12th ITALIAN BUSINESS FORUM

ENABLING INNOVATION

Technologies – Ecosystems – Investments

6th March 2026

Photos: Barbara Reya

On 6 March 2026, the 12th Italian Business Forum (IBF) took place at the Blue Hall of the University of Ljubljana School of Economics and Business, bringing together representatives from academia, industry, finance, and innovation ecosystems from Slovenia and Italy.

The event, titled “Enabling Innovation: Technologies – Ecosystems – Investments,” was organised by the Italian-Slovenian Forum in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Italy in Slovenia, the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), the Italian Cultural Institute and Confindustria Slovenia, with the University of Ljubljana School of Economics and Business hosting this year’s edition.

The forum aimed to explore how innovation can be enabled both within companies and through supportive business ecosystems, highlighting best practices, emerging technologies, and investment mechanisms that strengthen competitiveness and resilience in Europe.

Opening session

The programme began with welcoming remarks and institutional perspectives on the importance of cross-border cooperation and innovation.

Juri Giacomelli, President of the Italian-Slovenian Forum, introduced the programme and set the context for the discussion on innovation ecosystems.

The host institution welcomed participants through an address by Prof. Dr. Tomaž Turk, Dean of the University of Ljubljana School of Economics and Business, emphasising the role of academic institutions in fostering collaboration between research and industry.

The institutional perspective was further highlighted by Giuseppe Cavagna, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Slovenia, followed by Marco La Peruta, Vice-President of Confindustria Slovenia and Business Development at SIAD.

The economic dimension of bilateral cooperation was presented by Giacomo Ricciotti, Director of the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) in Ljubljana, who discussed evolving patterns of economic cooperation between Italy and Slovenia in the changing global trade environment.

Emerging technologies and innovation potential

The first thematic session focused on the role of emerging technologies in driving growth and societal progress.

Prof. Dr. Polona Domadenik Muren, Vice-Dean for Research and Doctoral Studies and Head of the IMB Programme at the University of Ljubljana School of Economics and Business, presented insights from the research project “Exploring the Growth Potential of Deep Tech and Other Emerging Technologies in Slovenia.”

Students from the International Master in Business (IMB) programme – Tomás Miklič, Julija Pletenac and Nadina Salemović – then presented a case study analysing Aquafil’s journey across the circular economy landscape and the company’s approach to balancing technology exploitation and sustainability.

The keynote industry perspective followed with Giulio Bonazzi, CEO of Aquafil, who shared the company’s experience as a global innovation leader and its transformation through circular economy practices.

Scaling innovation and strengthening ecosystems

The second session, moderated by Aleš Waltritsch (Italian-Slovenian Forum) and Prof. Dr. Peter Trkman (University of Ljubljana School of Economics and Business), addressed how innovation can be successfully scaled across sectors.

Chris Lasalvia and Adam Čeru from the IMB programme presented research on the growth potential of deep tech, space tech and bio tech sectors.

The regional innovation ecosystem perspective was provided by Michela Giarle, representing the Central Department of Specialist Operational Unit Research and Innovation of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, who discussed Steering an innovation ecosystem, the case of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy’s most innovative region.

The role of innovation clusters in technology maturation was highlighted by Giuseppe Coronella, CEO of Cluster MARE FVG.

The session concluded with a roundtable discussion featuring:

  • Giuseppe Coronella, CEO, Cluster MARE FVG

  • Uroš Jerman, Head of Business Unit, Instrumentation Technologies

  • Rok Sekirnik, Head of Process Development, Sartorius BIA Separations

  • Gregor Berginc, CEO, XLAB

The panel explored practical experiences in scaling innovation within both emerging and established industries.

Investment and scaling opportunities

The final thematic session focused on the financial dimension of innovation.

Moderated by Prof. Dr. Tjaša Redek (University of Ljubljana School of Economics and Business), the discussion opened with introductory remarks by Diego Bravar, Founder and CEO, Biovalley Investments Partner.

The subsequent roundtable brought together leading investors and industry representatives to discuss financing innovation and supporting scaling companies.

Participants included:

  • Aleksander Gerbec, CEO, ECUBES
  • Krešo Gotovac, Silicon Gardens
  • Lorenzo Ramajola, CEO, UniCredit Bank Slovenia
  • Luigi Fuzio, CEO, Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Slovenia
  • Uroš Ačko, CEO, SID Fund Management
  • Diego Bravar, Founder and CEO, Biovalley Investments Partner

Networking and matchmaking

The forum concluded with closing remarks followed by networking and matchmaking sessions, providing participants with the opportunity to establish new partnerships and explore collaboration opportunities across innovation ecosystems.

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