Programme
May 12, 2026
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Main Stage | Inspire Area, Floor 1
European technological sovereignty and reducing dependency on American and Asian economies. A Europe that possesses the skills, resources and governance capacity to exercise effective control over the production of the digital technologies that shape economic and social life.
Massimiliano Fedriga, Presidente Conferenza delle Regioni e delle Province Autonome
Michele de Pascale, Presidente Regione Emilia-Romagna
Adolfo Urso, Ministro del Made in Italy e delle Imprese
Francesca Bria, Professoressa Innovation, Institute of Innovation and Public Purpose, UCL London, Presidente ART-ER
Sebastiano Toffaletti, Segretario Generale European Digital SMEs Alliance
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Sala Celeste | Discover & Connect Area, Floor 2
Public Event
Organised by IT4LIA AI Factory
Massimo Fedeli, Direttore del Dipartimento per lo sviluppo di metodi e tecnologie per la produzione e la diffusione dell’informazione statistica - ISTAT
Giulio Capasso, Senior Researcher - INAF - Istituto nazionale di astrofisica
Nadia Mucci, Responsabile Area per la Genetica della Conservazione - ISPRA -Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Ambra Room | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
The panel explores the role of large research infrastructures (such as the Einstein Telescope) in transforming territories. The central idea is that these infrastructures are not merely technical projects, but true drivers of economic, social, and cultural development, capable of shaping a region’s future for decades.
By Invitation Only
Organized by the Sardinia Region
By Invitation Only
Organized by the Sardinia Region
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Sala Blu | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
The workshop aims to serve as a structured opportunity for discussion and proposals on models and development prospects of regional research and innovation ecosystems.
By Invitation Only
Organised by the Piedmont Region, Sistema Poli Piemonte
By Invitation Only
Organised by the Piedmont Region, Sistema Poli Piemonte
02:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Sala Blu | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
The workshop aims to define shared recommendations among Regions on minimum data collection standards for Smart Specialisation Strategies, including metadata harmonisation, interoperability across regional, national, and European sources, as well as the application of open data principles and the responsible use of AI. The objective is to enhance analytical capacity, transparency, and the effectiveness of public policy design and implementation.
By Invitation Only
Organised by the Calabria Region
By Invitation Only
Organised by the Calabria Region
02:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Sala Ciano | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
In a context marked by accelerating global technological competition and the need to reinforce European strategic autonomy, building resilient and integrated industrial supply chains has become a top priority for the European Union and its Member States. This session will bring regional experiences into dialogue with European and industrial strategies, showcasing practical, replicable models for the development of critical technologies.
Organised by the Lazio Region
Organised by the Lazio Region
Roberta Angelilli, Vicepresidente e Assessore allo sviluppo economico - Regione Lazio
Vincenzo Colla, Vicepresidente - Regione Emilia-Romagna
Giacomo Bugaro, Assessore Sviluppo economico, industria, artigianato e ricerca industriale - Regione Marche
Isabella Poldrugo, Deputy Head of Unit - Space Policy
Col. Luigi Riggio, UCM - PCM
Augusto Cramarossa, Head of Strategic Coordination Office - Agenzia Spaziale Italiana
Marco Brancati, SVP Technology, Innovation & Systems Architecture - @Leonardo Space Division
Andrea Taramelli, UFN Copernicus / ISPRA
Francesco Ubertini, Presidente - CINECA
Tiziana Magnacca, Assessore allo Sviluppo economico, Ricerca industriale e Lavoro - Regione Abruzzo
Fulvio Bonavitacola, Vicepresidente - Regione Campania
Eugenio Di Sciascio, Assessore Sviluppo Economico - Regione Puglia
02:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Sala Ambra | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
The STEP Platform (Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform) is a key instruments for strengthening the EU's capacity to support the development, deployment and scaling of strategic technologies. It aims to enhance strategic autonomy, boost European industrial competitiveness, and accelerate the transition from research to market.
