The new South Innovation Center:
Microsoft Italy and Hevolus Innovation team up to support the digital transformation of Southern Italy
A new experiential space dedicated to SMEs and PAs, based in Bari, where you can train and touch the new frontiers of technology.
Project Objective: helping the realities of key sectors such as Manufacturing, Retail and Local Public Administration to understand the advantages of digital and to implement innovation projects capable of contributing to the competitiveness of the South.
Milan, 12 October 2021 - Microsoft Italy and Hevolus Innovation give life to the South Innovation Center, an experiential center designed to allow companies and professionals in Southern Italy to experience innovation scenarios and to touch the value of digital for resilience and growth. Based in the Apulian headquarters of Hevolus in Molfetta (Zona ASI, via G. Agnelli 31-31/A), the space intends to be a point of reference in the area to support the digital transformation of key industries such as Manufacturing and Retail, but also of the world of Public Administration, sectors that can act as drivers for the relaunch of an area that contributes to the 20% of the national GDP, a scenario exacerbated by the pandemic.
Offering free training, in physical or virtual mode, Microsoft and Hevolus will put their know-how at the service of local realities to help them grasp the advantages of new technologies, thus contributing to the rise of a Digital Mindset functional to the resilience and competitiveness of the South. The objective of the initiative is precisely to accelerate the digital transformation of SMEs and the PAs of the South, also in line with the priorities of the PNNR which dedicates over 80 billion euros to Southern Italy for the territorial rebalancing and inclusive growth of the country. The initiative is part of Microsoft's broader commitment to training and digital culture at the basis of the five-year plan Ambizione Italia #DigitalRestart and capitalizes on the consolidated collaboration with Hevolus Innovation, a local strategic partner that has already accompanied many realities in its path of innovation.
“The South is characterized by a greater delay in the development of digital, as indicated by the performance of the DESI index at a regional level prepared by the Digital Agenda Observatory of the Politecnico of Milan. The digital transformation of Southern Italy is therefore essential for a structural and sustainable growth of the country and creating an ecosystem must be everyone's responsibility. The moment has never been so favourable to invest in innovation, also thanks to the funds of the PNRR, which dedicates over 80 billion euros to the South, but often the realities of the territory, especially SMEs and PAs, need a compass to orient themselves in the new technological paradigms and to create innovation projects in concrete response to business needs and with a real impact on citizens. With this assumption, the South Innovation Center project was born together with Hevolus Innovation, with which we intend to guide companies and professionals through an experiential approach, to bring innovation scenarios to life and share best practices “, declared Andrea Cardillo, Director of the Microsoft Technology Center of Microsoft Italy, the experiential center in Milan who will work closely with the South Innovation Center, also giving rise to twinning training activities.
“Each organization should guide its processes using all the potential of technology to turn innovation into a force for change. It is also crucial that innovation paths are based on the essential principle of the democratization of technology: everyone must be able to access new technologies in a simple way, without particular IT knowledge and with the freedom to use the devices which they are most familiar with. With the South Innovation Center, thanks to the synergy with Microsoft Italy, we can finally bring together advanced technologies, use cases and new customer journeys to support local SMEs and PAs in this epochal change of paradigm”, added Antonio Squeo, Chief Innovation Officer of Hevolus Innovation.
At the South Innovation Center, Microsoft and Hevolus experts will therefore offer training and consultancy - through dedicated sessions or through mini-events, in person or through remote connection - to the realities of Southern Italy, showing solutions in response to specific business needs through demonstrations relating to the evolution of the customer journey in an increasingly hybrid world. Local professionals will therefore have the opportunity to experience real use cases and to test the functioning and potential of latest generation technologies and devices, including Microsoft HoloLens 2 holographic headset which enables Mixed Reality scenarios, rethinking business processes and experiences of engagement of the operator or of the final consumer in the most disparate sectors, from manufacturing to retail to the public. These are the three industries that we aim to reach with the initiative, encouraging the adoption of new business models, new ways of organizing work, new customer experiences inspired by simplicity, interactivity and collaboration, to support local companies and contribute to the growth of strategic sectors.
Some local experiences are already textbook cases and, leveraging Microsoft technology and Hevolus support in terms of development, they have already given birth to avant-garde projects that can become a source of inspiration for other companies. This is the case of Natuzzi, that has rethought the customer experience with its Augmented Store, and Castel del Monte, which has become a HoloMuseum, introducing a more interactive and engaging cultural experience. Several other innovative projects on a national and global scale will be shown during the training and knowledge sharing sessions of the South Innovation Center.
For more information: southinnovationcenter@hevolus.it