Trasformare le risorse del PNRR in innovazione concreta per le imprese italiane: è questo il messaggio evidenziato a Genova, con il grande successo dell’evento del Made in Italy organizzato da START 4.0 all’Auditorium IREN nell’ambito della Giornata Nazionale del Made in Italy 2026, promossa dal Ministero delle Imprese e del Made in Italy e dedicato all’innovazione che funziona.
L’iniziativa ha registrato un’ampia paSTART 4.0 event in Genoa highlights how PNRR investments are driving real innovation for Italian companies
Turning PNRR resources into concrete innovation for Italian companies was the key message at the event “Innovation that works: services and collaboration for business growth”, organized by START 4.0 at the IREN Auditorium in Genoa as part of the National Made in Italy Day 2026, promoted by the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.
The initiative brought together institutions, companies, research centers and stakeholders from across the territory, confirming START 4.0’s role as a national reference point for secure and sustainable digital transformation.
PNRR resources transformed into concrete results for businesses
During the event, START 4.0 presented the results achieved through projects supported under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
In recent years, the Competence Center has supported companies in their innovation paths through:
- 190 completed projects
- €7.5 million in activated funding
- over €10.6 million in total project value
These high-tech initiatives have contributed to improving production processes, strengthening infrastructure security and increasing companies’ competitiveness, generating tangible value for both businesses and the territory.
Integrated technologies enabling secure and sustainable digital transformation
The event highlighted how digital transformation processes increasingly rely on the integration of multiple enabling technologies, including:
- Internet of Things
- cloud computing
- cybersecurity by design
- artificial intelligence
Combining these technologies allows companies—especially SMEs—to effectively address digital transformation challenges and strengthen their position in national and international markets.
A platform for dialogue between institutions, companies and research centers
The event opened with institutional contributions from START 4.0 President Paola Girdinio, representatives of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, the Liguria Region, the Municipality of Genoa and the Casa del Made in Italy North-West.
Three thematic panels followed, focusing on:
- the Augmented Factory
- data as a strategic asset for competitiveness
- the future outlook of innovation
These sessions featured direct testimonials from companies involved in START 4.0-supported digital transformation projects, providing concrete examples of Industry 4.0 technologies applied to industrial processes and services.
START 4.0’s strategic role in supporting innovation across the Italian production system
The event represented an important opportunity to share the results achieved through industrial research and technology transfer projects supported by the Competence Center, as well as to discuss the future perspectives of digital transformation across Italy’s production system.
In a country where the industrial fabric is largely composed of small and medium-sized enterprises, the contribution of Competence Centers—and in particular START 4.0—continues to play a strategic role in supporting companies in adopting advanced technologies in a secure, sustainable and results-oriented way.
The strong participation recorded at the Genoa event confirms the growing attention of institutions and businesses toward innovation and highlights the value of START 4.0 initiatives in strengthening the competitiveness of Italian companies.