\ Innovazione \ Italy-Serbia: Belgrade hosts first day of Roadshow to present Trieste Big Science Business Forum 2024

Yesterday, the Italian Embassy in Belgrade hosted the first day of the roadshow for the promotion of the Big Science Business Forum 2024 (BSBF), an initiative supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. 

The BSBF event, scheduled on 1-4 October 2024 in Trieste, is gathering representatives from the largest and most prestigious European research organisations to explore collaboration opportunities for industry and commercial partnerships among local stakeholders and major scientific organisations in the market of Big Science Organisations (BSOs). 

With an annual resource mobilisation of approximately 10 billion EUR at the European level, this sector is an important marketplace, especially for companies aiming to promote their international dimension. The Big Science market also offers the chance to cooperate with major research laboratories and infrastructures to develop new cutting-edge solutions, services, and technologies, leveraging advanced skills and capabilities.

The Belgrade event was organised by the Embassy of Italy in Belgrade in collaboration with the Central European Initiative (CEI), the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (Italy), the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS). 

Numerous companies from the country participated in the gathering, alongside representatives from the Serbian Government, major local research and innovation organisations, and the scientific and technological parks of Serbia. Among the speakers at the event were the Councillor for Labour, Training, Education, Research, Universities, and Family of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Alessia Rosolen, the Secretary General of the Central European Initiative, Roberto Antonione, and the Director of the host Organisation BSBF Trieste 2024, Paolo Acunzo from ENEA.

“The choice of Belgrade as the venue of the first day of the roadshow for the presentation of the Big Science Business Forum 2024 reflects the role that Italy recognises for Serbia as a strategic economic partner in the region,” said the Italian Ambassador to Serbia, Luca Gori. “Serbia is investing heavily – Gori added – in high-tech sectors: ICT, agritech, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence. The Big Science Business Forum will provide an additional opportunity for the Serbian innovation ecosystem to strengthen its skills.”

“This is the first official visit of the BSBF to Central and Eastern European countries. Opening towards this important part of Europe was one of our priorities when we presented the national candidacy to host the Big Science Business Forum in Italy for the first time. This will enable the entrepreneurial and scientific world of Central and Eastern Europe to fully benefit from the opportunities for economic growth and technological development offered by the Big Science European Market. I wish to thank the Italian Embassy in Belgrade and the Central European Initiative for their valuable collaboration,” said the Councillor for Labour, Training, Education, Research, Universities, and Family of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Alessia Rosolen.

“The enlargement of the EU to the Western Balkans, which the Central European Initiative strongly supports, also involves a strong economic integration in strategic sectors of Big Science. I am confident that Serbian companies and operators will seize the opportunities offered by the Big Science Business Forum 2024 and will actively participate in creating the European Big Science market,” said CEI Secretary General, Roberto Antonione.

“The assignment of the next European edition of the BSBF to Italy is a recognition of the leading role our country is playing in the world of Big Science. This role takes on particular significance thanks to today’s commitment to involve new actors from other countries in building this innovative sector of the European common market,” said the Director of the hosting organization BSBF Trieste 2024, Paolo Acunzo from ENEA.