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Italian innovation on show at CES 2025

CES 2025: ‘Crafting innovation, shaping the future’ is the motto with which Italy presented itself at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas. The most important electronics fair in the world, which every year at the beginning of January offers a preview of the world to come with the products that we will see on the market in the coming months, is also the fixed appointment for startups on the hunt for investors. This is why, for many years, Italy has been selecting a group of young companies to showcase the country’s evolution of innovation.

Visible at Eureka Park, the CES exhibition area is dedicated to startups and national delegations from all over the world. The Italian pavilion has 46 startups ranging from sensor-rich devices for factory maintenance to space tech to smart mobility and cleantech-focused on environmental sustainability. Leading the group is the Agency for the Promotion Abroad and Internationalisation of Italian Companies (ICE), together with the national research organisation Area Science Park and the Italian Innovation and Culture Hub in San Francisco.

The growth of the Italian startup ecosystem

‘Italy is not only synonymous with food, fashion and furniture, because Made in Italy is emerging as a global leader in the most advanced technological sectors, such as electronics, life science, biotechnology and aerospace. Industries that in 2023 reached exports of $6.7 billion, with a growth of 68% in the first eight months of 2024. These are significant numbers that demonstrate the ability of our companies to compete in the most strategic international markets,’ said Matteo Zoppas, President of the ICE Agency.

Gaining a foothold in innovative spheres, where there is room to propose new approaches and products, is an opportunity for Italian companies to exploit thanks to developments in AI, particularly for applications linked to key sectors such as healthcare, industry, and space.

From systems that facilitate the work of doctors in diagnosis to sensors to detect fires before they become untamable, to self-driving robotaxis and devices for intelligent waste management, together with robot assistants for guided tours in museums and the virtual concierge for hospitality, there are many interesting projects on show in the Italian pavilion. Hosting these startups: 221e, 3dnextech, AI4IV, Apogeo Space, Certy, Coderblock, Èlevit, EMC Gems, Enphos, Eye2Drive, Friendz, Ganiga, GeniAi, Icarus, In Quattro, Innova, Kintana, Laika, Levante, Lieu.city, Mathclick, MIA, Novac, Planybuild, PopulaRise, Proke, Radoff, Rem Montenapoleone, SeismicGuard, Sensor ID, SLY, SnapAll, SpaceVerse, The Thinking Clouds, Tinental, TokNox, ToMove, Travel Verse, Truesense, TUC, Viber Alert, Viralba, Volumio, WiData, WhoTeach, Zephorum.

Apogeo Space for satellite connections

Fishing through the long list, I see that there are several startups that deserve attention for what they are doing. One example is the picosatellites of Apogeo Space, a company founded in Brescia in 2015 and specialised in the development of satellites weighing less than 1 kg. With seven satellites sent into orbit, the startup has created Italy’s first private constellation capable of collecting and transmitting data via connection for IoT devices located anywhere on the globe. A useful solution where cellular network signals do not arrive and wi-fi does not exist, Apogeo Space exploits picosatellites operating at an altitude of 590 kilometres, with environmental and industrial monitoring among the most popular applications. One of the startup’s biggest customers is, in fact, a company that distributes gas in Argentina, along with several farms that need to keep an eye on their plantatio

Levante, innovative and more efficient photovoltaic panels

After so many trips by sailboat and camper van, there was a need to rely on self-produced energy to limit waste and reduce ecological impact. So, from a personal need, the Italo-Norwegian couple Sara Plaga and Kim-Joar Myklebust created Levante, a startup dedicated to the development of foldable and perforated solar panels. Able to orient themselves to the sun for greater energy efficiency and foldable on themselves, these solar panels are inspired by the modularity of Lego and Japanese origami. They are also made of carbon fibre recovered from automotive industry waste and are easy to transport and install on any vehicle.

Proke, tailor-made clothes with remote tailor

The compulsory home isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic triggered the birth of Proke, a startup that created the remote tailor. The idea of mother and daughter – Roberta Ostellari and Paola Griggio, the former a model maker, the latter a telecommunications engineer – was to develop a remote measurement system capable of taking measurements of 12 lengths, 15 circumferences, 8 data and images of the customer’s conformation.

A process that is carried out in 180 seconds and with an average margin of error of 0.5% over a length of 1 metre, thanks to a Lycra suit that the customer has to wear for the virtual test whereby measurements are taken using a smartphone app. With the name combining process and bespoke, Proke envisages a process that can be carried out in person but, above all, remotely so that made-to-measure garments can be shipped all over the world, pleasing customers who love made in Italy and breaking down the spatial barriers of a physical shop.

Alessio Caprodossi is a technology, sports, and lifestyle journalist. He navigates between three areas of expertise, telling stories, experiences, and innovations to understand how the world is shifting. You can follow him on Twitter (@alecap23) and Instagram (Alessio Caprodossi) to report projects and initiatives on startups, sustainability, digital nomads, and web3.