FBK hosted the Trentino meeting with the Consul General of Austria in Milan
It was an opportunity to discuss Artificial Intelligence, as well as sustainable energy and the Hydrogen Valley. Trento Province Vice President Spinelli said: "It is an honor to welcome the Austrian delegation to such a highly specialized center as Fondazione Bruno Kessler." The Consul General of Austria, Wolfgang Strohmayer, added: "An important opportunity to highlight the broad prospects for collaboration between Austria and Trentino in the field of innovation."
On Wednesday, October 29, Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) welcomed a delegation from the Consulate General of Austria in Milan for a visit to its research facilities in Povo, Trento.
The Austrian delegation included Wolfgang Strohmayer, Consul General of Austria in Milan, and Christoph Plank, Director of the Milan Office of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce.
The visit featured a series of talks and discussions focused on the intersection between research, innovation, and regional development. The opening session began with institutional greetings from Achille Spinelli, Vice-President and Councillor for Economic Development, Labor, Family, University and Research of the Autonomous Province of Trento, who stated:
“I thank the Consul of Austria in Milan for the interest shown in our region: it is an honor for us to welcome him to a highly specialized center of excellence as Fondazione Bruno Kessler. In a historical moment marked by the profound redefinition of global political structures and great uncertainty in markets and international trade, there is a growing need for stable international partners capable of ensuring lasting collaborations. In this regard, I welcome the initiative of the Green Tech Valley Cluster, created with the important contribution of the Land of Styria, which will serve as a strategic axis for the new Austrian and European Hydrogen Valley. This topic is also central to the Autonomous Province of Trento, which is at the forefront of investment and research aimed at creating a hydrogen hub in Rovereto. Our region enjoys a special form of self-government in many fields—an autonomy that has been a constant and fundamental driver of economic and social growth. It is also, however, a source of responsibility that calls on us to work every day to build the Trentino of tomorrow.”
At the opening, FBK Secretary General Andrea Simoni added: “FBK, with its strong position at the European level, is always eager to create new synergies and build bridges, especially with innovation-oriented regions such as Styria. Cooperation between players in similar innovation ecosystems like Styria and Trentino is essential for progress and for tackling global challenges with a shared vision.”
The Austrian representatives also expressed their satisfaction, in particular Consul General Wolfgang Strohmayer, who commented: “The visit to Fondazione Bruno Kessler was an important opportunity to highlight the wide-ranging prospects for collaboration between Austria and Trentino in the field of innovation. Styria, in particular, stands out for its remarkable potential in the green technology sector. Strengthening these synergies means laying the foundations for a shared future based on sustainability and technological excellence.”
The day’s program also included presentations on several cross-disciplinary research topics at FBK, including Artificial Intelligence and its applications in health, tourism, and agriculture; hydrogen, with a focus on the new Hydrogen Hub in Rovereto and the Hydrogen Valley; and an overview of the activities of the Italian-German Historical Institute—a cultural bridge between the north and south of the Alps. The event concluded with a guided tour of FBK’s Micro Nano Facility clean room.
