Open Innovation & Open Science

ROOM 1
JE.III OPEN INNOVATION & OPEN SCIENCE VIII Edition Materials, Research Infrastructures and Artificial Intelligence: Shaping the Future of Innovation 19 September
Organized by:

Chairs: Vittorio MORANDI, CNR-ISMN \| Marco ROSSI, Sapienza University of Rome
With the consolidated success of past editions, Open Innovation and Open Science 2025 confirms its role within NanoInnovation as a forum for dialogue among institutions, academia, industry, and the wider innovation ecosystem. The 2025 edition unfolds in a phase of profound transformation, where Artificial Intelligence, research infrastructures, and European strategies converge to reshape the way innovation is conceived, developed, and shared. Research infrastructures—particularly those strengthened by Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP)—are increasingly recognized as strategic assets for technological sovereignty, industrial competitiveness, and advanced training. Artificial Intelligence is accelerating this evolution: beyond enabling technologies, it is a structural change that transforms experimentation, data exploitation, and the very logic of innovation processes, requiring new approaches to collaboration, governance, and skills. Within this framework, advanced materials play a pivotal role. Acknowledged by the European Commission as a cornerstone for competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience, they underpin industrial innovation and the ecological and digital transitions. Italy’s NRRP has catalyzed major initiatives in this domain, but their impact depends on overcoming fragmentation and aligning national priorities with the European agenda, so as to position the country as a proactive actor in the EU innovation landscape. This convergence of AI, materials research, and research infrastructures points to a unified vision in which open science and collaborative innovation become strategic levers to maximize the impact of investments, accelerate ecological and digital transitions, and foster inclusive and resilient ecosystems that strengthen Europe’s competitiveness while ensuring that knowledge and technology directly serve sustainable growth and societal well-being.

19 September
09:00 - 10:30 AI4I – Artificial Intelligence for Innovation: how AI may impact the Innovation Process JE.III.1 - TT.IX.B
Chair: Francesco MATTEUCCI, FBK \| Roberto GIANNANTONIO, Nanoshuttle Srl
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly emerging as a transformative force in the business world, offering companies not only the opportunity to enhance operational efficiency but also to gain a significant competitive edge. In an era where innovation is crucial for both survival and growth, AI stands as a key enabling technology for designing and developing novel products and services, attracting top talent, and reshaping innovation dynamics. Organizations that embrace the opportunities provided by AI will be the ones that set themselves apart and thrive in the future. However, leveraging AI effectively requires more than just technological integration—it demands a fundamental rethinking of innovation processes and growth strategies. This session will explore how AI is reshaping the innovation landscape, providing insights into its potential to redefine the whole innovation process, steer knowledge, and accelerate market uptake.
JE.III.1.1 TT.IX.B.1	Roberto GIANNANTONIO - CV Nanoshuttle CEO General intro on the state of the art of AI in the innovation process
JE.III.1.2 TT.IX.B.2	Francesco MATTEUCCI - CV Senior Advisor on Innovation at Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) General introduction on the EU AI strategy
JE.III.1.3 TT.IX.B.3	Riccardo APREDA - CV Co-founder of Erre Quadro Presentation of Errequadro, a deep-tech firm delivering AI-based cognitive engines and ML tools for automated classification, analysis, and strategic exploitation of technical and patent documentation.
JE.III.1.4 TT.IX.B.4	Birgit THOBEN - CV Birmingham University, United Kingdom From searching to finding: SERRENE.AI and readiness for the unexpected
JE.III.1.5 TT.IX.B.5	Benedetta Arese LUCINI - CV Co-founder Atom AI Presentation of ATOM AI, a deeptech firm developing a matchmaking AI driven platform connecting innovation challenge owners with innovation solutions provider
JE.III.1.6 TT.IX.B.6	Mauro DRAGONI Senior Scientist at Fondazione Bruno Kessler Presentation of his proof of concept of an AI tool aimed at accelerating materials selection
JE.III.1.7 TT.IX.B.7	Sergio STROZZI MAECI - Head of Innovation, Technology and Startups, DGSP Uff. XI International Context of Development Trends in Artificial Intelligence & Closing remarks

11:30 - 13:00 Research and Innovation in Materials: From Italy’s NRRP to the EU Framework Programme JE.III.2 - TT.X.B
organized in collaboration with APRE and AIRI

Chair: Marco FALZETTI, APRE
Research and innovation in materials are a fundamental pillar for the competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the European economic system. The European Commission has strongly reaffirmed the role of advanced materials in addressing industrial, environmental, and social challenges, supporting their development through dedicated policies and targeted instruments. Italy has shown significant commitment in this field, with initiatives that combine public and private investments across multiple application sectors. The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) has been a decisive driver, funding projects and infrastructures in which materials emerge as a transversal and enabling element, even when not explicitly prioritised. However, a systemic approach and coordinated national action are still lacking—elements that would allow the current fragmentation of actors and instruments to be overcome, generate synergies, and strengthen the national positioning within the European context. The goal is to fully exploit the potential of national public and private R&I, accelerating the impact on technological competitiveness, ecological and digital transition, and social well-being. The event aims to provide an opportunity to share visions, experiences, and priorities, and to contribute to the development of an Italian roadmap on materials, integrated into the broader European research agenda.
JE.III.2.1 TT.X.B.1	Marco FALZETTI Director, APRE Introduction
JE.III.2.2 TT.X.B.2	Maria Cristina RUSSO Director, Prosperity Direction, DG RTD, European Commission Materials R&I in the EU: strategies and actions
JE.III.2.3 TT.X.B.3	Stefano FABRIS, Director, Department of Physics and Technologies of Matter, CNR Fabrizio PIRRI, Director, Center for Sustainable Future Technologies, Polytechnic University of Turin Edoardo BEMPORAD, Member, EC Technology Council for Advanced Materials, MUR The PNRR’s contribution to materials research
JE.III.2.4 TT.X.B.4	Nicoletta AMODIO, Executive Adviser for Research & Innovation, Confindustria Federica BONDIOLI, President, INSTM - National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology Gianluca FIORI, Vice President, IAMI-EU - Innovative Advanced Materials Initiative Serena BORGNA, Head of Department for Institutional Activities, APRE How to become key players in materials between Italy and Europe
JE.III.2.5 TT.X.B.5	Andrea BAIRATI President, AIRI Closings

