I’m among the founder of U-Rise Master at Iuav, the first italian Master Course dedicate to Urban Regeneration and Social Innovation. A new approach to the revitalization of deprived urban areas has emerged, based on the mobilization of local resources and direct beneficiaries. Urban regeneration is increasingly looked at as a place- and community-based process that has to originate from local needs and resolve and local authorities rate community-based initiatives built upon innovative social approaches as crucial to spark the (sustainable) social and physical revitalization of their blighted neighbourhoods. Specialized and sometimes innovative professional profiles are needed to be trained.