In June 2021, the presentation ceremony of the National Award for the best Georgian innovators “STEM Study Visit to Italy” was held as part of the Italian Innovation and Research Day. It was an online workshop attended by many representatives of the Italian and Georgian industry and academia to share their experiences and reflections in the field of innovation and technology transfer.

The “STEM Study Visit to Italy” initiative aims to strengthen the international experience of young Georgian innovators in the field of technical and scientific research and to facilitate the implementation of joint initiatives and projects, with the aim of consolidating and expanding technology-based collaboration between Italy and Georgia.

Established in 2019, the program is a major part of the scientific and technological exchanges between Italy and Georgia and is based on the agreement promoted, for the Italian side, by the Italian Embassy in Tbilisi and the Italian Foundation for Innovation COTEC, in partnership with Materias, with Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA).

The ceremony was opened by Ms. Valeria Fascione, Regional Minister for Innovation and Startup of the Campania Region, followed by numerous interventions by the Ambassador of Italy to Georgia H.E. Enrico Valvo, the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Mr. Irakli Nadareishvili, the President of Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency Mr. Avtandil Kasradze, the President of the COTEC Foundation Prof. Luigi Nicolais, Prof. Giorgio Ventre of the University of Naples “Federico II” and the Rector of the Business and Technology University of Georgia Prof. Nino Enukidze.

The event culminated with the awarding of Irina Tsagareishvili and Tsotne Kalichava, two young Georgian innovators, who were granted a three-month traineeship in Italy at our headquarters, within the Technological Pole of San Giovanni a Teduccio of the University of Naples “Federico II”.

After the ceremony, a discussion between experts and innovators focused on the importance of international relations in the academic, political-diplomatic, commercial and cultural fields and on the need for closer cooperation in the scientific and technological field between the two countries. During the workshop SPICI’s CEO – dr. Vincenzo Lipardi – presented the company’s cooperation activities with Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe as well as the possibilities of collaboration with Georgia.