by InTrieste
For generations, Friuli Venezia Giulia has been defined by its geography. Wedged between Central Europe and the Adriatic, it has served as a gateway for goods moving through the Mediterranean. Now regional leaders say that identity is no longer enough.
“We do not want to be only a logistical crossroads,” Alessia Rosolen, the region’s councillor for labor, education and research, said Monday at a conference in Trieste. “We want to become a strategic platform integrating sea, space, innovation and energy.”
The remarks came at “Digitalization between Sea and Space,” an event launching a new regional community focused on linking maritime industries with aerospace and advanced digital technologies. The initiative is part of the Next Innovation Road 2026 program promoted by M.A.R.E. TC FVG.
Participants included researchers and industry leaders such as Stefano Cozzini of Area Science Park and Anna Gregorioof Picosats, reflecting the region’s longstanding scientific presence anchored in Trieste.
At the center of the discussion was the idea of building a multisector cluster spanning aerospace, underwater technologies and renewable energy — fields officials describe as strategically important not only for economic growth but also for Europe’s geopolitical positioning.
Regional authorities say they are backing the effort with funding and institutional support. But speakers also emphasized that the pace of technological change demands new approaches, with closer ties between research, industry and the market.
For Friuli Venezia Giulia, a region accustomed to thinking of itself as a bridge, the ambition now is to become something more: a place where maritime tradition and space-age innovation converge.
