A stage to showcase businesses, their ideas and, above all, their ability to build meaningful connections. That was the spirit of the third edition of ROCK, RetImpresa’s annual Open Collaboration event, which brought together business leaders, innovators and representatives from the worlds of entrepreneurship, communication and culture in Rome.
Among the central figures of the day was Fausto Bianchi, President of Piccola Industria Confindustria and Vice President of Confindustria, who delivered the event’s closing remarks. His presence brought the conversation back to one of the key themes at the heart of ROCK: the importance of collaboration and the ability of businesses to turn relationships into concrete opportunities.
The event brought together voices from very different backgrounds. The panel dedicated to the changing ways of communicating about business featured actor and voice artist Francesco Pannofino, Confindustria External Relations Director Livio Vanghetti, Paola Allegra Baistrocchi of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, actor and influencer Riccardo Suarez, Skuola.net co-founder and Chief Content Officer Daniele Grassucci, and Francesca Bardelli Nonino, Web Communications Manager at Nonino Distillatori. The discussion was moderated by Debora Rosciani, journalist at Radio 24.
The presence of such diverse perspectives reflected one of the distinctive features of ROCK: bringing the business community into dialogue with different worlds and exploring new ways of creating connections, communicating ideas and building opportunities.
The day opened with remarks from Riccardo Di Stefano, Confindustria Vice President for Education and Open Innovation, before moving into a series of projects and experiences developed within the ROCK ecosystem. Among them was Roxy, the AI agent created for RetImpresa to help entrepreneurs navigate the world of business networks and discover opportunities for collaboration.
Other initiatives highlighted the practical side of working together. The Emergency Management Program Supply Chain, for example, brings together companies able to provide expertise, goods and services when communities face extraordinary circumstances. Other projects focused on networking, women’s entrepreneurship, innovation and internationalization, demonstrating how collaboration can take many different forms.
ROCK also featured the ROCK Awards, recognizing the people and teams behind several of these initiatives, including projects involving Canva, the DEA network, the Emergency Management Program, The Perfect Pitch, Warm UP, Protom and Confindustria Abruzzo Medio Adriatico.
The program then continued with a networking lunch and the final of The Perfect Pitch 2026, this year focused on startups working in fashion and related fields. The initiative gives Italian innovative companies an opportunity to present their ideas and connect with business and investment communities in the United States.
Behind these different experiences is a broader idea: in an economy where innovation, expertise and the ability to adapt quickly are increasingly important, individual companies do not have to face every challenge alone. Sharing knowledge, capabilities and resources can open the door to projects and opportunities that would be harder to pursue independently.
This is the role that ROCK has sought to play since its launch in 2024: creating a space where startups, small and medium-sized businesses and larger companies can meet, exchange ideas and explore new forms of collaboration. The initiative has grown around the vision of RetImpresa and the work of its Director, Carlo La Rotonda, who has been closely involved in developing ROCK and promoting open collaboration as a way to strengthen business networks and innovation.
It was in this context that President Bianchi took the stage. His closing remarks brought the day back to the central role of relationships in the growth of small and medium-sized businesses, emphasizing the value of building connections and working together to navigate transformation, investment and new challenges.
ROCK ultimately put one of the defining strengths of the Italian business community in the spotlight: the ability to connect people, expertise and ideas and turn those connections into new possibilities. And behind every business network, as the event made clear, are people and companies willing to share their knowledge, ambitions and opportunities.
