Round Table

ROUND TABLE - THU, NOVEMBER 6 - 14:40

The round table brings together key players from the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, including start-ups, spin-offs, and representatives from academia and industry, to foster an open dialogue on the future of technology, and explore new opportunities for entrepreneurial growth and innovation.

The discussion will be organized as an open panel featuring private start-ups and stakeholders, exploring how emerging technologies, entrepreneurial initiatives, and public-private collaborations can drive the evolution of the defense sector. Through the exchange of experiences and perspectives among the participants, the panel seeks to outline concrete pathways for strengthening the national and European innovation ecosystem in defense, promoting a sustainable and competitive technological landscape. The panel will also provide an opportunity to exchange ideas on how to promote entrepreneurship at the post-university level, fostering innovation and talent development among young professionals and researchers.

Marco Giordani, Associate Professor in Telecommunications at the University of Padova; Coordinator of the IEEE Italy Entrepreneurship Committee

• Luca Maggiani, sma-rty
• Filippo Campagnaro, SubSeaPulse S.R.L.; Assistant Professor at the University of Padova
• Simone Valenti and Lorenzo Vulpio, Ancharia S.R.L.
• TBD, Brainsigns

Marco Giordani is an Associate Professor in Telecommunications at the Department of Information Engineering (DEI) of the University of Padova. During his Ph.D., he visited New York University (NYU), USA, and TOYOTA Infotechnology Center, Mountain View, CA, USA. He co-authored 80+ published articles in the area of wireless networks, three of which have received Best Paper Awards. He is a recipient of several awards, including the 2018 IEEE Daniel E. Noble Fellowship Award from the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society, the 2021 IEEE ComSoc Outstanding Young Researcher Award for EMEA, and the 2024 IEEE ComSoc Young Professional Award for Best Practitioner. Marco Giordani serves as Editor for the IEEE Transactions of Wireless Communications and the IEEE Transactions on Mobile Computing. He is the Director of the PhD Summer School of Information Engineering (SSIE), the Coordinator of the IEEE Italy Entrepreneurship Committee, and a Member of the same Committee for IEEE R8. His research focuses on 5G/6G cellular networks and PHY/MAC protocol design.

Filippo Campagnaro is an Assistant Professor at the University of Padova, Italy, where he earned his B.Sc. in Information Engineering (2012), M.Sc. in Telecommunication Engineering (2014), and Ph.D. in Information Engineering (2019). Since 2014, his research has been focused on underwater networks, a field in which he has developed deep expertise. Together with Prof. Michele Zorzi, he leads a research team of 10 scientists and engineers at the University of Padova, dedicated to advancing underwater communication technologies. He has participated in over 20 sea trials, many in collaboration with the Italian and European Navies and NATO CMRE, and has developed numerous research and industrial prototypes. Filippo has contributed to several national and international defense projects, including EDA SALSA, EDF SWAT-SHOAL, PNRM MODA, and initiatives funded by NATO CMRE, WTD71, and ONR Global. He is currently the Principal Investigator of the PNRM MUCS project. He has authored over 80 scientific publications and received more than 1,000 citations. He was awarded the IEEE OES Young Professional Boost (2023–2024), is a UN Ocean Decade Volunteer, an ECOP member, and has been elected to the IEEE OES AdCom for the 2026–2027 term. Previously a senior software developer at Wireless and More Srl, a University of Padova spinoff, he has worked since 2021 on wireless sensors for biodiversity and climate change monitoring in coastal areas. In 2024, he co-founded SubSeaPulse SRL, a University of Padova spinoff focused on underwater communication and environmental sensing technologies. In 2025, he became its CEO.

Lorenzo Vulpio è CEO e co-founder di Ancharia Srl, spin-off dell’Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM) specializzato in cybersecurity. Penetration tester esperto e professionista nel campo dell’ethical hacking, ha maturato una solida esperienza nella sicurezza delle infrastrutture critiche e dei sistemi digitali. Sotto la sua guida, Ancharia è diventata un Laboratorio Accreditato (LAP) dall’Agenzia per la Cybersicurezza Nazionale (ACN), punto di riferimento per la valutazione, la certificazione e il supporto alla resilienza informatica di aziende e pubbliche amministrazioni.