This event is open to and COMPLIMENTARY for US large companies, research centers, universities, investors and venture capitalists who qualify via contacting the Italian Trade Agency Chicago US Office

Italy has experienced a rapid increase in the number of companies created by a generation of young and motivated entrepreneurs. This growth has come about within an Italian ecosystem of a large number of universities and research centers along with a strong operational infrastructure featuring incubators, accelerators, venture capitalists, investors, and science and technology parks.
 
BIAT is an initiative designed to enable the businesses and research systems of Italy's Convergence Regions – Campania, Calabria, Apulia and Sicily - to express their full potential for innovation and excellence. In fact, Convergence Regions host some of the most important technological and industrial districts in Italy and in Europe. The event is oriented towards foreign counterparts in the fields of Information Communication Technology, New Materials, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Advanced Mechanics, Environment, Renewable Energies, and Smart Cities.

The event is divided into three (3) distinct phases: 

Foreign counterparts such as large companies, research centers interested in technology transfer, venture capitalists and investors will be identified exclusively by the offices of the foreign network of ICE - Italian Trade Agency operating in the following countries: United States, Canada, France, Sweden, Germany, Korea, Brasil, India, Singapore, UK, Japan, Israel, China, United Arab Emirate, Poland and Russia.  

At this time, over 116 project proposals have been selected in the following sectors (click on any of these for details for a PDF on the field and related projects):  Information Communication Technology, New Materials, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology, Advanced Mechanics, Environment, Renewable Energies, and Smart Cities.  The project proposals can also be viewed in the dedicated section in the BIAT web site (http://innovationlab2017.ice.it/list-of-projects). Meetings will be scheduled according to the requests and interests expressed by international delegates who have selected the companies they wish to meet. The agendas of meetings will be sent to foreign delegates before the event. In addition, for foreign delegates interested in getting in touch with the Calabrian ICT companies, a visit to the incubator of the University of Calabria in Cosenza will be organized the day before the opening of BIAT.

The current program for BIAT is scheduled as follows:

March 1 2017
Arrival in Italy

March 2 2017 – Centro Congressi “Le Ciminiere” in Catania
10.00 - 10.30         Registration 
10.30-11.00           Plenary Session
                                  (political and institutional level) 
11.00–12.00          Technical Session (presentation of two
                                   Italian Districts, IP incentives and
                                   Financial Instruments for Innovation)
12.00-12.30           Closing remarks
12.30-14.00           Buffet Lunch 
12.30-18.00           B2B
18.00                       Return to the Hotel
20.00 –22.00         Networking event at Palazzo Biscari

March 3 2017 – Centro Congressi “Le Ciminiere” 
9.30.00-18.00        B2B

This event has the local support of the following entities:

Local government institutions: 
Italian Trade Agency, Regione Calabria, Regione Campania, Regione Puglia, Regione Sicilia,
Organizers: 
Italian Trade Agency, Piano export per le regioni della Convergenza, Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico