WMF 2026 - Startup & VC Plenary

Startup & VC Plenary

Il palco “Startup & VC Plenary” del WMF - We Make Future 2026 è lo spazio in cui prende forma il concetto di Build What Matters: un luogo di confronto tra startup, PMI, investitori, corporate provenienti da tutto il mondo, uniti dalla volontà di generare impatto reale.
Attraverso tavole rotonde e continui momenti di confronto, il programma esplora l’evoluzione dell’ecosistema dell'innovazione, mettendo in connessione gli scenari globali, le opportunità locali e le success stories italiane.
24 GIUGNO
25 GIUGNO
26 GIUGNO
N.A.I.P. - Live Concert N.A.I.P. - Live Concert
Opening Ceremony Opening Ceremony
24 giugno 10:30 - 10:45
15 min
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24 giugno 11:00 - 11:20
20 min
An examination of the American innovation ecosystem's power—driven by venture capital, leading research institutions, and a culture of disruption. This roundtable will address the vulnerabilities related to regulatory uncertainty, talent competition, and the ethical responsibilities of building world-changing technologies like Generative AI.
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24 giugno 11:20 - 11:50
30 min
Exploring the unique strengths of India's innovators, from its massive talent pool and digital public infrastructure (like Aadhaar and UPI) to the challenge of scaling social impact and bridging the rural-urban technology gap. Discussing how Indian startups are defining 'what matters' for a rapidly evolving, globally significant market.
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24 giugno 12:00 - 12:20
20 min
An exploration of the tech and market synergies between Canada and Brazil. This panel will compare the venture capital landscapes, talent pools, and regulatory environments, focusing on opportunities for cross-continental scaling and how these two major economies are defining 'what matters' for the Americas.
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24 giugno 12:20 - 12:40
20 min
This session will explore how cross-border cooperation in the Euro-MED region can advance innovation and entrepreneurship support by strengthening the role of ecosystem enablers, including incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurship centers, and support organizations. Drawing on the Ripple initiative, the discussion will showcase how regional collaboration, peer learning, and strategic partnerships can enhance the capacity of enablers to support startups, connect ecosystems, and drive more inclusive and sustainable entrepreneurial growth across the region.
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24 giugno 12:40 - 13:00
20 min
A joint perspective from two economic powerhouses, Japan and South Korea. This roundtable will contrast their innovation styles—Japan's focus on robotics and precision engineering versus South Korea's rapid-fire digital consumer tech—to understand their collective strengths and the common challenge of navigating rapid demographic change.
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24 giugno 14:30 - 14:50
20 min
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24 giugno 14:50 - 15:10
20 min
Bringing together perspectives from the burgeoning tech scenes of Bulgaria and Croatia with the established financial and innovation hub of Belgium. The discussion will cover how CEE's cost-efficiency and talent can interface with Western Europe's stability and market access to build resilient, pan-European ventures.
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24 giugno 15:10 - 15:30
20 min
An in-depth look at Switzerland's unique innovation model, characterized by high-value deep tech, world-class research institutions, and a stable regulatory environment. This roundtable addresses the challenges of high costs, the competition for specialized talent, and the ethical role of financial and biotech innovation.
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24 giugno 15:30 - 15:50
20 min
Focusing on Germany's strength in 'Mittelstand' (small/mid-sized industrial leaders) and its push into deep tech, especially in Industry 4.0 and green energy. Speakers will discuss the challenges of bureaucratic hurdles, the need for faster digital transformation, and how to define 'what matters' for a sustainable, industrial future.
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24 giugno 16:00 - 16:10
10 min
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24 giugno 16:10 - 16:30
20 min
A dedicated discussion on Albania's emerging innovation landscape. The focus is on leveraging a young, digitally-savvy population and strategic geographic location, while addressing the need to strengthen institutional support and attract foreign direct investment to define "what matters" for sustainable national growth.
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24 giugno
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25 giugno 11:20 - 11:50
30 min
The roundtable will address the specific struggles of mobility startups (including policies, investments, network connections), and how these startups have dealt with them, working towards a better-connected Europe and more liveable cities
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25 giugno 11:50 - 12:10
20 min
The best European companies aren’t choosing between institutional capital and the crowd, they’re combining both. Three Community Funding protagonists operating in some of Europe’s most strategic verticals share what co-investment with VCs actually looks like from the inside: how community rounds validate markets, de-risk institutional bets, and turn thousands of small investors into the kind of ambassadors no marketing budget can buy. Anchored in data from the European Community Capital Landscape 2025 by Over Ventures, this panel makes the case for a new capital stack, one where democratizing access to venture-grade deals isn’t idealism. It’s just good finance.
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25 giugno 12:30 - 12:50
20 min
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25 giugno 12:50 - 13:20
30 min
An exploration of the UK's position as a global finance and AI leader. Speakers will analyze the competitive edge of its regulatory sandboxes and academic excellence, while addressing the weaknesses of attracting and retaining global talent and the strategic need to define its independent innovation pathway.
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25 giugno 14:30 - 14:50
20 min
An opportunity to explore how to build organizations capable of combining advanced automation, human capital development, and industrial growth within the context of the Italian innovation ecosystem. The discussion will also introduce the key themes of the subsequent meetings with investors and the Italian success stories present at WMF, offering a strategic perspective on collaboration opportunities among corporations, startups, and capital.
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25 giugno 14:50 - 15:00
10 min
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25 giugno 15:00 - 17:00
120 min
A platform to explore best practices selected by key players in the Italian ecosystem who are transforming startups, companies, and tech communities. An international vision, hands-on experience, and cross-industry synergy to accelerate the ecosystem's growth.
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25 giugno
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25 giugno
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25 giugno
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25 giugno
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25 giugno

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25 giugno
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