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INNOVATIVE YACHTING START-UPS IN THE SPOTLIGHT AT THE BLUE PAVILION
THE EBERHARD & CO. THEATRE HOSTED THE “GRAND FINALE” OF THE OCEAN RACE
Events inspired by sport and innovation enlivened the second day of Genoa 62nd Genoa International Boat Show.
Research and innovation stole the show in the morning at the Blue Pavilion. The technical seminar “Nuova vita per la vetroresina” (New life for fibreglass), organised by the Marine Centre – University of Genoa, opened the programme and took stock of sustainable dismantling and disposal systems with reference to the decommissioning of pleasure boats. Next, the Terrace hosted two leading events devoted to the Start-up universe.
As part of the event dedicated to Innovative Start-Ups in the yachting sector, organised by the Italian Marine Industry Association and the Italian Trade Agency, the projects by Nautica Appgrade, Lazy-tac, Elettrica Wave, Betty Buoys, Ispace2o Engineering, Nabys, Boatsandgo, Velettrica, E-sea Sharing, and Cam were presented, introducing systems and apps serving the yachting sector, from training to the use of services, up to a smart buoy for boats.
Alessandro Gianneschi, Vice President of the Italian Marine Industry Association, had this to say: “In a market that is growing by 31%, our companies are ready to invest in innovation with a view to the future and, in this sense, the start-ups gathered here at the Genoa International Boat Show, thanks to our partnership with the Italian Trade Agency, offer the right support and guidance when it comes to new trends. The 10 businesses on display represent a very wide generational range: they bring together young people, but also companies that have been active for some time and that have got back into the game to bring fresh ideas to the market. They are also open to creating partnerships in order to enter international markets.”
Paolo Quattrocchi, of theIndustrial Technology, Energy and Environment Office – Italian Trade Agency, added: “The Italian Trade Agency has maintained since 2019 a programme of activities, known as the Global Start Up Programme, a business development path leading from Italy to an operational phase across the main markets in search of potential investors interested in start-ups. Support for trade fairs and initiatives such as this one at the Genoa Boat Show, which enhance technological innovation, is at the heart of the increasingly close relationship between the Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Marine Industry Association and includes participation in major international events to support companies and the excellence of Italian shipbuilding around the world“.
As always, it was a busy day at the Eberhard & Co. Theatre. The day opened with an interesting report by Arca Fondi SGR about the Maxi yacht Arca SGR project, the 100′ (33 metre) long racing yacht of the Fast and Furio Sailing Team, a renowned crew across the most important regattas in the Mediterranean. That of Arca is a unique story, a redeveloped boat which after years of abandonment is living a second life full of sporting satisfaction, in which the watchword is sustainability, as highlighted by Ugo Loeser, CEO of Arca Fondi SGR, on stage alongside Trieste skipper Furio Benussi.
Before giving way to the presentation of the “La Mia Liguria” (My Liguria) campaign, organised by the Liguria Region and illustrated by Regional President Giovanni Toti himself, the Eberhard Theatre hosted one of the most eagerly awaited events of the day, dedicated to the Grand Finale of The Ocean Race, the round-the-world crewed sailing race that next year will reach its finish line in Genoa.
Among those present on stage were, apart from President Giovanni Toti, Mayor of Genoa Marco Bucci, the President of the Italian Sailing Federation Francesco Ettorre, Gilberto Gagliardi Bonasegale, Porto Antico Spa’s General Manager, Alessandro Campagna, the Genoa International Boat Show’s Sales Manager, and, of course, the Ocean Race senior management.
Many topics were discussed, starting from the many activities and initiatives planned in Genoa for what is considered the most important sports event of 2023 in Liguria, an event that is an integral part of the ambitious project to relaunch the Liguria region’s capital.
As part of ‘Start-ups & blue businesses, Innovation and growth across Liguria’, an event promoted by the Liguria Regional Council and Liguria International, high-tech companies and the key points of the regional economic policy took centre stage. “In a high-tech world like that of the yachting industry, which requires continuous changes, the combination of start-ups and the blue economy is under the global spotlight, even here at the Genoa Boat Show,” explained Andrea Benveduti, Liguria Region’s Councillor for Economic Development. “As the Liguria Regional Council, the idea is for us to give new incentives by facilitating more tender opportunities for young start-ups, for widespread innovation at the service of companies and supply chains“.
Among the 14 start-ups involved (QH2boat, Gerris Boats, Northern Light Composites, San Giorgio Marine, Micamo Lab, Geoscape, Blue Eco Line, Vega Research, E-ssence, Foodinghy, Boats and go, Innavi, Outbe), this incredible mix of experimentation involved applications in the most diverse sectors and materials, from hydrogen for boats to yachting activities, from training to the dissemination of sustainable practices.
Genoa, 23rd September 2022
