On Wednesday, February 1st, in Rome, a press conference was held to introduce the Big Science Business Forum 2024, the third edition of the international congress focused on technological innovation and aimed at matching the worlds of research and industry, scheduled to take place in Trieste in the autumn of 2024. Trieste was chosen as the venue for the event from a list of applications from various European countries, thanks to joint efforts by Area Science Park, ILO Network Italia, and PromoTurismoFVG. The introductory press conference saw the participation of Massimiliano Fedriga, president of Regione Autonoma FVG, alongside other prominent figures from the scientific and institutional worlds.
Alongside Fedriga, there were also the Ministers of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, the Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Maria Tripodi, and the Presidents of the National Research Council, Maria Chiara Carrozza, the National Institute of Nuclear Physics, Antonio Zoccoli, the National Institute of Astrophysics, Marco Tavani, and Area Science Park, Caterina Petrillo.
After Copenhagen in 2018 and Granada in 2022, in 2024 Trieste will host the Big Science Common Market; major international players designing and producing cutting-edge technology instrumentation will meet in Trieste with technologists, researchers, and heads of major research infrastructure. The winning project of the European competition was endorsed by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and is the result of shared work with the national research body Area Science Park, the ILO Network Italia, and PromoTurismoFVG. The governor of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Massimiliano Fedriga, highlighted the importance of the Big Science Business Forum (BSBF) for the region, which will bring together more than a thousand stakeholders from the world of research and industry. The goal is to promote a Big Science market in Europe, particularly by informing European businesses and stakeholders about upcoming investments and tenders from major scientific organizations. The bid was backed by four Ministries, with the MUR committed to promoting an active role for the Industry Liaison Officers of research institutions in the event’s organization.