by InTrieste
In a notable announcement, Alessia Rosolen, Regional Councillor for Research and Universities, underscored the significance of the upcoming Big Science Business Forum 2024 (BSBF 2024). Scheduled for October in Trieste, the event promises to be a major catalyst for both scientific dialogue and economic growth, not only for the Friuli Venezia Giulia region but for Italy as a whole.
The forum, now in its third international edition, will be a pivotal meeting ground for global scientific research and industrial innovation. “The BSBF 2024 is a tremendous opportunity for the scientific and production systems in Friuli Venezia Giulia,” said Rosolen during the opening session of a preparatory webinar organized by Confindustria. “It is also a crucial moment for our entire country, which needs more robust connections with the scientific sector and opportunities for dialogue between international research and our industrial system. Technological innovation is a key factor in competitiveness.”
The event’s significance is underscored by its main sponsors, which include major local and international enterprises such as Fincantieri, Danieli, Illy, and BAT. These companies are renowned for their commitment to innovation and their active collaboration with the research sector.
European research infrastructures connected to the BSBF represent an annual market valued at approximately 10 billion euros. “This is why the Trieste event is such a vital growth opportunity for Italian companies and those of Friuli Venezia Giulia,” Rosolen added. “In these times of significant change, our future hinges on our ability to promote innovation at all levels and translate it into concrete benefits for businesses and citizens.”
Preparations for the October event are well underway, with over 150 booths already reserved in Trieste’s Porto Vecchio warehouses, which will host 14 national pavilions. “The high level of interest in this international initiative is evident,” Rosolen noted. “The Region is investing significantly to raise awareness about the opportunities within the Big Science market and to enhance the relationships we have built over time with strategic geopolitical areas, including the Balkans and Central Europe, and to potentially establish new partnerships with non-European entities.”
BSBF 2024 aims to bridge major research centers with industry and foster dialogue between businesses and workers about the need for new skills and professional profiles. In collaboration with Eures, the event will feature a recruiting day to match high-level training from research centers with European talents and students, involving the business sector as well.
Highlighting the international importance of the event, Rosolen announced that Trieste will also host the G7 on research concurrently with the forum. “These two significant international events will turn Trieste, and consequently Friuli Venezia Giulia and Italy, into a prominent showcase—a sort of European ‘capital’ for dialogue and relations among the worlds of research, industry, and labor.”
The convergence of these high-profile events in Trieste this October underscores the city’s emerging role as a central hub for scientific and industrial collaboration, positioning it at the forefront of global technological and economic development.
