Bridges to Italy
A USA-Italy non-profit business associationArchive for Italy
Bridges to Italy at the End of the Year Meeting of the Young Entrepreneurs of Confindustria.
The Young Entrepreneurs Group of Confindustria met on 12/20/2011 to discuss internationalization strategies for SME’s. Rosario Branda, Director of Confindustria Cosenza, cited a recent study that forecasts a longer-than -expected recession until mid-2012. According to the study, in 2013 the global economy will start expanding again, thanks to a growth in demand from the emerging countries.
Paolo Filice, President of the Young Entrepreneurs Group, explained why he chose internationalization as the theme for the last meeting of the year. He said that it is important to try to connect entrepreneurs interested in expanding abroad with supporting organizations and investors.
Giuseppe Gaglioti, President of the Chamber of Commerce, mentioned that many small companies are not ready to enter foreign markets given the increasing competition created by the world economy.
Domenico Quaglio, President of Bridges to Italy – Italia, introduced the objectives of the non-profit association, namely to connect Italian innovative companies with US Capital and managerial skills. Marco Iusi, coordinator of Bridges to Italy’s CERVELLI IN MOVIMENTO AWARD, explained how the award was developed to help young Italian entrepreneurs in their globalization efforts while providing them the tools to stay in their home country. The winner of the 2011 edition of the Award, Professor Marco Castriota, gave a testimonial about the experience of his startup which, thanks to the competition, went to Southern California and could present its energy savings innovation to the largest Angels investor organization in the United States.
Bridges to Italy Announces the Winner of the Brains in Motion Award
The Winner and his Team with Bridges to Italy-Italia's President.
Bridges to Italy, a non-profit organization that generates connections between Italian innovators and US Capital opportunities, is to announce the winner of the Brains in Motion award in a ceremony at the Italian Cultural Institute in Westwood, Los Angeles. The ceremony will be held on October 14, 2011, at 6.30 p.m. in collaboration with the Italian Consulate General and the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles.
“The access to venture capital is what makes California the cradle of global innovation,” said Bianca Dellepiane, president and founder of Bridges to Italy. “Often, this type of access is very hard for Italian companies, especially for the ones located in Southern Italy.”
In order to overcome these obstacles and allow Italian creativity in all fields of technology to emerge in the global marketplace, the winner of Brains in Motion will fly to Los Angeles in October to meet U.S. companies and angel investors from Tech Coast Angels, the largest angel investment organization in the U.S., during a roadshow around Southern California. At the end, the winner will receive the Bridges to Italy’s Brains in Motion award at the ceremony held at the Italian Cultural Institute and maybe he will have increased his chances of obtaining the funds needed to jumpstart his business.
The team of judges, which includes colleagues from Enel North America, the University of California San Diego, and Tech Coast Angels, has selected the finalists and the winner from the original 15 entries. The winner is Marco Castriota, CEO of a small Nanotech startup from Calabria, Italy, which makes a new type of electrochromic film, easy to install and remove on any type of flat or curved window without the need of buying new glass or frame, it is therefore highly economical and it offers an increase in thermal efficiency, resulting in 30% energy savings.
Domenico Quaglio Now Among the Owners of Cosenza Calcio!
Stefano Fiore, Technical Director
Yesterday, the Mayor of Cosenza, Mario Occhiuto, announced the creation of the newly restructured ”Cosenza Calcio” soccer team that sees among its new owners our own Domenico Quaglio, President of the Italian branch of Bridges to Italy.
Domenico Quaglio, an accomplished corporate attorney and a successful entrepreneur, is very passionate about soccer. His passion has led him to the VP position in the Rende soccer team and now on the Board of Directors of the reformed Cosenza Calcio soccer team – division D.
Along with Mr Quaglio there are 8 additional Directors from the Calabrian business community: Eugenio Guarascio, CEO of “Ecologia Oggi”, Pietro Marchese, businessman in the lamellae field, Ettore Caroselli, involved in healthcare, VincenzoPerri, president of the soccer academy Real Cosenza, Mario Silletta already president of the team Silana, Carmine Federico, expert in professional training, Massimo Palermo, involved in the finance industry and Pietro Ventura, entrepreneur in the transportation sector.
