May 24, 2021

Metropolises vs. provinces: comparing innovation



In this double interview a comparison on innovation and the creation of startups in different realities. On one side a metropolis like Milan, on the other side Pordenone, a province of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

Does innovation stop at metropolises? We talked about it with Roberto Ruggeri and Franco Scolari, business angel of Italian Angels for Growth.

Roberto Ruggeri, from Messina who has long resided in Milan, is an entrepreneur, marketing strategist and innovator. He has founded several successful companies leveraging the power of digital marketing, including the award-winning online brand Diretta.it. With over 18 years of experience in the media industry and the ability to manage multidisciplinary projects, across personal businesses, full-time roles and consulting activities, Roberto has built and shaped digital products, brand architecture, media strategies and experiences, working with a variety of companies. He owns and manages over ten companies in various industries including media, sports, fashion and food & beverage.

Franco Scolari, from Pordenone, is an electronic engineer from the Milan Polytechnic and subsequent master’s in business administration at Bocconi. He was Professor of Information Technology for five years at the University of Udine. He covered the ICT professional development in Accenture, Montedison and Electrolux, from programmer to IT director. With 40 years of management experience, he was CEO of medium-sized manufacturing companies, as well as in Electrolux; later, director of international business units in Pirelli and again general manager of important multi-service companies also listed on the stock exchange. Since 2008 he is director of Polo Tecnologico Alto Adriatico Andrea Galvani, a research organization focused on digital transformation of SMEs.