Organised by the Lombardy Region
Organised by the Lombardy Region
Elisabetta Confalonieri, Direttore Generale Università, Ricerca, Innovazione - Regione Lombardia confermata
Andrea Di Lucente, Vicepresidente - Regione Molise
Leonardo Marras, Assessore Attività produttive - Regione Toscana
Giacomo Bugaro, Assessore Sviluppo economico, industria, artigianato e ricerca industriale - Regione Marche
Eugenio Di Sciascio, Assessore Sviluppo Economico - Regione Puglia
03:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Main Stage | Inspire Area, Floor 1
The transition from dependence on platforms owned by American and Asian Big Tech companies to a development model based on research represents a major opportunity for Europe. It enables the continent to leverage its strategic assets, including strong public investment in research, robust governance frameworks, and access to long-term capital.
Marco Gay, Presidente Esecutivo Zest e Presidente Unione Industriali Torino
May 13, 2026
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Main Stage | Inspire Area, Floor 1
Drawing on the experience of the five National Champions - national high-tech research centres - the panel will discuss the governance models implemented, the scientific outcomes achieved, and their impact on territories and the productive system. This will be followed by a reflection on the current state of research, future prospects, and the long-term benefits of the post National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) phase.
Anna Maria Bernini, Ministra dell'Università e della Ricerca
Antonio Zoccoli, ICSC - Supercalcolo, Big Data e Quantum Computing
Matteo Lorito, National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies (Agritech)
Laura Ramaciotti, Presidente CRUI - Conferenza dei Rettori Università Italiane
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Sala Turchese | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
MATCHER Venturing Out is ART-ER's pilot initiative for companies in Emilia-Romagna seeking to integrate Venture Capital into their growth strategies.
By Invitation Only
Organised by ART-ER
By Invitation Only
Organised by ART-ER
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Sala Ciano | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
The session aims to analyse the evolution of current funding instruments and outline guidelines for the future of European research. Key topics include the integration of Horizon Europe funds with the European Competitiveness Fund, the optimisation of funding synergies, simplification measures, and enhancement of public-private collaboration.
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
Vincenzo Colla, Vicepresidente - Regione Emilia-Romagna
Luca Sammartino, Coordinatore Commissione Affari Europei e Internazionali Conferenza delle Regione e delle Province Autonome, Regione Siciliana
Francesco De Rebotti, Assessore allo Sviluppo Economico - Regione Umbria
Andrea Di Lucente, Vicepresidente - Regione Molise
Roberta Angelilli, Vicepresidente e Assessore allo sviluppo economico - Regione Lazio
Eugenio Di Sciascio, Assessore Sviluppo Economico - Regione Puglia
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Sala Ambra | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
The territorial ecosystem dimension has grown increasingly relevant and attracted growing attention in regional, national, and European innovation policies. This event aims to share experiences and insights on future development scenarios for regional innovation ecosystems, involving several Italian Regions as well as national policy makers. The discussion will also draw on the outcomes of the Regional Ecosystems Workshop, in which the key animators and connectors of these ecosystems participated.
Organised by the Piedmont Region
Organised by the Piedmont Region
Andrea Tronzano, Assessore Regione Piemonte
Fabio Graziosi, Rettore Università degli Studi dell'Aquila
Donatella Proto, Direttrice Generale per le nuove tecnologie abilitanti - Ministero del Made in Italy e delle Imprese confermata
Giovanni Amateis, Regione Piemonte
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Sala Blu | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
By Invitation Only
Organised by the Lombardy Region
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Sala Celeste | Discover & Connect Area, Floor 2
Startups, Venture Capitalists, corporates and policy makers from the national innovation ecosystem come together to explore the future of Deep Tech, discussing the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging technologies and by European and Italian policy frameworks.
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
Rocio Pillado, Partner | Cybersecurity, AI & Digital Infrastructure | Seed & Series A, Adara Ventures
Claudia Pingue, Responsabile Fondo Technology Transfer - CDP Venture Capital SGR confermata
Luca Ferrari, Senior Manager - Robotics & Breakthrough Technologies, CNH
Armando De Crinito, Direttore Generale della Direzione Generale Sviluppo Economico di Regione Lombardia
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Sala Cobalto | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
Italy is facing a severe talent retention crisis: between 2011 and 2024, approximately 440,000 young people left the country - resulting in an estimated brain drain of €160 billion. This event aims to explore joint strategies for retaining highly skilled talent, through active collaboration between the university, local territories, and businesses.
