The Science & Innovation Tour (SIT) brought together a diverse group of young researchers and AI experts for four days to enable in-depth technical dialogue, academic exchange, and enriching cross-sector collaboration.
Pisa: Where tradition meets cutting-edge technology
The tour began in Pisa, a city where timeless architecture and rich cultural heritage frame the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence. The delegation opened their visit on arrival day with a relaxed dinner of pizza, pasta, and perspective-sharing near the famous Leaning Tower, setting the tone for some equally substantive and inspiring days.
Day 1: A deep dive into Artificial Intelligence at CNR-ISTI
On June 3, the participants gathered at the Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologie dell’Informazione „A. Faedo“ (CNR-ISTI), where Director Roberto Scopigno opened the day. After an introductory session in which all AI researchers presented themselves informally with elevator pitches, the institute’s leading minds shared insights into their latest research. Giuseppe Amato spoke about AI for Extended Reality (XR), showcasing applications at the intersection of media, humanities, and immersive technologies. Raffaele Perego explained AI for information retrieval and text analysis. Andrea Esuli addressed the growing challenge of text generation, detection, and evaluation. Fabrizio Falchi concluded the morning with insights into multimodal AI – a field crucial for understanding and linking visual and linguistic information.
In the afternoon, the delegation visited the Scuola Normale Superiore (SNS). This historically significant institution has existed since its founding in 1810 under the name "Normale" and has witnessed the last two centuries of Italian history – from Napoleon to unification, from both world wars to the Republic. On the steps of the imposing building, we were greeted by Prof. Fosca Giannotti. She has been a professor of computer science at SNS since 2021. Together with her team, she presented her extensive research on Explainable AI (XAI) to our delegation. From her ERC-funded Europäischen Forschungsrat program, Prof. Giannotti explained innovations such as “learning to abstain,” post-hoc explanations with LLume, and fuzzy logic for interpretability. Ethical aspects, procedures to improve computational efficiency (e.g. FastShap++), and the growing need to align XAI with data protection were also discussed. It was a deep and enlightening session – an exploration of new dimensions in AI explainability.
Day 2: Innovation and start-up culture
Am zweiten Tag lag der Fokus auf dem unternehmerischen Innovationsgeist statt auf der institutionellen Forschung. In den Räumlichkeiten von Aptus.AI gewährte Mitgründer Lorenzo De Mattei Einblicke in den Aufbau und die Skalierung einer KI-gestützten Plattform für den Bereich Recht und Compliance. Sein ebenso offener wie fundierter Bericht veranschaulichte eindrucksvoll, welchen Weg Innovationen von der Forschungsarbeit bis zum marktfähigen Produkt zurücklegen. In entspannter Atmosphäre beantwortete Lorenzo alle Fragen unserer Mitglieder zu seinem Produkt und zur Unternehmensgründung – sehr offen, sehr transparent, sehr sympathisch!
In the afternoon, the delegation boarded a train toward Trento, passing through picturesque landscapes. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wahlster, President of AI Grid, a pioneer of European AI and founding director and current CEA of the DFKI(German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence),joined the group there, lending the mission further weight and foresight.
Trento: Link between academia and industry
Day 3: Foundations of new technologies
In Trento, the delegation was warmly welcomed by the Fondazione Bruno Kessler – a globally renowned institution appreciated for its holistic approach to technology, the humanities, and social innovation. Paolo Traverso, Director of Strategy and Planning at FBK, opened the day with his inspiring lecture “Beyond the Thesis: Finding Purpose in Research.” This set the stage for a day full of fascinating insights and valuable exchanges. The directors of FBK’s centers for Augmented Intelligence, Digital Society, and Digital Industry gave impactful short presentations on their current research topics – from AI for computer vision and natural language processing to human-centered innovations.
One of the highlights of the day was the poster and demo session, during which AI Grid members and 20 FBK researchers presented their own research projects. The room was filled with lively discussions, new ideas, cross-disciplinary applications, and visions for responsible AI. This format became a vibrant showcase for innovation, collaboration, and creative potential.
In the afternoon, in cooperation with Hub Innovazione Trentino (HIT) , the delegation visited the Fab Lab at the University of Trento and two labs focused on robotics and clinical applications, to establish further contacts with local researchers and stakeholders for future partnerships and joint initiatives.
Day 4: Labs, clean rooms, and company synergies
On the final day of SIT 2025, participants gained exclusive insight into the technological infrastructure underpinning Italy’s innovations. At FBK’s Micro Nano Facility Dr. Lorenza Ferrario led a tour through the 700 m² cleanroom – one of Europe’s most advanced laboratories for radiation sensor systems, silicon detectors, and integrated photonics.
The delegation also met with AIspot, a start-up specializing in computer vision, and Infojuice, which uses AI to extract valuable information from large datasets for companies. Conversations with Roberto Zanoli, Davide Boscaini, and company representatives impressively highlighted the collaboration between academia and industry, especially in applied fields such as medical technology, robotics, and intelligent infrastructure.
An unforgettable experience
The AI Grids Science & Innovation Tour 2025 was much more than just a series of meetings and presentations – it became a vivid exploration of the evolving European AI landscape. From historic universities to high-tech labs to practical applications, the tour impressively demonstrated the added value created by the encounter of brilliant minds and forward-looking institutions.
As AI increasingly shapes our industries and societies, events like the Science & Innovation Tour make a vital contribution to European knowledge transfer, the formation of new partnerships, the gain of new insights, and the realization of new innovations. The Italian AI community left a lasting impression and surely laid the groundwork for further collaboration and innovation.
Thanks to this successful gathering, we are proud to announce Paolo Traverso, Director of FBK, as the new AI Grid ambassador for Italy, as well as three new mentors: Fosca Giannotti, Roberto Scopigno, and Michela Milano. A warm welcome to the AI Grid community!
