Over 800 people attended the event hosted on the Costa Toscana, one of Costa Cruises’ ships, which was moored in the port of Genoa for the occasion. A symbolic setting for an event that looks to the future of logistics, transport and tourism, with the aim of making these sectors increasingly efficient, sustainable and interconnected, whilst enhancing the user experience.
Organised by Fancy Factory and Economia Pulita, Be Digital 2026 featured a number of parallel panels throughout the day. Whilst the Poltrona Frau Arena Theatre hosted institutions and large companies, our focus was on the Leonardo Stage, a spacious area dedicated to local start-ups, some of which are already operating internationally.
The panel was opened by Vanna Polvere, Head of Partner 24 ORE at *Il Sole 24 Ore*, and Gianmarco Vivado, CEO of Airidea, who spoke about his experience with the start-up: “…I am the director and one of the founders of Airidea, a regional aviation company. The project stems from the idea of three pilots who decided to join forces to bridge a gap in regional connectivity, starting from Liguria. The aim is to create a hub using carriers already operating in Italy with certified aircraft and ASA regulation. A market analysis was conducted to meet the needs of the region, both for tourism (B2C) and for the business and industrial sectors (B2B), given that Liguria has a very significant industrial sector. Airdea’s market is hybrid: it aims to be neither a low-cost carrier nor a top-tier VIP service (private jets), the costs of which are often prohibitive for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The company has already completed three rounds of capital increases with shareholders from the Liguria region and aims to become an Italian public company in the future. It supports the start-up ecosystem and regional digitalisation, seeking partnerships with other local businesses to implement and enhance its development plan for the coming years.
Vanna Polvere then offered a broader perspective on the dynamics of the start-up ecosystem: “…It is not enough to have a good idea or technology: those who truly succeed in growing are those who know how to forge the best relationships. The path involves access to talent, capital and expertise. This is the real infrastructure for growth. A network is not just a strategic asset, but a way of sharing.”
Having highlighted the increasingly central role of start-ups in innovation processes, the floor was handed over to Ilaria Scaliti and Alberto Clavarino of the Genova Startup Foundation, of which Startupbusiness is a partner: “We were contacted by Matteo Camia of Fancy Factory – whom we had previously met as a start-up – to ask if we would like to bring some start-up founders to this event, and of course we accepted the proposal. We submitted around forty companies that are part of Genova Startup to a scientific committee, and 14 were selected to present today, each with a seven-minute pitch. These are very different startups, so the audience will be able to discover innovative solutions as well as different approaches. Our aim is to support as many companies as possible: the more support we receive, the greater the impact we can make.”
Alberto Clavarino and Ilaria Scaliti (pictured during the event) guided the audience through a journey exploring innovation, technology and new business models.
On the sidelines of the event, Clavarino also highlights the value of platforms such as Be Digital in raising the profile of the ecosystem: “Being here today is an important opportunity to introduce the Foundation and the start-ups to an unusual and wider audience than usual. We usually speak to twenty, fifty, or at most a hundred people; here on the ship today there are 950 attendees, a significant number for raising awareness of our project. Be Digital is a project now in its third year, already well-established compared to us, and we’re riding its coattails a bit, to stick with the nautical theme. At the main table there are prominent figures, whilst at this start-up table there are young entrepreneurs, many of whom are just starting out. Bringing these two worlds together is interesting because we are trying to ensure that the start-up ecosystem becomes increasingly integrated with the whole city and does not limit itself to closed circles.
The start-ups took turns presenting during the morning and afternoon sessions, offering a significant insight into the vibrancy of the Ligurian start-up ecosystem. From digital payments to robotics, and from artificial intelligence to sustainability, the proposals presented demonstrated a strong focus on practicality and the market.
Finally, a message echoed by the speakers on stage: ideas, technology and market analysis are essential, but it is through discussion and networking that start-ups find the opportunities to truly grow.
The entrepreneurs and start-ups attending the event are: Matteo Tranchida, CEO of Tackpay, a tip payment service; Yassine Kaabour, founder of Rento, a peer-to-peer rental platform; Giacomo Perazzo, CEO of Pickeat, a food and beverage order management system for events; Pietro Milani, CEO of Fancy Truck, a phygital experience marketing agency; Carlo Cassinari, CEO of Forecasto, cash flow software for Italian SMEs; Luca Minutoli, CEO and founder of Cantieri Online, matching private individuals with construction firms; Paolo Guria, CEO and founder of Unconventional Minds, a robotics venture studio; Lorenzo Daidone, CEO of Estro, generative AI solutions; Luca Iannelli, CCO and co-founder of Fundo-one; Simonluca Piazza, CEO of Genoa Instruments, precision scientific instruments; Ottavia Pittalugia, CEO and founder of ShopTheLook, shopping experience; Andrea Sottomano, Managing Director of Teleclub, a platform dedicated to electronic music and related events; Fabio Campora, founder of Ecoline, green innovation projects; Michele Canepa, CTO and co-founder of Ars Bionica, manufacturer of bionic prostheses.
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