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
Vincenzo Colla, Vicepresidente - Regione Emilia-Romagna
Luigi Bertschy, Assessore allo Sviluppo economico, Formazione e Lavoro, Trasporti e Mobilità sostenibile Regione Autonoma Valle d'Aosta
Eugenio Di Sciascio, Assessore Sviluppo Economico - Regione Puglia
Luca Paolazzi, Curatore del rapporto CNEL
02:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Sala Blu | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
The workshop aims to lay the groundwork for establishing a stable and structured connection between the activities carried out by the Italian Regions in Brussels and Rome on European R&I policies, fostering continuity, dialogue, coherence, and effectiveness.
By Invitation Only
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
By Invitation Only
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
02:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Sala Ambra | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
Italian Regions discuss results, challenges, and future trajectories in the implementation of Smart Specialisation Strategies. The session privides an evidence-based assessment of what has succeeded and what has not in entrepreneurial discovery processes, data monitoring, and investment orientation. The aim is to outline operational recommendations for the next cycle of regional research and innovation policies, reinforcing the connection between S3, European platforms (e.g. STEP), and territorial ecosystems.
Organised by the Calabria Region
Organised by the Calabria Region
Giovanni Calabrese, Assessore allo Sviluppo economico, Lavoro e politiche attive del lavoro, Turismo, Fiere nazionali ed internazionali - Regione Calabria
Andrea Conte, JRC Commissione Europea
Alessandro Zanfino, AD Fincalabra Spa
Maria Carmela Passarelli, Delegata del Rettore all’Innovazione e l’Imprenditorialità - Università della Calabria
Giorgio Moretti, Manager Area Ricerca e Innovazione - ART-ER Emilia-Romagna
02:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Sala Cobalto | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
This workshop provides an institutional forum for the four lead Regions of the Reg4AI projects and the Department for Digital Transformation, which coordinates and supports their implementation at the national level. The initiative provides an overview of the progress made in pilot projects, highlighting preliminary results, priority application areas, and key findings from ongoing trials. Reg4AI projects focus on strategic areas for public sector innovation - including healthcare, environment, mobility, territorial safety, and public administration - through the development of AI solutions aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, supporting decision-making, and improved citizen experience.
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
Luca Giuseppe Rigoni, Dipartimento per la Trasformazione Digitale della Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri
Daniela Bruzzo, Regione Liguria confermata
Marco Matteo Burburan, Regione Lombardia
Cosimo Elefante, Regione Puglia
Gianluca Vannuccini, Regione Toscana
02:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Sala Ciano | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
Italian best practices in corporate Open Innovation. After an introduction to the topic, a roundtable will follow to foster dialogue among innovation agencies and intermediaries on the ongoing transformation, as well as the tools (calls for proposals, platforms, accelerators) they are adopting to evolve their open innovation support models.
Organised by ART-ER
Organised by ART-ER
02:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Sala Turchese | Innovate Area, Ground Floor
Discussion on regional policies that strengthen the university system's capacity to retain and attract researchers, the design and deployment of talent attraction services, and the regional levers to boost demand for high-level skills within the productive system.
By Invitation Only
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
By Invitation Only
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
02:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Sala Celeste | Connect & Discover Area, 2 Floor
Startups, Venture Capitalists, corporates and policy makers from the national innovation ecosystem come together to explore the future of Deep Tech, discussing the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging technologies and by European and Italian policy frameworks.
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
Organised by the Emilia-Romagna Region
Antonio Bicchi, Prof. Robotica Università di Pisa - Senior Scientist - IIT - Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Genova
Matteo Elli, Membro del board, RoboIT CDP Venture Capital; Founder e partner, Pariter Partners
03:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Main Stage | Inspire Area, Floor 1
Key Note Speech
Artistic Performance
Artistic Performance
Giuliano Noci, Vicedirettore PoliMI
Vincenzo Colla, Vicepresidente - Regione Emilia-Romagna
Promoted by
Organized by
Under the patronage of
R2I | RESEARCH TO INNOVATION IS AN INITIATIVE CO-FINANCED
BY THE EUROPEAN FUNDS OF THE EMILIA-ROMAGNA REGION
BY THE EUROPEAN FUNDS OF THE EMILIA-ROMAGNA REGION
Media partner
May 12-13, 2026 | 9 am - 6pm
Ex GAM - Galleria d’Arte Moderna
Piazza della Costituzione, 3
40128 Bologna - Italy
Ex GAM - Galleria d’Arte Moderna
Piazza della Costituzione, 3
40128 Bologna - Italy
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