interviews: Nina Vaclavikova
Interviews: Aaron Miller, International Trade Director; Massimiliano Fedriga, FVG governor
The region of Friuli Venezia Giulia is hosting a second delegation of business and institutional representatives from Virginia, signaling growing transatlantic cooperation in research, technology and agriculture.
The mission, organized by the Virginia Small Business Development Center, follows a bilateral agreement signed last year between Friuli Venezia Giulia Governor Massimiliano Fedriga and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. Eight Virginia-based companies active in cybersecurity, materials engineering, life sciences and advanced manufacturing are participating in the visit, which runs through October 2.
“Our region is once again welcoming a high-level delegation from Virginia,” Mr. Fedriga said at the opening of the event. “Investments have already begun, but the goal is to strengthen this collaboration further. It is both an economic opportunity and a strategic choice, reinforcing ties between Western democracies and creating solid, lasting relationships.”
The companies — Ensco Microsearch, Sweet Science, Laser Thermal, Jeeva, Liquet, Spanalytics, Opswat and Oransi — are engaging with local businesses, research centers and universities through meetings, site visits and networking activities coordinated by Select FVG, the region’s investment promotion agency, along with local industry associations.
The delegation also includes Virginia’s Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, Matthew Lohr, and Robert Davenport, marketing and development director at the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Their program places a particular emphasis on agriculture, with visits planned to the University of Udine and the Rauscedo cooperative nurseries to explore collaborations in viticulture and plant health.
Stefano Zannier, Friuli Venezia Giulia’s regional councilor for agri-food, forestry and fisheries, underlined the potential of the mission. “This meeting allows us to create a real match between U.S. and regional enterprises,” he said. “There are many possible business models and shared interests. The work will continue in the coming days in our companies, research centers, universities and industrial system. Now it will be important to work together to turn these interests into concrete results, generating opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic.”
