Italia Innovation

Italia Innovation is an independent research studio and field-research program dedicated to supporting the future of the Italian economy and society. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Verona, Italy, the organization studies how economic capability is built — by firms, institutions, and communities in specific places — through on-the-ground fieldwork in factories, industrial districts, and city halls. It pairs qualitative fieldwork with comparative data to generate insights for leaders, and convenes scholars, entrepreneurs, and civic actors into a working network through seminars, fellowships, and executive programs. The studio describes its work across three pillars: research on the field, networks of excellence, and design for impact. Its projects aim at clear, measurable social and economic outcomes, ranging from applying regional globalization to the value chain of an Italian bakery icon to opening debate about the destiny of a local community in global terms. Since 2014 it has treated firms and cities as living case studies, with fieldwork extending from Italy to the United States and Japan. Italia Innovation's programs have been joined by both emerging and established businesses committed to excellence in high-quality and sustainable production, including Patagonia, Zegna, Barilla, illy Group, Ornellaia, Pasta Mancini, Bonotto Textiles, Dandelion Chocolate, and Verve Coffee Roasters. On the scholarly side, it has selected more than 200 undergraduate and graduate students from institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Yale, UC Berkeley, and Stanford in the US; HKUST and NUS in Asia; and LSE, Sciences Po, Bocconi, and Oxford University in Europe. Program conversations have featured academic and professional figures including John Bruce of Parsons School of Design, Robert J. Jackson Jr. of NYU and former SEC Commissioner, Bill Emmott, former Editor-in-Chief of The Economist, and Riccardo Illy, President of Polo del Gusto and former Governor of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Riccardo Illy has served as academic director of a series of thematic programs that led to the 2022 publication of the book The Art of Excellent Products, printed by HarperCollins in the United States and La Nave di Teseo in Italy. The studio is led by Co-Founder and Head of Research Marco Mari, a graduate in International Relations at Harvard University and in Juridical Science at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan. Looking ahead, Italia Innovation states it is building a platform where research, fieldwork, and convening shape what comes next.

Italia Innovation was founded in 2014 as an independent research studio and field-research program dedicated to supporting the future of the Italian economy and society. From its base in Verona, Italy, the organization adopted a distinctive method: going on the ground — into factories, industrial districts, and city halls — to study how production systems and communities adapt, treating firms and cities as living case studies. This fieldwork was paired with comparative data to generate insights that leaders could use. Over the years, the studio built a network of participating businesses and academic institutions. Both emerging and established companies committed to high-quality and sustainable production joined its studies and initiatives, including Patagonia, Zegna, Barilla, illy Group, Ornellaia, Pasta Mancini, Bonotto Textiles, Dandelion Chocolate, and Verve Coffee Roasters. On the scholarly side, Italia Innovation selected more than 200 undergraduate and graduate students from world-leading academic institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Yale, UC Berkeley, and Stanford in the United States; HKUST and NUS in Asia; and LSE, Sciences Po, Bocconi, and Oxford University in Europe. The program's conversations were enriched by academic leaders and distinguished professionals, including John Bruce, Director of the Transdisciplinary Design Program at Parsons School of Design; Robert J. Jackson Jr., Director of the Program on Corporate Law and Policy at New York University and former SEC Commissioner; Bill Emmott, former Editor-in-Chief of The Economist; and Riccardo Illy, President of Polo del Gusto and former Governor of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Riccardo Illy also served as academic director of a series of thematic programs that led to the publication of the book The Art of Excellent Products in 2022, printed by HarperCollins in the United States and La Nave di Teseo in Italy. The studio is led by Co-Founder and Head of Research Marco Mari, a graduate in International Relations at Harvard University and in Juridical Science at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Milan. Its work spans three pillars — research on the field, networks of excellence, and design for impact — with projects targeting clear, measurable social and economic outcomes, from applying regional globalization to the value chain of an Italian bakery icon to opening debate about the destiny of a local community in global terms. Since 2014, Italia Innovation has extended its fieldwork from Italy to the United States and Japan. In the years ahead, it states it is building a platform where research, fieldwork, and convening shape what comes next.

• 2022

  The book The Art of Excellent Products published by HarperCollins (US) and La Nave di Teseo (Italy), stemming from thematic programs directed by Riccardo Illy.

• 2014

  Italia Innovation founded as an independent research studio and field-research program.

Independent research studio and field-research program supporting the future of the Italian economy and society through on-the-ground study and convening.

• Field research programs

  On-the-ground study in factories, districts, and city halls, pairing qualitative fieldwork with comparative data.

• Seminars, fellowships, and executive programs

  Convening scholars, entrepreneurs, and civic actors into a working network to translate research into choices.

• Design for impact projects

  Testing ideas in practice with clear, measurable social and economic outcomes.

• The Art of Excellent Products (book)

  Published in 2022 by HarperCollins in the US and La Nave di Teseo in Italy.

1. 1italiainnovation - A field research programitaliainnovation.com
2. 2About - italiainnovationitaliainnovation.com
3. 3Italia Innovation - Wikidatawikidata.org