Energy transition, the evolution of healthcare systems, sustainability, and the new frontiers of the Quantum Era. These are the themes at the heart of the first ROUND di EmTech Italy 2026, the international format dedicated to emerging technologies promoted by MIT Technology Review and organized together with theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma.
Hosted in the Cu.Bo spaces, the event brought together in Rome leading figures from the scientific, academic, industrial and institutional world, confirming itself as a space for open discussion on the major transformations underway, guided by the paradigm of "Tech for Humanity".
The opening day focused on a crucial theme: designing innovation to respond to global challenges from the outset, placing collective well-being at the heart of scientific, technological, and industrial development.
Keynotes, round tables and in-depth discussions enlivened the programme, with the contribution of internationally renowned experts including Tomaso Poggio (MIT), Rocco Papalia, Rector ofUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Robert Nisticò, President of the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), Sangeet Paul Choudary (World Economic Forum) and Mercedes Balcells-Camps (MIT).
Great attention has been paid to the role of theartificial intelligence as a lever for transformation in the health, energy, and industrial sectors, with a focus on the ethical and social implications of its diffusion.
Among the most significant moments of the day, there were also practical demonstrations of advanced technologies: from TWIN project, robotic exoskeleton for lower limbs developed by the Italian Institute of Technology in collaboration with the Inail Prosthetics Centre, AlterEgo, a remotely controlled robot avatar designed for remote assistance and to operate in complex or dangerous environments.
For over 120 years, we have always had a goal: to inspire and guide decision makers towards a conscious use of technology, with a constant focus on the impact it can have on the society we live in. MIT Technologies Review Italia is not only a window on the world, but it is a showcase for the world to see Italian excellence. We have so much of it; we are truly a leading country in the scientific and academic fields." commented Tommaso Canonici, editor of MIT Technology Review Italia.
"The theme of this second edition of Emtech Italy "Tech for Humanity" represents for our university an assumption of cultural, scientific and institutional responsibility. We face a time in which technology is increasingly intervening in society, questioning ourselves not only on how much it can still advance but above all on what idea of man and society it is helping to generate. In this horizon we find theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma In the context of Emtech Italy 2026, for us, the word "Humanity" takes on its most authentic meaning as the ethical and cultural orientation of scientific and technological development toward human dignity and the common good. It also directs the ability to train people capable of operating in complex systems where science, technology, and public decision-making are increasingly interdependent. We are not only called to innovate, but also to guide innovation, to create a more humane, equitable, and sustainable future." he observed Rocco Papalia, Rector ofUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma.
What characterizes the social context we live in today is speed. The time between the interception of a new technology and its adoption has become increasingly shorter: just think that it took the telephone 73 years to reach 50 million users, while an artificial intelligence tool reached 100 million users in just 2 months. This means that companies must be increasingly ready to integrate technology to grow their services and products, improving their market positioning. An event like EmTech 2026 allows for an international, open, and up-to-date vision of innovation: not abstract innovation, but extremely concrete, told through practical and measurable cases that also highlight the real difficulties of integration within projects. All this gives the Italian ecosystem the opportunity to prepare for the emerging technologies that will change every sector – from health to energy, to quantum – ensuring faster research and greater predictive capacity as drivers for the development of our companies. This perspective, offered by international representatives, Nobel Prize winners and MIT professors, allows our ecosystem to align with global trends and be ready for those challenges that won't arrive tomorrow, but have already arrived" says Silvia Amato, General Manager of Opinno.
The EmTech Italy 2026 work will continue on April 15th with the second and final day, which will continue to develop the paradigm of Tech for Humanity, exploring in particular the themes of sustainable development, transformations in work, and the challenges associated with the energy transition.
The 2026 edition is made possible with the support of Intesa Sanpaolo. St. Paul e Takeda, the main partner of the initiative, and sees the involvement of numerous entities committed to the digital and technological transition, including argenx, A2A, Bracco, Cisco, eFM, Enel, Experis (ManpowerGroup), Federchimica Assobiotec, Gruppo FS, IBM, LB Servizi per le aziende, Poste Italiane and ROAD – Rome Advanced District.
The event is coordinated by knowledge partners Opinno, ADL Consulting and Buono & Partners.
