The Italian Innovation and Research Day in Georgia was held at the headquarters of the Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA), celebrating Italian ingenuity in the field of science and the cooperation of Italian high-tech and innovation sectors with their Georgian counterparts. As part of the 2023 edition of the “STEM Study Visit to Italy” programme, which offers a unique opportunity to gain experience in crucial areas such as digital transformation, entrepreneurial development support and startup programmes, two young Georgian innovators were also awarded.
Italian Ambassador in Tbilisi Enrico Valvo welcomed the “strong public support for and affection surrounding this initiative. The closing ceremony of last year’s STEM programme, held in Naples last December, which I had the privilege to attend in person”, he added, “was widely attended and enjoyed the presence of a very special guest who is more than famous in Naples and Tbilisi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. This was a symbolic, albeit important, recognition of a particular merit of the programme, which is to recognise and promote Georgian talent in Italy”. Ambassador Valvo then recalled that “Italy can be a key partner for Georgia, helping to identify solutions to improve the skills of the workforce and move closer to the best EU standards, while sharing best practices. And of course, it goes both ways”.
The event was attended by the President of GITA, Avtandil Kasradze, and the President of the COTEC Foundation, Luigi Nicolais, who signed a new partnership agreement further strengthening the already strong cooperation between Italy and Georgia in related fields. Also present was the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Irakli Nadareishvili, who emphasised the strong government support for the initiative and the hope to see the presence of high-tech Italian companies in Georgia further increase in line with the partnership objectives.
