Last month, I had the incredible opportunity to be a part of something amazing – the first expo in Seattle showcasing some of the best and brightest Italian startups to American investors. “Primo. Innovare” was organized by Serena Corp. and the Area Science Park Innovation Factory, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco.
Serena Corp. is a private operating foundation based in the PNW, whose mission is to foster meaningful connections between the United States and Italy by actively promoting and supporting both Italian and U.S. culture of innovation.
The Area Science Park Innovation Factory based in Trieste, Italy, is a business incubator that cooperates with future entrepreneurs to transform an innovative idea into a successful business.
The event was a great success and it was a joy for me to help bring it all together, but this time around, we decided to do things a bit differently. We wanted to make sure that everyone who couldn’t attend in person could still experience the best of what this event had to offer by creating a virtual version of the expo. Through this virtual tour, you can explore the amazing technology showcased at this event and get a glimpse into what it was like being there in person. You will also hear from some key speakers who shared their insight on investing in Italian startups and why now is such an exciting time for innovation coming out of Italy.
Building the Virtual Environment and choosing the right platform
The first step was building the virtual environment. I used CooHom Enterprise to do that. I opted for a circular way of navigation to allow the viewer to visit the booths in sequential order. I also made sure to use exclusively Italian furniture and brands to highlight the Made in Italy aspect of the event. The second step was importing the assets into an interactive immersive platform and Tosolini Productions (my husband’s company) oversaw that. They chose Seekbeak as a preferred platform because it allowed us to recreate the same kind of interactive environment that one would find at an in-person expo.
Highlighting Key Events
We also wanted to make sure that we highlighted some of the key events from the expo so that people who couldn’t attend in person could still get a taste of what happened at the event. To accomplish this, we created short videos featuring our speakers’ 5-minute presentation pitch as well as a visual documentation of their product features and benefits. We also included a footage of the introductory presentation by Sergio Strozzi, the Consul General of Italy in San Francisco, and the final panel discussion moderated by Geekwire.
The introductory presentation by Sergio Strozzi and the final panel discussion moderated by Geekwire are visible on the banner above the Tolemaica and ML Cube booths.
Innovative technologies
The Italian Startup Expo in Seattle showcased some amazing Italian startups and innovative technologies. Many of these companies were creating new products and services that could revolutionize business operations. Some of the most interesting were in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital advertising, healthcare, cybersecurity, and more. It was truly inspiring to see how technology can be used to move our world forward in so many ways. In addition to exploring these new technologies, attendees got a chance to network with other investors and entrepreneurs. It was an incredible opportunity for those who attended to learn about potential investment opportunities or discover new ways of making their businesses more efficient.
The names of the startups and their location are visible on the map located at the bottom right of the screen
Creating a successful virtual event requires lots of planning and attention to detail – but when done right can be just as engaging as attending in person. By leveraging a powerful platform like CooHom Enterprise and SeeBeak combined with thoughtful highlights from key events and plenty of opportunities for engagement with our audience, we were able to capture much of what made this expo special without any physical presence required. The virtual version of last month’s Italian Startup Expo gives high tech professionals and innovation fans alike an opportunity to experience everything that happened at this event. From exploring groundbreaking new technologies developed by these startups, networking with other investors, and hearing from experts about why now is such an exciting time for innovation coming out of Italy—this virtual tour has something for everyone looking for an inside look into this one-of-a-kind event. So don’t miss your chance – take the virtual tour today!
Click on the white box to start the tour
Loved working with you on this project!! Great work Francesca!!
My pleasure, Davide!