14:00 - 17:30 Research Infrastructures, Regional Ecosystems, and Higher Education: Open Science and Innovation in the Age of AI - 1/2 JE.III.3 - TT.XI.B
Chair: Ennio CAPRIA, ESFR, France
This session will explore the evolving role of Open Science and Open Innovation in the development and implementation of Research Infrastructures (RI) and Regional Ecosystems, within and beyond the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The discussion will be framed around three strategic dimensions: the integration of materials research, the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI), and the strengthening of higher education as a driver of innovation. The session will be structured in two parts: an initial series of keynote presentations followed by a roundtable debate. • Keynotes will provide insights into current practices, emerging guidelines, and real-world applications related to RIs and regional ecosystems, with a focus on sustainability, interoperability, and AI-driven methodologies. Presentations will also address how higher education systems are reshaping curricula and policies to equip future generations with the skills needed for a rapidly evolving industrial and technological landscape. • Roundtable discussions will highlight how open access to knowledge, data, and infrastructures—combined with collaborative innovation models—can foster resilient, inclusive, and sustainable ecosystems. Particular attention will be given to the opportunities and challenges of embedding AI into materials research and innovation pathways, and to the role of higher education in bridging research excellence with societal and industrial needs. By combining perspectives from academia, research infrastructures, and industry, this session aims to connect theoretical frameworks with practical implementation, aligning with the strategic objectives of the PNRR while also extending beyond them. Ultimately, it will underline the central role of openness—scientific, technological, and educational—in shaping the future of innovation.
JE.III.3.1 TT.XI.B.1	Ennio CAPRIA ESFR, Deputy Head of Business Development, France Introduction
JE.III.3.2 TT.XI.B.2	Cristina AFRICH - CV CNR-IOM NFFA within the Italian NRRP and beyond: Advancing Research and Service Infrastructures for Nanoscience, Quantum Materials and Deep-Tech Innovation
JE.III.3.3 TT.XI.B.3	Noor NAWAZ Business Development Engineer @ ESRF, Grenoble, FR Industrial Outreach and Innovation Pathways: NFFA and RIANA as Drivers of European Research Ecosystems
JE.III.3.4 TT.XI.B.4	Francesco MATTEUCCI FBK, Senior Advisor on Innovation EU an innovation continent: opportunities and challenges
JE.III.3.5 TT.XI.B.5	Fabrizio Candido PIRRI Polytechnic University of Turin, Vice Rector for Research Model and Infrastructure Development & IIT Title in definition

16:00 - 17:30 ROUND TABLE Research Infrastructure and Ecosystem within and beyond PNRR: Open Science, Open Innovation, and Higher Education 2/2 JE.III.4 - TT.XII.A
Chair & Moderator: Alfredo PICANO, CNR, iENTRANCE Manager
This session will explore the evolving role of Open Science and Open Innovation in the development and implementation of Research Infrastructures (RI) and Regional Ecosystems, within and beyond the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The discussion will be framed around three strategic dimensions: the integration of materials research, the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI), and the strengthening of higher education as a driver of innovation. The session will be structured in two parts: an initial series of keynote presentations followed by a roundtable debate. • Keynotes will provide insights into current practices, emerging guidelines, and real-world applications related to RIs and regional ecosystems, with a focus on sustainability, interoperability, and AI-driven methodologies. Presentations will also address how higher education systems are reshaping curricula and policies to equip future generations with the skills needed for a rapidly evolving industrial and technological landscape. • Roundtable discussions will highlight how open access to knowledge, data, and infrastructures—combined with collaborative innovation models—can foster resilient, inclusive, and sustainable ecosystems. Particular attention will be given to the opportunities and challenges of embedding AI into materials research and innovation pathways, and to the role of higher education in bridging research excellence with societal and industrial needs. By combining perspectives from academia, research infrastructures, and industry, this session aims to connect theoretical frameworks with practical implementation, aligning with the strategic objectives of the PNRR while also extending beyond them. Ultimately, it will underline the central role of openness—scientific, technological, and educational—in shaping the future of innovation.
*PANELISTS*
The discussion, with two introductory talks regarding the doctoral training policy of two major corporation, will feature the speakers of the part 1, complemented by additional panelists.
Alessandro GARIBBO LEONARDO, Head of Universities and Research Centers Coordination Innovation and PhD Programs in Leonardo: Actors, Processes, KPIs
Giorgio BUSACCA Thales Alenia Space, Lead of Business & Innovation Strategy Open Innovation projects and Nanotech: A few insights into Thales Alenia Space’s approach
Daniele MIRABILE GATTIA ENEA, Head of Laboratory Technologies and materials for Additive Manufacturing
Stefano PENNA Foundation Rome Technopole, Scientific Director
QUESTION & ANSWER

Closing cocktail in the Cloister A moment to say goodbye and look forward to the next edition of Nanoinnovation 2026