the main research findings regarding the opportunities, enabling conditions, and challenges of applying social franchising to inclusive sports initiatives. The discussion was further enriched by contributions from international network partners, including Lubomir Hrcka, Founder and Managing Partner of ŠK Run For Fun, and Paraskevas Alvanos, President of Aetoi Thessalonikis, who shared their experiences implementing the model within their respective local contexts.

The event concluded with a roundtable discussion focused on the sustainability and long-term impact of the RunChallenge model. Participants included Serena Di Vita, Sustainability & Responsible Gaming Director at Flutter SEA, Gianmarco Gandolfi, CEO and Partner at ALTO Partners, and Luigi De Micco. The discussion was moderated by Giuliana Baldassarre.

The report presented during the event examines RunChallenge as a case study of social franchising applied to inclusive sport. Founded in Milan in 2016 by PlayMore!, the project promotes running, walking, and wheelchair movement sessions open to people with and without disabilities, regardless of age, ability, or cultural background. Over time, the model expanded beyond Milan to involve seven Italian cities—Bologna, Cagliari, Naples, Palermo, Parma, San Benedetto del Tronto, and Verona—and subsequently several European cities with the support of the European Union, establishing new hubs in Helsinki, Warsaw, Berlin, Bratislava, Madrid, Thessaloniki, and Mallorca.

The research highlights that RunChallenge embodies all the key characteristics of social franchising models: a strong social mission, replication of a shared format, ongoing support for local partners, and a collaborative network focused on social inclusion.

One of the main findings is the project’s multidimensional impact. According to participating partners, RunChallenge promotes personal empowerment, increased self-confidence, and active participation, while also encouraging healthy lifestyles and inclusive social relationships. The network is described as a true “sports family,” capable of fostering social connections and a sense of belonging among people of different backgrounds, ages, and abilities.

The study also identifies several key factors that support the model’s replicability: the regularity of weekly training sessions, openness to all participants, and a strong shared identity symbolized by the distinctive RunChallenge red shirts. To ensure the sustainability of international growth, partners highlighted coach training, shared communication tools, partner coordination, mentoring programs, and the development of local networks involving schools, sports associations, and community organizations as top priorities.

Among the research findings, particular attention was given to the evaluation of services provided by PlayMore! to the network’s European partners. The services considered most valuable were training sessions focused on the RunChallenge format, communication strategies, and participation in public funding calls, all of which received the highest relevance ratings from every partner involved in the study.

In its conclusions, the report proposes a possible future development of the model through a freemium approach, combining a free basic level to ensure accessibility and inclusion with paid advanced services to support training, coordination, and the network’s international development.

Overall, the findings confirm the potential of RunChallenge as a European model of inclusive sport and as an innovative initiative capable of bringing together participation, education, well-being, and long-term social impact.

SDA Bocconi School of Management