Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – How can Italian businesses continue to grow in a world marked by geopolitical tensions, energy costs, demographic crisis, and technological transformation? And what changes must entrepreneurs face to remain competitive, conquer new markets, and increase productivity? These are the questions at the heart of the Festival dell'Impresa, which opens Friday, November 6th in Bergamo and runs until Sunday, November 8th, transforming the city into a hub for three days of discussion between entrepreneurs, economists, institutional representatives, managers, and scholars.
The Festival will bring together 400 speakers, including 200 entrepreneurs from small, medium, and large companies, participating in over 100 meetings. Alongside key debates on the Italian and European economy, the program will also give ample space to concrete business experiences: from internationalization strategies to acquisitions, from process organization to people management, from technological innovation to generational transition.
The underlying theme of the 2026 edition is "Growing Despite"—a reflection on the conditions that allow businesses to continue to grow even in a climate of uncertainty and profound change. The opening day will begin on Friday, November 6th at 10:00 a.m. in the Sestini Hall of the Bergamo Chamber of Commerce, with greetings from Filiberto Zovico, founder and director of ItalyPost, and Giovanni Zambonelli, president of the Bergamo Chamber of Commerce.
The Festival will open with a presentation by Ferdinando Giugliano, director of ISPI, on the geopolitical challenges facing Italian businesses.
The confrontation between the United States and China, new trade policies, the redefinition of global supply chains, and international tensions have made geopolitics an increasingly important component of industrial decisions. This will be followed by a discussion on "Growing Despite," featuring four key figures in the Italian industrial system: Enrico Carraro, President of Carraro Group; Giuseppe Librandi, President and CEO of COIM; Giuseppe Pasini, President of Feralpi Group and Confindustria Lombardia; and Matteo Zanetti, Vice President of Zanetti Spa and President of Confindustria Bergamo. The focus will be on the choices that enable companies to invest, enter new markets, and consolidate their competitiveness even when the economic environment becomes more challenging.
The morning will conclude with an interview with Elsa Fornero, economist and former Minister of Labor, on the relationship between the demographic crisis and economic development: from the labor shortage to the skills needed to sustain growth, and the impact of the aging population on the Italian production system. Starting Friday afternoon, meetings will be held at numerous locations throughout the city, addressing issues directly affecting businesses. Special attention will be given to corporate organization and productivity: how to structure processes, introduce new managerial skills, improve operations, and support growth without sacrificing efficiency and flexibility. Other discussions will focus on internationalization strategies, global market risks, generational turnover, and the relationship between family ownership and management.
Among Friday's major economic events, Francesco Giavazzi and Nicola Rossi will discuss the topic "Debt is Never Good," while Andrea Montanino, Francesco Profumo, and Alessandra Lanza will discuss the role of research and technology in Italy's development. Energy will be the focus of the debate "Electrification and Energy Independence: A Possible Combination," with industry entrepreneurs and representatives of the European Parliament. This is a crucial issue for industrial competitiveness in a country where energy costs continue to be a major problem for many manufacturing companies. In the late afternoon, Emma Marcegaglia, president of Marcegaglia Holding, will discuss with Ferruccio de Bortoli the topic "Will Italy Remain an Industrial Country?" This question runs throughout the event and concerns the future of Italian manufacturing in the context of international competition.
One of the Festival's defining elements is the centrality of entrepreneurial experiences. It features not only testimonials from large companies, but also comparisons between businesses of different sizes, all tackling similar challenges: growing, conquering new markets, improving productivity, developing new products, and attracting expertise. Friday's events also include one dedicated to Bergamo's 1.000 Best Performers, an opportunity to compare the financial results of local companies and the strategies of those who have distinguished themselves for growth and solidity. The program continues on Saturday, November 7, with new meetings dedicated to industry, globalization, the relationship between businesses and institutions, artificial intelligence, robotics, and major economic and social changes.
The Festival will also broaden its scope beyond strictly industrial issues, with meetings dedicated to the major issues of contemporary society and corporate culture. On Friday evening, at 9:00 pm, sociologist Frank Furedi will present the panel "Fear, Risk, Freedom," while Amalia Ercoli Finzi, one of Italy's leading aerospace engineering scholars, will address the topic "Preparing for the Future Beyond Earth." On Saturday evening, the panel discussion between Giuliano Noci and Giuseppe Sarcina, "Who Will Win Between the US and China?", will focus on the relationship between the two great powers and its implications for international economic equilibrium. A significant portion of the program will also be dedicated to the Business Literature Award, with meetings featuring the finalists in the fiction and nonfiction sections. This journey connects culture, work, and the ability to narrate the world of business. The Festival will conclude on Sunday, November 8, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, at Kilometro Rosso, with an event dedicated to Italian industry and its prospects. The morning will open with a presentation by Gregorio De Felice, Chief Economist of Intesa Sanpaolo, followed by a panel discussion entitled "The Industry That Resists," featuring, among others, Michela Conterno, CEO of Lati; Daniele Lago, Chairman of Lago; Marco Nocivelli, CEO of Epta; and Federico Visentin, Chairman of Mevis and Cuoa Business School. A further panel discussion will focus on the automotive crisis and new industrial opportunities, with the participation of Roberto Vavassori, Director of Public Affairs and Institutional Relations at Brembo. Through the exchange of entrepreneurial experiences and economic analyses, the three-day event will seek to identify the conditions necessary for Italy to remain a major industrial nation. Attendance at the meetings is open to the public, subject to registration, and subject to availability.
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