March 30, 2025 by Ezra Beloso
The latest event by SMAU concluded just a few days ago, finalising another installment of a project that has grown into Italy’s leading innovation event, expanding to cities like Berlin, London, and Paris. Connecting startups, corporations, and investors through networking, Startup Safaris, and Live Shows, the 2025 series began in London, fostering global partnerships, to continue in Paris, Stockholm, and Milan throughout the rest of this year, strengthening Italy’s role in the global innovation ecosystem.
SMAU was founded in 1964 in Milan as a meeting place for those looking to do business and explore innovation. Over time, it expanded to various international cities, including Berlin, London, Paris and San Francisco. Today, SMAU stands out as the most significant event in Italy focused on the innovation ecosystem, fostering networking, professional development and the sharing of success stories from Italian companies leading innovative projects.
SMAU offers visitors the opportunity to join the Startup Safari, guided tours designed to explore the most innovative leaders in their industry. Additionally, its Live Shows bring companies together with local public administrations, creating spaces to learn how to launch innovation projects and connect with potential partners.
The first event took place in London, from March 19th to 21st, 2025, offering Italian startups the chance to build strong connections with the London Hub, the British market, and a wider network of startups, corporations, and investors. The London edition brought together 15 major corporations and 40 Italian startups, which operate in industries such as Mobility, Retail, Smart Communities, Agrifood, Healthcare, and Industrial innovation. Among the attending startups was Wegoo, which aims to make mobility more accessible and affordable by transforming shared travel into a more sustainable experience. Another standout participant was Tiledesk, an open-source AI automation platform that enables businesses to build no-code AI assistants.
The event kicked off on March 19th with a networking cocktail party at the Italian Embassy, setting the stage for the three days of innovation. The following day featured thematic panels and startup speed pitching. Key discussions included “Venture Capital: Accelerating Growth in Italy and Beyond”, which explored the role of venture capital in fostering Italy’s economic growth, and “Boundless Innovation for Cities of the Future”, where corporates and startups talked about challenges in mobility, energy, and urban living to shape the cities of tomorrow. On March 21st, SMAU concluded with visits to London’s leading incubators, accelerators, and innovation hubs, fostering new partnerships with representatives of the Italian innovation ecosystem.
SMAU 2025 event series will feature Paris (April 9th – 11th), Stockholm (May 19th – 20th) and Milan (November 5th – 6th) next. The Italian gathering provides a platform for global investors and businesses to engage with local innovation, since SMAU brings 50 international investors and companies from over 20 countries to Milan every year, offering them insights into Made in Italy innovations.
SMAU’s official website, last opened on Sunday, March 30th, https://www.smau.it/
