The ten Technovisionaries® 2018 who invent and transform the future

The Women&Technologies association has awarded the International Technovisionaries® 2018 Prize, 12th edition, given every year to women who, in their professional activities, have demonstrated to possess vision, prioritizing social impact, transparency in behavior, and ethics.

Milan, May 21, 2018 - After almost a year of work and hundreds of screened applications, the Jury, chaired by Diana Bracco and Gianna Martinengo - founder of Women&Technologies - together with other authoritative jurors, awarded the painting Anità of the XII edition of the International Technovisionary® Award during the award ceremony held today at the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci in Milan.

The Technovisionary® Award 2018 goes to:

• Vania and Jessica Alessi, Founders of Secretary.it for the Digital Communities category
  awarded the Franco D'Alfonso Prize, Councilor, City of Milan
• Laura Biancalani, General Director, Andrea Bocelli Foundation for the category Cultural and Ethical Sustainability. presents the award to Arianna Alessi, Vice President of Only The Brave Foundation.
• Maria Chiara Carrozza , Professor of Biorobotics, Area Leader of Neuro-Robotics – The Biorobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna for the Robotics Category Robotica
  presents the Diana Bracco Award, President and CEO of the Bracco Group
• Elisa Di Lorenzo , Co-founder & CEO, Untold Games for the category Videogames
  presents the award Thalita Malagò, General Director AESVI
• Doris Messina , Open Banking Director, Banca Sella Group for the Fintech Category Fintech
  presents the award to Luca Valerio Camerano, CEO of A2A
• Paola Corna Pellegrini, CEO of Allianz Partners for the Digital Customer Experience category. Patrizia Rutigliano, Executive Vice President of Government Affairs, CSR, and Communication at SNAM, presents the award.
• Arianna Fontana, President of Confartigianato Milano for the Category Enterprise 4.0 delivers the award to Federica Villa, Manager of the Presidency and Institutional Relations of the Chamber of Commerce of Milan.
• Sarah Varetto , Director of Sky TG24 for the Media Category Media
  presents the award to Luciano Carbone, Chief Corporate Officer, SEA

Two special awards: for the Europe Category to Mariya Gabriel, Digital Economy and Society, Commissioner, European Commission (award presented by Patrizia Toia, Vice Chair of ITRE, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, European Parliament); for the PA Category to Roberta Cocco, Councillor for Digital Transformation and Civic Services, Municipality of Milan (award presented by Anna Scotti).

They are female entrepreneurs, professionals, managers, and brilliant visionary talents connected by a single thread: the desire to "change and transform the future" to contribute to building the society of today and tomorrow. A society founded on ingenuity and recognition of talent, a vocation for ethics, transparency, and inclusion, because only together can we bring about the necessary change for the country's growth, at a time when speed, innovation, and technology reign in the competitive scene.

Italy and Europe have understood the importance of the race towards digitalization and now it is a matter of acting quickly. A challenge that can now be won thanks to the effectiveness of public intervention, the competitiveness of businesses, and the construction of a participatory dialogue between public and private sectors, but above all with the valorization of 'talent', promoting a real culture of inclusion, as evidenced by the two exceptional guests of the Special Technovisionary® Awards 2018 who intervened at the Award Ceremony.

"It is a true honor to receive this award. I am proud to be recognized as a 'Tech Visionary' in my field and to be part of a community of women and men who share a strategic vision for the rapidly evolving digital world we live in." – states Mariya Gabriel , Digital Economy and Society Commissioner of the European Commission, the youngest European Commissioner elected to date, approved by a large majority – "We have recently achieved some significant results for the digital transformation of our economy and society. Now we need to unite efforts to ensure that this is a success for the benefit of all citizens."

Roberta Cocco, Councillor for Digital Transformation and Civic Services, Municipality of Milan adds: "When I started working in the innovation sector, women could be counted on the fingers of one hand. I was young, just graduated and coming from a humanistic study path. Almost three decades later, I find myself on this stage holding an award as a 'technovisionary': a definition that reflects my life, not just professional. I took my first steps in the world of technology in a multinational company that knew how to see 'beyond', which taught me to expand my boundaries and imagine a future where digital would be increasingly present in our lives. After 25 years of challenges – some lost but many won – I decided to accept the invitation of Mayor Giuseppe Sala to accelerate the digital transformation of Milan. A new, exciting challenge that has fascinated me for almost two years and allows me to impact the lives of citizens by putting them at the center of the innovative actions of the Municipality of Milan. The goal is to make the lives of all Milanese people simpler through the use of technology. Today, for many people, this is still a utopia: I do not deny it, there is still much to do. But as a good 'technovisionary' and incurable optimist, I work every day to try to transform the near future into our present.".

Promoting the sharing and exchange of experiences and skills in the fields of technology, social innovation, sustainability, human capital inclusion, life science, art, culture, creativity, gender gap, and diversity is the primary goal and DNA that guides Women&Technologies - Association of Women and Technologies. A network of professionalism and people permeated by the principles of innovation in all its components that has already reached 3150 individuals to date with the aim of promoting culture and exchange of experiences, creating opportunities with a special focus on young generations. And the Technovisionarie® Award represents a moment of celebration and inspiration.

"Our Tecnovisionaries® represent an important reservoir of female talent that our country possesses" - says Gianna Martinengo, creator of Women&Technologies - "But above all, their merit, ability, and determination have been recognized, valued, and rewarded with their careers, success, and achievements. The Tecnovisionary® Award aims to be a tribute to their entrepreneurship and an encouragement for the youth to look positively towards the future."

Appointment in 2019.

The international award Tecnovisionarie® is promoted by Women&Tech - Association of Women and Technologies, founded by Gianna Martinengo to enhance female talent in technology, innovation, and scientific research, to promote projects and actions aimed at fighting stereotypes and gender discrimination, and to contribute to guiding young people towards future professions and sustainable entrepreneurial models (www.womentech.eu).

For information:

Press office Tecnovisionarie®: pressoffice@womentechnologies.org – tel. 0230516019
Women&Tech – Association Women and Technologies: secretary@womentechnologies.org – 0230516019