The voices from an international ecosystem that is redefining the relationship between technology, places and organizations.
“In the world, more than 50-60% of office spaces remain unused,” explains Daniele Di Fausto, CEO of eFM. This data shows how we need to optimize the existing spaces and change the paradigm: ‘We need a new model, which we have defined as Experience As A Service.’ An approach that allows for new experiences in the space, using a platform-driven model, like Digital Twin & Smart Contracts, making experiences measurable, replicable, and improvable over time.”
Innovation as a result of an ecosystem
Such transformation doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires ecosystems. “When research and industry contaminate each other, the effects on innovation are disruptive,” emphasizes Philippe Aghion, Nobel laureate in Economics 2025, citing case studies from the Laboratory of Excellence: a model where universities, companies, and territories collaborate in a structured manner.
One principle translates into the physical dimension of space: “The place is a fundamental element of innovation,” affirms Alberto Sangiovanni Vincentelli, Edgar L. and Harold H. Buttner Chair of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California Berkeley, who defines the place as a real and proper fertilizer for creativity.
It is this integration of places, technologies, and ecosystems that is building initiatives like ROAD – Rome Advanced District. “An environment where large companies, startups and research centers work together for innovation,” explains Program Manager Officer Mattia Voltaggio, highlighting the strategic role of proximity to various actors.
A vision also shared at an institutional level: “To promote innovation, it’s essential to bring together research and industrial application,” stresses Sergio Strozzi, Counselor – Head of Innovation and Startups Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between institutions and research organizations to foster scientific and economic growth.
From costly space to value-driven space
In this scenario, the role of space is changing radically: from infrastructure to active platform, where technology, governance, and experience converge to create new value.