Technology| Podcast Business

Satoshi and Vitalik: the origins of blockchain, “trust” technology

Disruptive, fascinating, controversial: blockchain is one of the most talked-about  technologies of recent years, from cryptocurrencies to the web3. Two different but revolutionary leaders have ushereda new era: the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto with Bitcoin and Vitalik Buterin, the wunderkind who invented Ethereum

The Top 10 airports and new records in air traffic in Italy

In 2023, Italian airports reached a historic record, nearing 200 million passengers. The full return to pre-Covid levels has been completed with the excellent performance of the international segment and a positive trend confirmed in the first eight months of 2024

Green transition at a junction: the excellence of Valvitalia for hydrogen

The group designs and manufactures valves, actuators, fittings, gas systems and fire protection solutions. Its innovative solutions are applied for the hydrogen industry, mining and mobility infrastructure to the most strategic areas of the world

From electronics, a smart eye for the environment: the idea of FAE Technology

The Italian tech group produces the electronic components for devices capable of monitoring urban, rural and fragile territories. Technology meets sustainability, with several active projects around the world and strategic partnerships

The top 10 busiest airports and the new post-pandemic world map

There is little left to close the gap in passenger and cargo traffic globally after the pandemic shock. The real driver of the recovery is international travel, with Asia and the Middle East becoming increasingly popular, while American leadership remains strong

We have technology, how do we use it? At the origin of smart cities with Municipia

Municipia implements the digital transformation of municipalities in safety, welfare, interactivity and mobility. Technology already offers many solutions, but coordination and maturity are needed at the administrative level. We talk about this with Stefano De Capitani, CEO of Municipia (Engineering Group), which has signed an MoU with Yunex for future collaborations in the ITS (Intelligent Transport System) sector and already worked in Pisa and Bologna

Digital Euro, greener than cash. But not more convenient for everyone

The environmental footprint of cash payments is equivalent to 8 km travelled by car in one year. Cashless payments pollute 21% less, but banking desertification penalises certain communities and segments of the population. The ECB-guaranteed digital euro could arrive in the next few years

Artificial Intelligence questions us and challenges our identity

Generative AI will reach ‘human’ performance levels by the end of the decade, but it imposes a paradigm shift accompanied by unknowns in every sphere of economic, political and social activity and organisation. The university presents itself as a reliable interlocutor up to the challenges that individuals and societies will face in the very near future

The Risk of world powers in space: the moves on the geopolitical map

The global scenario sees more and more like-minded countries also aligning with each other in the new space race, as a new, increasingly decisive, space economy emerges for industrial competition. However, more international cooperation is needed to protect space as a common good and to achieve the great shared goals of humanity

Beyond oil? What the Gulf countries are really doing for the green transition

Gulf states aim to become global hubs for climate diplomacy, as the COP28 in Dubai clearly showed one more time. But green transition needs funds, innovation and market opportunities to get real: so, let’s see what are the concrete commitments taken firsthand by some of the biggest producers of fossil fuels in the world

Investing with sustainable impact: now there is also a ‘fund of funds’

Fondo Italiano d'Investimento SGR launched the first fund of funds in Italy focused on the impact investing market, linked to measurable social objectives in the areas of energy transition, digital and circular economy

“Imagine, be creative and disagree”: Alessandro Benetton to the young at Fordham University

The Chairman of Edizione and vice president of Mundys addressed a speech at the 6th annual American Innovation Conference

Electric cars: 3 innovative ideas for a faster recharge

Recharging times still are a critical issue in a travel experience by electric car. Three possible solutions are being studied to improve the EV-cars performance and to boost the spread of a more sustainable mobility: dynamic wireless charging, battery swapping and solid-state batteries

"ESG targets and credit: this is how we stand by companies and SMEs"

Between training new skills and monitoring sustainability performance, the world of credit and business is called upon to make the transition to a sustainable economy a reality. Here is the example of Banca Intesa Sanpaolo

Fossil sources, is it still worth it? The risks of a future carbon lock-in

Building fossil-based infrastructure will block the energy transition of the industrial system, beyond the EU's decarbonisation deadlines. This delay will have an impact on climate and economic risks, due to the loss of competitiveness in the manufacturing sector and the spread of stranded assets in the energy sector

“Electricity is advancing, together with us. But Italy needs a targeted policy”

More than a year after start-up, ABB Italy's plant has 80% of its production from abroad and is already ready to be expanded. “What is holding back the spread of the electric market in Italy is the lack of a targeted policy of intervention at national level,” according to Antonio De-Bellis, E-Mobility Lead Manager and Vice President of Motus-E