We wish Domenico the best in this new venture and many successes to the Team!
EU Parliament’s Vice President Meets Bridges to Italy in Calabria.
It was recently held, at the headquarters of Bridges to Italy in Calabria, a meeting between Domenico Quaglio, President of Bridges to Italy-Italia, and Gianni Pittella, Vice President of the European Parliament.
- Hon. Gianni Pittella meets Domenico Quaglio at Bridges to Italy – Italia Headquarters
The purpose of the visit of EU Parliament VP was to determine whether there are conditions for a fruitful collaboration with this new Italy-Usa association which aims at supporting the activities of the Southern Italian startup firms and ensuring their visibility and market growth both in Italy and the United States. After a brief presentation, Mr. Quaglio explained the mission and the recent activities carried out by Bridges to Italy, such as the competition for young entrepreneurs “Brains in Motion Award” (CERVELLI IN MOVIMENTO) which, in contrast to the phenomenon of the so-called brain drain, seeks to help innovative ideas of young Southern Italian researchers get exposure to Angel investors and potential business partners in both sides of the Atlantic . In the Fall the international jury, chaired by Sandra Savaglio, world-famous Calabrian Astrophysicist, will select the winner who will have the opportunity to spend 10 days in Los Angeles, hosted by Bridges to Italy. During this time, the winner will present his business idea to Tech Coast Angels, the largest organization of angel investors in the United States. Other popular initiative from the illustrious guest’s prospective was the Calabrian visit of Mike Napoli, Chairman of Tech Coast Angels. In fact, Mr. Napoli played a fundamental mentoring role for the young entrepreneurs participating at the “Brains in Motion Award”.
Mr Pittella listened with interest to the presentation and expressed appreciation for the value of a project that wants to help reviving Southern Italy‘s competitiveness through the growth of its innovative sectors.
In the coming days Bridges to Italy will initiate a more operational dialogue with he Zephyr Foundation, chaired by Mr Pittella. The idea is to create a network between the United States, Italy and the Mediterranean that can launch projects of development of the poorest areas of the Mediterranean basin through the support of the European Community and the Americans. Mr Pittella has offered its support to ensure that such project can operate in synergy with Meseuro, the European Centre for a Mediterranean development policy chaired by parliamentarians Pittella (PD) and Mauro (PDL): a bipartisan organization to facilitate dialogue and innovative proposals among Euromediterranean organisations, institutions, businesses and their respective leaders and representatives.
This meeting soon to be formalized into a partnership that hopefully can be productive for Southern Italy and Calabria.
Giovani del Sud, voglia di riscatto da un lato e valigia dall’altro.
Secondo un sondaggio dello Svimez (associazione per lo SVIluppo dell’industria nel MEZzogiorno) che dal 1946 studia le condizioni economiche del Sud Italia, la situazione dei giovani meridionali e’ a dir poco deprimente.
Nonostante il fatto che l’economia italiana sia in condizioni pietose, in Meridione la situazione e’ peggiore: il modello di sviluppo del Sud Italia, basato su spesa pubblica e finanziamenti ”a pioggia”ha fallito nei suoi obiettivi di sviluppo delle opportunita’ per gli abitanti del Mezzogiorno.
Per oltre mezzo secolo, sono stati spesi miliardi in fondi pubblici italiani e successivamente anche europei, nel nome dello sviluppo del Mezzogiorno e i risultati sono: un tasso di disoccupazione nel Meridione a quota 13,4% ( 6,4% al centro Nord); il 60% delle unità lavorative perse in Italia corrisponde al Sud. Il tasso di OCCUPAZIONE tra i giovani meridionali (età compresa tra 15 e 34 anni) è giunto appena al 31,7% (al Nord e’ intorno al 56,4%.). Tra quelli senza occupazione, un terzo circa sono diplomati, mentre quasi 167.000 laureati meridionali vivono fuori sia dal sistema lavorativo che da quello formativo.
