On February, the 4th, the second edition of the Italian Tech Forum took place at Technopark Zurich (Technoparkstrasse 1). The event, titled “From Seed to Scale: exploring the complete journey of Italian tech innovation”, organised by the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Switzerland (CCIS) and the Italian Tech Hub, with the patronage and support of the Consulate General of Italy in Zurich, provided the Swiss ecosystem with direct access to Italian innovation, highlighting strengths, growth paths and concrete opportunities for cross‑border collaboration.
The evening was attended by more than 200 people, including representatives of Swiss institutions, investors, startup founders and tech operators. It was an honour to welcome among the speakers Sergio Strozzi, Head of Innovative Industries & Startups, Department of Growth & Export at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A delegation from Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) also participated, together with some of the main financial stakeholders of the Italian venture capital scene. The programme featured four sessions dedicated to the different development stages of startups — from early stage to scale‑up and exit — with in‑depth panels and opportunities for exchange.
The opening included speeches by:
- Fabrizio Macrì — Secretary General of the CCIS
- Mario Baldi — Consul General of Italy in Zurich
- Rolf Buehler — Director Europe, Greater Zurich Area
The practical sessions then featured interventions by Giovanni Canetta — Founder & Managing Partner, Planven, and Elisabetta Vesconi — Investment Manager, Planven, who spoke on exits and related objectives.
Massimiliano Magrini (Managing Partner, United Ventures) and Sabrina Maniscalco (Founder & CEO, Algorithmiq) provided in‑depth perspectives on scale‑ups and international growth opportunities, alongside Alessandro Scortecci and Burkhard Güssefeld, respectively Chief Investment Officer, CDP Venture Capital, and Co‑Founder & CTO of Allsides.
The closing panel, moderated by Alessandro Dini — Founder Partner, Elevate Momentum, offered a focused discussion on current issues with contributions from:
- Samuele Porsia — Director of the ICE Office in Bern
- Luca De Angelis — CEO of The Europe Foundation
- Prof. Francesco Cupertino (Politecnico di Bari), representing ARTI Puglia
The aim of the thematic sessions was to provide the audience with insights and first‑hand information on how innovation is forged from the ground up today, fostering concrete dialogue among institutional actors, investors and entrepreneurs. The Forum highlighted not only the need to strengthen the transition pathways from seed to scale‑up with appropriate financial instruments and infrastructure, but also the strategic role of interlocutors such as CDP and leading VC funds in supporting the growth of Italian startups. Numerous concrete opportunities for collaboration between Switzerland and Italy were analysed and emphasised, including ways to accelerate the internationalisation of Italian tech companies and to promote exchanges of know‑how and capital.
The next opportunity to engage in matching between the Swiss tech ecosystem and Made‑in‑Italy innovation will be offered by the Swiss Italian Startup Award, to be held in Geneva on 4 November.