About

Italia Innovation is an independent research center dedicated to supporting the future of Italian economy and society.

Our studies and initiatives have been joined by both emerging and established businesses that shared a commitment to excellence in high-quality and sustainable productions, such as Patagonia, Zegna, Barilla, illy Group and Ornellaia or Pasta Mancini, Bonotto Textiles, Dandelion Chocolate and Verve Coffee Roasters.

On the scholarly side, we selected more than 200 undergraduate and graduate students from world-leading academic institutions like Harvard, MIT, Yale, UC Berkeley and Stanford in the U.S., HKUST and NUS in Asia, LSE, Sciences Po, Bocconi and Oxford University in Europe.

Our program conversations have been empowered by the intellectual contribution of academic leaders like John Bruce – Director of the Transdisciplinary Design Program at Parsons School of Design, Robert J. Jackson Jr. – Director of the Program on Corporate Law and Policy at the New York University and former SEC Commissioner, as well as distinguished professionals and entrepreneurs like Bill Emmott – former Editor in Chief of The Economist, and Riccardo Illy – President of Polo del Gusto and former Governor of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region.

Riccardo Illy has also been the academic director of a series of thematic programs that led to the recent publication of the book The Art of Excellent Products printed in 2022 by HarperCollins in the United States and La Nave di Teseo in Italy.

Italia Innovation Research Studio in Corso Porta Nuova, Verona

_ leadership

Co-Founder and Head of Research

Marco Mari

35 years old, Marco is a graduate in Juridical Science at Università Cattolica and a Master Candidate in International Relations at Harvard University.
He is passionate about law and economics, international politics and manufacturing value chains.

Co-Founder and Head of Learning

Carlotta Borruto

35 years old, Carlotta is a graduate in Economics and Management at Università Bocconi, with studies at SciencesPo. 
She is passionate about arts, humanities and maths.

_ history

Italia Innovation is an idea that was sketched from a student’s perspective at the University of Padova Law School. 

While sitting on the benches steeped with history and local prestige, 23-year-old Marco Mari cultivated a desire to better align his learning experience with the needs and opportunities of the surrounding social and economic context. He sought to develop broader relationships with peers from all over the world. 

Between 2013 and 2014, this aspiration led him to build the first team and coalition of scholars and businesses, culminating in the first prototypal edition of what is now called the Italia Innovation Program.

In the span of 10 years, the program has achieved more than 10 editions, welcomed 250+ alumni, and built a network of academic and business partners who have collaborated on research and practice.

_ contacts

Italia Innovation Srl

Corso Porta Nuova 32
37122 Verona (VR)
Italia

mailto: info [at] italiainnovation.com