Durante le mie visite in Calabria, la regione piu’ povera d’Italia secondo recenti dati ISTAT, nonche’ sede di Bridges to Italy-Italia, ho potuto rilevare personalmente che esiste un tessuto di persone giovani, brillanti, capaci e oneste; se vivessero qui negli Stati Uniti, il 99% di questi calabresi non ho dubbio che sarebbero imprenditori o professionisti di grande successo, per cui mi sono chiesta: ma allora cos’e’ che impedisce a queste persone di avere un enorme successo nella loro terra?
Con l’iniziativa Cervelli in Movimento, la cui prima edizione sta concludendosi in questi giorni, Bridges to Italy sta dando la possibilita’ a giovani imprenditori meridionali dell’high-tech di colelgarsi con il mercato USA, tuttavia, si tratta di un granellino di sabbia in un oceano di problemi.
Mi piacerebbe sapere da professionisti meridionali sia in Italia che all’estero, quali iniziative sia pubbliche o private potrebbero aiutare i giovani del Sud ad integrarsi nel mondo del lavoro senza essere costretti ad emigrare.
Italy: It’s Not a ‘Phase’ – WSJ.com
Suddenly I see articles on Italy’s economic woos almost daily even though the Italian economy has been stagnant for years. This interesting article was referred to us, today, by a friend at Saddleback College.
The reasons of Italy’s economic crisis are spelled out very well in this WSJ article which mentions an enormous sovereign debt (one quarter of the sovereign debt of the entire euro zone), combined with high taxes and a business environment that needs liberalization like plants need water. Tax increases to support a ballooning public sector united to very tough labor laws, such as hiring and firing restrictions and strict working hours limits, have caused Italian companies to look overseas for expansion, leaving the country with an almost nonexistent rate of growth (0.7% this year) and a large black market for both sales of services and goods and employment.
Any attempts to make necessary structural changes over the years have been interrupted by almost constant government turnovers (since 1945 Italy has had 60 and counting). This instability has been caused, to a large extent, by the failure of the political class to connect with ordinary citizens, inspiring a sense of collective effort and national purpose in order to communicate effectively the realities and challenges of globalization and the pressing need for reforms that could help the country integrate in the global economy.
Instead, with one of the world’s lowest birth rates, Italy is increasingly becoming a nation of old people, ruled by old people for the sake of old people, with little, if any, interest in changing “the old ways” for a brighter future.
Will this crisis force the Italian Government to get bold and make real structural changes that can facilitate the creation of a friendlier business environment for Italy? So far, it seems far-fetched and some of Italy’s best and brightest continue to opt for opportunities abroad to find greater meritocracy and equitable results for hard work.
The most promising feature about Italy is that it is a beautiful and beloved country which could gather support from many Italians and “italophiles” from all over the world if it decided to become, once again, a relevant economy.
Berlusconi’s Government Drops Proposal for Tax on the “Rich”
Amid great dismay from Italy’s struggling middle class, the Italian government dropped a proposal for a levy on high earners approved by the cabinet earlier this month as part of an austerity package aimed at calming the markets by balancing the budget before 2013. The temporary tax, called “SOLIDARITY TAX” would have been five percent on revenues of more than 90,000 euros a year and 10 percent on revenues of more than 150,000 euros.
The government emphasised in a statement that the changes to the austerity plan would not alter the overall savings of 45.5 billion euros ($66 billion).
The “solidarity tax” had proved highly controversial within Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi‘s centre-right coalition, especially the Northern League which is a key coalition partner in allowing Italy’s Prime Minister to stay in power. Berlusconi indicated that this tax was against his tax-cutting principles.
Italy is also planning to cut the number of parliamentarians by half. It makes sense given that Italy has 630 congressmen and 315 senators vs., for instance, the US that, with a population about 6 times larger and a much bigger territory and a way bigger economy, can manage with 435 congressmen and 100 senators.
Are Italians satisfied with this reverse shift on taxation of the so-called rich and reduction in the number of representatives in the Parliament? I think the “solidarity tax” was viewed as a fair step to have the wealthier Italians step up ti the plate and contribute more. In reality it may have caused an increase more of an increase in tax evasion, already rampant in Italy, than a significant growth in revenues.
