Monasterace to host startup and AI event focused on local innovation

Monasterace, Italy, will host “Intelligenza di Comunità” on 31 August with startup pitches, AI training and talks on innovation, tourism, healthcare and cultural heritage. The free event aims to connect local and international ventures with institutions, businesses and residents as part of an EU-funded recovery project.

Why it matters: - Monasterace is using a community event to connect emerging technology with local development, tourism, healthcare and cultural heritage. - The gathering is designed to bring startups, institutions, professionals and residents into the same room around new business and innovation opportunities. - The event is part of +M.O.R.E. – Monasterace Open Resource Experience, a project funded by the European Union under Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan.

What happened: - “Intelligenza di Comunità” will take place on 31 August at 6:00 pm at the Medieval Castle of Monasterace Superiore in Calabria, Italy. - The evening will feature startup pitches, talks, AI training, B2B meetings and networking. - The event is included in +M.O.R.E., which has supported training programmes, events, artistic and educational residencies, workshops and new entrepreneurship initiatives in Monasterace.

The details: - The pitch session will showcase seven projects: Aura, Biovocs, Horo Pizza D'élite, Lenipsor, Precision Vineyard Robotics, TechnoGeeks and Welchome. - TechnoGeeks will participate from Palestine. - The pitch segment is intended to spotlight experiences, ideas and solutions across sectors. - The session also aims to build relationships between innovative SMEs and startups, institutions, professionals and the local ecosystem. - Speakers will include Nino Cartabellotta of Fondazione GIMBE on healthcare and innovation. - Fortunato Varone, Director-General of the Calabria Region’s Department for Labour, Business and Production Areas, will speak on regional innovation policies. - Cosmano Lombardo, Founder & CEO of Search On Media Group, will discuss innovative entrepreneurship. - Pasquale Brancaccio, Founder of INHUSE, will focus on connecting local areas with the innovation ecosystem. - Marco Lotito, Innovation Manager at Search On Media Group, and Chiara Di Clemente will present the Monaci Digitali case study on how inland areas can promote themselves and attract new residents. - Giorgio Taverniti, Founder & Tech Speaker at Search On Media Group, will lead a dedicated AI training session. - The AI session will examine how AI tools can promote cultural and tourism assets, tell local stories in new ways and help places attract visitors while keeping knowledge, identity and human expertise central. - Participation in the event is free. - WMF – We Make Future is listed as the event partner.

Between the lines: - The program shows how smaller towns are trying to use innovation events to strengthen local identity rather than compete only on scale. - The AI discussion is framed as a tool for place-based storytelling, not as a replacement for human expertise or local culture. - The mix of startups, public officials and ecosystem builders suggests an effort to turn a single event into a broader network for investment and development.

What's next: - The event opens with a short press conference on activities developed within +M.O.R.E. - The evening will close with informal reception time after the B2B meetings and networking. - Local organizers are positioning the event as another step in placing Monasterace at the center of conversations about identity, innovation and the future.

The bottom line: - Monasterace is betting that AI and startup activity can help showcase local strengths, attract new connections and support long-term community development.