Green finance and the fight against emissions: Mundys' commitment to sustainability

The group is the corporate leader of the World Economic Forum's initiative to identify new financing instruments for the ecological transition of the airport sector. Target to reduce CO₂ emissions by 50 per cent through SBTi assessment confirmed. And the interactive Data Art work ‘Moving Data’ lands at Rome Fiumicino

Green bonds, ESG criteria and more: finance for sustainability in infrastructures

The capital market makes various instruments available to investors to finance green sustainability projects. We discuss this with Marco Spano, Managing Director and co-Head of Debt Capital Markets and Financing Group at Mediobanca. With an eye on the Mundys case

“ESG ratings, an agency register is needed to contrast the bubble risk”

Credit risk management is increasingly linked to the assessment of companies' ESG risks. A register of ESG rating agents would bring order by offering a better service to the financial market, according to Mattia Ciprian, CEO and founder of Modefinance

“Green skyscrapers, opening the new frontier of construction in New York”

The ecological transition in the building sector opens up great opportunities. This is illustrated by the case of Somec, Oscar Marchetto's company, which from the naval has entered the civil sector in the Big Apple

PoliMove, pushing autonomous driving a bit further

“We explore the limits of technology to push it to the limit and master it”, Sergio Savaresi, professor at Politecnico di Milano, states after the success of the PoliMove team that set the speed record in Las Vegas in a competition against nine AV teams. “But the road to autonomous driving is still long on our roads”

Recycling electric batteries: the antidote to a new disaster

There is no alternative to this form of circular economy. Electric batteries for cars promise to solve the problem of polluting emissions, but if the recovery and reuse of raw materials is inadequate, the environment and production chains will suffer enormous new stresses

Mundys, born to be a global leader in sustainable integrated mobility service

The Deputy Chairman of Mundys, Alessandro Benetton: “We are embarking on a new chapter in our business journey, joined by the people who have accepted this challenge.” The Chairman, Giampiero Massolo: “We want to serve the communities in which we operate, creating competitiveness and jobs. Whilst our head and heart will always be in Italy, international expansion is our goal.”

Critical resources, energy and cleantech: it's a race between powers

From new routes for fossil resources to innovative hydrogen networks, from metals to rare earths: international crises in recent years have highlighted the critical role of access to resources on the global geopolitical map for international technological competition and industry of the future. Taking stock one year after the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine

A phenomenology of the ‘NIMBY’ syndrome and some of its best remedies

It goes well beyond just an acronym and raises similar “symptoms'', in many cases all around the world. Nevertheless, one fact is sure: bypassing local communities to develop much-needed infrastructures is wrong

What if we’ve been in the metaverse already for some time?

Etymology does not lie: “meta” is a convergence between different dimensions. It is necessary to understand our times, unless we are entertained by provocations, anecdotes and other crypto-ludic varieties. Or slightly more

Innovation hubs, a key to urban and economic revival

The case of the 'Goccia' district in the Bovisa neighbourhood, reconnected to the city of Milan and the region with a redevelopment plan by Renzo Piano and with works on mobility. Innovation labs for start-ups will be housed in a modern campus aiming at zero emissions and energy self-sufficiency

That subtle balance between policy and "green" batteries markets

Western countries are lagging behind Asian battery producers and a quick shift to e-cars may induce an even deeper reliance from China. The transition to a clean mobility is still ongoing and Europe may find itself cut off from innovation if its policies reveal to be too far behind the market

Mechanic profession at risk? No, it just changed

Increasingly electric and connected cars have led the figure of the mechanic to evolve into a mechatronics technician and to diversify the repair figure roles. The parent company will be increasingly involved in the IT component

Three events that will lead the global transition to sustainability

Focus on investments and governance strategies: the world change-managing leaders are ready to gather in the next months at The World Climatic Summit, the upcoming COP28 and the Gitex Impact

The work revolution in smart and electric mobility

From cybersecurity to electrical infrastructures, from software programmers to hydrogen experts: professions in the automotive and mobility sector are changing rapidly, and continuous training programmes are needed

“The crisis won’t stop the green and smart mobility right off the bat”

“The challenge is on, but long-term global factors foster eco-innovation and digitalisation”: this is what Fabrizio Zerbini, Scientific Director of MobiUS, the lab on the future mobility of Bocconi University and Atlantia, points out

Is electrification putting workplaces at risk?

The European plan "Fit For 55" is aiming at reducing emissions in mobility. But the change in production raised concerns among industry associations and components makers, about workplaces put at risk by this radical change. Is the "green" emergency and innovation a foe to full employment?

