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.

This panel is organized and supported by the IEEE Italy Section (https://italy.ieeer8.org) and the IEEE Italy Entrepreneurship Committee (https://italy.ieeer8.org/ieee-italy-section-entrepreneurship-committee/).

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

• Filippo Campagnaro, SubSeaPulse S.R.L.; Assistant Professor at the University of Padova
• Gianluca Borghini, Brainsigns
• Lorenzo Vulpio, Ancharia S.R.L.
• TBD, sma-rty

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.

Gianluca Borghini is Associate Professor at the Dept. of Molecular Medicine of the Sapienza University of Rome, and the team Leader of the “Human Factor” Lab of BrainSigns srl. Gianluca received the PhD in Bioengineering and MD in Electronic Engineering at the ALMA MATER STUDIORIUM University of Bologna. Since 2009, Gianluca has been focusing his research on training assessment, mental states (Human Factors - HF) evaluation, human – machine interactions, and cooperation (teamwork) measurement by combining behavioral, subjective, psycho-attitudinal scales, and neurophysiological. In particular, his research activity involves signal processing, machine-learning algorithms, and connectivity-based methods. Most of the studies have been conducted on professional personnel. In 2011, he got the first position at the Flight Safety Course at the Italian Air Force Headquarter in Rome. Also, in 2011 and 2016, he was rewarded with the prize “I Guidoniani” for the best research in the Aerospace Medicine. In 2019 Gianluca received the National Scientific Qualification in Bioengineering, and the Italian Best Award for his research in the Aviation field. Finally, since 2020 he has been listed among the Top 2% World Scientists. He is co-author of more than 120 scientific works in peer-reviewed international journals, and of an European patent. In addition, he is Editorial Member and Associate Editor of different international scientific journals. Prof. Borghini ’s list of publications can be retrieved through the PUBMED service hosted by the National Institute of Health (NIH) in USA.

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.