JE.III

OPEN INNOVATION & OPEN SCIENCE
VIII Edition

Materials, Research Infrastructures and Artificial Intelligence: Shaping the Future of Innovation

19 September

With the consolidated interest generated by the previous editions of Open Innovation and Open Science, the 2025 edition returns within the framework of NanoInnovation, confirming its role as a platform for dialogue among institutions, academia, industry, and the broader innovation ecosystem. This year’s programme builds on the strategic themes introduced during the Round Table on The Strategic Role of Research Infrastructures in Innovation Pathways in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, further exploring the synergies between research infrastructures, AI, and the evolving innovation landscape.

Research infrastructures—especially those funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP)—are increasingly recognized as strategic assets for technological sovereignty, industrial competitiveness, and advanced training. The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence is reshaping their operational models, enabling complex experimentation, accelerating data-driven research, and reinforcing the link between scientific knowledge and industrial application. In this context, AI emerges not only as a technological enabler but as a transformative factor for the entire innovation process.

The first session, AI4I – Artificial Intelligence for Innovation: how AI may impact the Innovation Process, will discuss how AI is influencing and will continue to influence innovation strategies, product and service development, and collaboration models across sectors. Through an interdisciplinary, experience-based dialogue among innovation professionals, computer scientists, and entrepreneurs, the session will reflect on AI’s broader societal and economic impacts, highlighting both opportunities and the need for a fundamental rethinking of innovation processes.

The second session, Research and Innovation in Materials: From Italy’s NRRP to the EU Framework Programme, organized in collaboration with APRE and AIRI, will address the pivotal role of advanced materials in driving competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience at both national and European levels. Discussions will focus on how Italian initiatives, strengthened by NRRP investments, can integrate more effectively into the European research agenda, overcome fragmentation, and position Italy as a key player in the EU innovation ecosystem.

By connecting the strategic vision discussed in the Round Table with these two thematic sessions, Open Innovation and Open Science 2025 will provide a comprehensive perspective on how open, AI-enabled infrastructures and collaborative approaches can maximize the impact of public and private investments, accelerate the ecological and digital transition, and foster inclusive, multi-stakeholder innovation ecosystems.

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.

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.