From cargo to aerotaxis, eVTOLs are ready to take to the skies

At the dawn of Urban air mobility (UAM) there are already hundreds of ongoing projects of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft worldwide, but some are closer to the finish line. Here is a selection of four of the most promising ones

On the routes of digital nomads: “Travelling has changed forever”

The demand for tourism has changed since the spread of Covid. The new travel patterns are closely linked to the new work-life balance. What synergies and strategies can guide the restart? We talk about this with Giacomo Trovato, AirBnb's country manager for Italy

Flying again, flying better

From vertiports for drones to reading post-Covid markets, from intermodal mobility to hydrogen: these are some of the strategies that the SAVE Group has put in place to lock in on the recovery of the airport sector, which is expected to experience a general revival from 2022 onward. We spoke about it with the CEO, Monica Scarpa

“Fostering long term business to build our global future”

The Future Innovation Summit is a unique event representing UAE, and promoting progress among many industries. “Technologies relating to agriculture, health care, water and food security are high in demand”, says its founder, Adnand Al Noorani

Disruptive. Big Tech in the auto industry

While traditional companies are still busy transitioning to electric, Big Tech companies decided to invest in the sector. These new players are developing self-driving vehicles, opening up a new area of competition

Keeping the balance of values in an upset world-market

Countries all over the world have rediscovered the value of safety in economy, after two years of pandemic and the outbreak of the war in Russia-Ukraine. But this fair need must not be mistaken as an end of globalization

Road Usage Charge: sustainably financing a new mobility

Which should be a telematics-based Road usage charge (RUC) system main goal? What kind of problem is it supposed to solve? Malika Seddi, Secretary General at ASECAP*, answers

Off limits: closed airspace. The impacts

Russia is no longer considered a reliable aviation partner, and the war is likely to make the uncertainty structural after the last two years of pandemic. Aviation has always recovered after times of international crisis, but the unknown comes at a price

Energy self-sufficiency: more than an environmental issue

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is testing the European Union’s ambitious climate goals, adding new political significance to the continent’s ambitions for sustainability and energy independence from exporters of fossil fuels, technologies and raw materials

Cities as platforms, Mobility as a Service: stories from three capitals

Mobility as a Service is the new way to conceive transporation networks leveraging apps, data, and connected devices to provide an integrated access to public, private and shared travel modalities. Three examples from Berlin, Sidney and Denver

“Green” taxonomy in the EU: an open approach is needed

The principle of “do no significant harm” cannot become an obstacle. Comparative, strategic assessment of the impact of investment would be more effective for supporting the green transition, as part of a shared “vocabulary” guiding sustainable finance

Globalization is still key to end semiconductor crisis

Bottlenecks in semiconductors supply chain are stressing crucial industries for the economic recovery in Western countries, such as tech and automotive. Once leader in production and then dismissed, the EU and US are taking remedial actions to regain the spot, along with major companies: is globalization taking a new shape?

Investing in infrastructures as the backbone of innovation and sustainable future

Investors need to spot the new trends in Infrastructures, and finance has a big role in promoting ESG and innovation criteria. Which are the most promising sectors and applications? How sustainability concerns are affecting investing choices? Infra Journal meets Fraser Hughes, founder and chief executive at GLIO, the Global Listed Infrastructure Organization

Investing in sustainable mobility is worth the costs

Transitioning to a more sustainable transport system in our cities will require huge investments, in new technologies and new infrastructures. But these are investments worth taking, experts argue, if we want to solve more problems at the same time

From the new internet, a trampoline for post-pandemic recovery

Increased telecommunication capacity, modern 5G infrastructure, fibre optic access to the ultra-broadband and the Internet of Things open up opportunities for exponential growth in various sectors of the economy

Economic growth and social goals: how to untie the infrastructure procurement knot

With many factors at stake, cost-benefit analysis is not always enough to evaluate infrastructure investments, according to the author.

Outdoors, green and sustainable: passwords for the next holidays

Tourism, like everything, evolves and Covid-19 has accelerated this process. Here is how routes, destinations and experiences can adapt to the perfect sustainability wave of post pandemic.

Zero emissions: a matter of luxury

European Union confirms the ambitious goal of zero-emission cars by 2035. Reactions within the automotive industry are different, ranging from caution to initiatives, particularly in the luxury segment

Logistics and ecommerce calling for a new infrastructure

While drone delivery is now a reality, today the biggest challenge involves both last-mile and transoceanic distribution