Startups, capital, research, new materials and even pharmaceutical experimentation in orbit. San Marino is attempting to carve out a place for itself in the New Space Economy, bringing together institutions, universities, businesses and finance. This was the common thread running through the second day of San Marino’s presence at the Beyond Exploration Expo (BEX) at the Rimini Fair, dedicated above all to building an ecosystem capable of turning research and innovation into new economic opportunities.
Discussions opened with the panel “Innovation, Transition and Economic Development: An Ecosystem for Innovation, Startups, Spin-offs and Business Reconversion“. At its core was a concrete question: how to guide an idea from scientific research to market, providing the infrastructure, capital and networks needed to connect the public and private sectors.
“Building an attractive ecosystem means offering operational certainty and concrete tools to businesses that are betting on cutting-edge technologies,” said the Secretary of State for Labour and Technological Innovation, Alessandro Bevitori. The goal, he explained, is to make the Republic a hub capable both of attracting startups and of helping companies already established in the country move into new production sectors.
On the operational side, the sole director of San Marino Enterprise, John Mazza, outlined the work already under way to coordinate various initiatives and connect San Marino businesses with international markets. The discussion also drew on foreign experience, with Wil Benton, founder of Metta Partners, dwelling on the importance of mentorship, consultancy and networks for raising capital, while Amit Sachdeva, representing the Indian space agency INSPACE, described a model for supporting the transfer of technology to private companies.
A central role is also envisioned for San Marino’s own institutions. Nicolas Rossini, Head of Innovation at San Marino Innovation, described the agency as the operational hub of the system, with the New Space Economy also serving as a testing ground for services and technologies applicable to the wider economy. Meanwhile, the general manager of the Economic Development Agency – Chamber of Commerce, Denis Cecchetti, focused on attracting foreign investment and helping San Marino companies move into new market niches.
On the academic front, Karen Venturini, professor of Innovation Management at the University of the Republic of San Marino, pointed to the recent regulation of university spin-offs, aimed at turning research into entrepreneurial projects and training highly specialised professionals.
Another key issue was the capital needed to finance startups. Boris Caharija Pizzolitto, managing director of BCP Consulting, stressed the need to build structured financial pathways even for young companies without an established track record. Pierpaolo Fabbri, CEO of NT Capital SG, focused instead on investment funds established under San Marino law as a possible tool for channelling private capital into technology projects and spreading risk among investors.
But space, according to the plans outlined at BEX, could also have knock-on effects for sectors already established in San Marino’s economy. Filippo Borsani, chairman and CEO of PromoPharma, spoke about the prospects for testing new molecules in orbit and the opportunities that zero gravity opens up for the pharmaceutical industry. Neni Rossini, chairman of SIT, focused on food packaging and on testing materials in space for resistance, waterproofing and thermal insulation.
The morning’s second session, organised by the Italian Centre for Aerospace Research, was dedicated to space law and the need to update regulations for a landscape in which private actors now play an increasingly important role. The session, introduced by Antonio Concilio and moderated by Andrea Colucci, featured contributions from legal scholar Tommaso Edoardo Frosini, Stefano Beco of AIAD, professor Valeria Falce, Stefano Gualandris and, joining remotely, General Luigi Riggio.
In the afternoon, the permanent working group established under the Framework Agreement between San Marino and the Emilia-Romagna Region met for the first time, with the aim of developing joint projects in research and development. At the same time, meetings between San Marino businesses and international operators were held at the stand coordinated by San Marino Innovation.
The day’s proceedings were closed by the Secretary of State for Industry, Rossano Fabbri. “San Marino’s presence at an international showcase such as BEX reflects a clear institutional strategy: to create a flexible regulatory and operational environment capable of welcoming investors in the Space Economy and integrating our industrial excellence into global supply chains. The work carried out and the ideas that emerged today show that our ecosystem is ready to take on the challenges of this strategic sector.”
