NAPLES. The tenth edition of Innovation Village, the platform that networks companies, startups, research organizations and institutions to discuss technology, sustainability and development, has concluded. Hosted in Naples in Villa Doria d’Angri, home of the University of Naples Parthenope, the event confirmed its central role in the innovation ecosystem, hosting for two days about three thousand participants.
Among the most relevant novelties was the presence of innovative systems from the Italian regions: Calabria, Puglia, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont, engaged with the Campania Region in a discussion on technology transfer together with MUR, MIMIT, Enea, COTEC Foundation, Compagnia di San Paolo, Netval. Also at the network are large companies: Almaviva, Bayer, Bosch, Eni, Ferrovie dello Stato, Leonardo, Optima Italia, Poste Italiane.
Annamaria Capodanno, director of Innovation Village, underscored the growing value of the initiative, which this year saw the total participation of 120 companies and nearly 300 speakers, addressing strategic topics such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, biorobotics and circular economy. Of particular note was the introduction of Research Speed Dates, targeted meetings between research labs and companies on European priorities. “Enthusiasm was aroused by the participation of 120 students in the hackathon dedicated to biodiversity,” Capodanno pointed out. “The call for the Innovation Village Award 2025, an initiative aimed at rewarding high-impact projects for sustainable innovation, was also launched.”
Massimo Bracale, director of Development & Innovation at Knowledge for Business, the company organizing the event, highlighted “the high level of qualified attendance among companies and research centers and the content: about 50 events in two days, with focuses ranging from Artificial Intelligence to industrial automation to the Space Economy.” Among the projects presented were the first bacterial nanocellulose prototypes from the Biologic lab, the bionic hand developed with Inail and Federico II University, and the natural spray mulch from startup New Color Flower.
Also in attendance was Luigi Nicolais, Italian representative for the European Innovation Council, who reiterated the importance of “accelerating the transfer of knowledge to make companies-not only the big ones, but also the intermediate ones-more competitive globally.”
Valeria Fascione, Campania Regional Councilor for Research and Innovation, brought attention to the opportunities of the space economy: “The focus is on regional measures to support startups in the sector: I am pleased to emphasize the strategic role of the Campania ecosystem in the use of satellite data and the development of new technological platforms.” Also present at the event was SI Impresa – Special Agency of the Naples Chamber of Commerce for the enhancement of business services made available by the European Enterprise Europe Network.
For Giorgio Budillon, pro-rector of Parthenope University, which hosted the event for the third time, “Innovation Village represents a meeting point between skills, innovation, young people and the world of work. A winning formula that is good for the future of our area.”
Press Release – Innovation Village
