Innovation as a new foundation for cooperation between Serbia and Italy

The Embassy of Italy in Belgrade, with the support of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and Confindustria Serbia, held the Italy-Serbia Innovation Forum "Human Centered Innovation", as part of the Play with IT initiative, with the aim of connecting innovation ecosystems and improving bilateral cooperation between Italy and Serbia  in the fields of technology, economy and sustainable development.

Stefania Vigna, Head of Innovation Intelligence at the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, also spoke at the event about the role of innovation in making sustainable and long-term responsible decisions, as well as about global trends shaping the business and social environment.

"Technology and human capital are not competitors, they complement and reinforse each other," Vigna pointed out, stressing that the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center monitors global trends and technological changes in order to provide relevant insights to support decision-making and sustainable development. Speaking about the trends that will have a significant impact on the development of the economy and society in the coming period, she singled out three key areas: sustainability, longevity and urbanization.

Within the panel dedicated to innovation and technological development, which followed, she especially pointed out the importance of the regulatory framework and the development of competencies for data analysis and management, which are the basis for the successful implementation of new technologies.

The Forum brought together more than 150 representatives of the economy, institutions, academia and innovation sectors of Italy and Serbia with the aim of strengthening cooperation in the fields of innovation, technology and sustainable development. The event ended with a series of B2B meetings of Italian and Serbian companies, dedicated to the exchange of experiences and the establishment of new business partnerships.