The United States in the collective imagination is synonymous with start-ups
Many 'big' realities (Apple, Salesforce, Google, Meta, Netflix, to name the most famous) were born on the stars and stripes continent. And for those on the other side of the ocean, however, the USA and California are the most sought-after destinations for the fulfilment of entrepreneurial dreams. Especially for those who, like us, design technological solutions with high innovation potential.
From 22 to 25 May, Smau and ITA - Italian Trade Agency brought the largest Italian innovation delegation to San Francisco, composed of 154 people including start-ups, enterprises, enablers and institutions
For us it was a source of pride to be included among the 44 companies selected by SMAU to be presented to the greats of Silicon Valley.
“Being in this Olympus entails responsibilities that we feel first and foremost for our land,” said Salvo Salerno, our CEO and Founder.
For us, being in California together with other Italian start-ups dealing with artificial intelligence and machine learning, energy efficiency, digital health, blockchain, electric mobility, augmented reality, risk management, cybersecurity, circular economy, supply chain collaboration, has a powerful meaning, which goes beyond fame and reputation.
Being an innovator today means being able to collaborate, to build bridges; last May, the goal of SMAU was clear: to connect Italian innovators and those in the Valley.
The relational value of SMAU
Another legacy of the San Francisco experience is the relational one: the people we met and with whom we hope to have laid the first brick for future projects to be cultivated together.
"Innovation is a collaborative game", to paraphrase Tricia Ratliff.
We would like to thank Pierantonio Macola (SMAU President), Valentina Sorgato (SMAU Managing Director) and their team, for giving us the opportunity to be at Innovit, Sergio Strozzi (Consol General in San Francisco), Alessandra Rainaldi (ICE Los Angeles Director), Sebastiano Peluso (Head of the Innovation Desk San Francisco), for opening the doors of Silicon Valley to us.
For the valuable testimonies shared, our thanks go to Marco Pavone (Associate Professor Stanford University), Salvatore Emilio Bonaccorso (Silicon Valley Innovation Hub Manager - Eni), Andrea Sguazzi (Hub Manager San Francisco - ENEL), Marco Marinucci (Founder and CEO Mind the Bridge) and Irina Pesterean (Senior Manager Strategic Partnerships Lyft).