As per the reduction in the number of parliamentarians? This is even a more complicated issue. Starting in 2005 a new electoral system has been put in place so that for elections to the Chamber of Deputies, each elector casts one vote for a party list. These lists are closed, so electors cannot choose individual candidates in or alter the order of such lists. This has resulted in plenty of frustration from electors and up and coming politicians who are more likely to be excluded from these lists.
That is my impression but I do not live in Italy, so I ask Italians: how do you feel about the current situation?
Arriva l’obesita’ mentre la dieta mediterranea se ne va.
Un articolo pubblicato recentemente sulla rivista scientifica Lancet sostiene che entro il 2030 164 milioni di americani, ovvero circa il 50% della popolazione, saranno obesi se le tendenze attuali in termini di alimentazione e moto, continuano. L’obesita’ sta rimpiazzando velocemente il fumo come una delle piu’ pericolose patologie prevenibili dei nostri tempi: infatti, nel prossimo ventennio, a causa dell’obesita’, gli Stati Uniti vedranno un aumento di 7,8 milioni nei malati di diabete, 6,8 milioni di persone affette da malattie cardiovascolari e 539.000 nuovi casi di malati di cancro.
Secondo il team di ricerca di Claire Wang presso la Mailman School of Public Health della Columbia University a New York, attualmente USA ed Inghilterra sono le nazioni piu’ colpite da questa patologia, con il 30% di obesi in America e 26% in Inghilterra. L’obesita’ costera’ all’America e all’Inghilterra quasi il 3% in piu’ nelle spese sanitarie, pari a $66 miliardi e $2 miliardi, rispettivamente.
Nel mondo 1 miliardo e mezzo di persone sono obese delle quali 170 milioni di bambini. Tutto questo e’ legato alla sovrabbondanza di cibi e bevande spesso poco salutari (ricche di grassi e zuccheri), unita ad una vita sedentaria.
E in Italia? Secondo gli esperti, “Un tempo esisteva la DIETA MEDITERRANEA, stile alimentare che univa consumo di prodotti di stagione, rispetto delle tradizioni ed assunzione di cibi sani. Questo accadeva in passato, perché ora, anche in Italia, la dieta mediterranea è sotto l’attacco di una coalizione che comprende merendine e golosità varie, cibi esotici e alimenti-medicine light.” Cosi’ l’obesita’ in Italia e’ cresciuta del 30% negli ultimi 10 anni: oggigiorno il 10% degli italiani adulti sono obesi e, soprendentemente, il 15% dei bambini sono affetti da questa pericolosa ”malattia”. La sovrabbondanza di cibo e la globalizzazione delle abitudini alimentari sono difficili da gestire e oggi l’italiano consuuma in media 3.000 calorie al giorno, delle quali una gran maggioranza deriva da cibi malsani ricchi di grassi e zuccheri. Inoltre, e’ “ingannato” dalle promesse degli alimenti cosiddetti light che offrono meno calorie ma, spesso, come nel caso dei dolcificanti al posto dello zucchero, fanno aumentare l’appetito… La salutare Dieta Mediterranea e’ quindi in pericolo di estinzione con conseguenze deleterie per tutti ma in particolare per i bambini che sono le vittime piu’ vulnerabili di questa nuova realta’.
Cosa possiamo fare? Negli Stati Uniti, dove l’obesita’ ha raggiunto le dimensioni di una crisi sanitaria nazionale, Michelle Obama ha iniziato una lotta per eliminare l’obesita’ infantile che si chiama “Let’s Move“ e si basa su quattro elementi: insegnare ai genitori l’importanza dell’alimentazione sana e dell’esercizio fisico; spingere le scuole a offrire pasti piu’ salutari (negli Stati Uniti molte scuole pubbliche offrono agli studenti la possibilita’ di acquistare il cosiddetto JUNK FOOD comprensivo di bibite ultracaloriche e dolciumi); stimolare la vendita a buon mercato di cibi piu’ naturali quali frutta e verdura nei quartieri poveri dove invece spesso i cibi piu’ economici sono quelli meno sani; infine, appoggiare la diffusione dell’educazione fisica nelle scuole dove, ultimamente, a causa dei tagli alla spesa pubblica, l’ora di ginnastica e’ tra le prime materie ad essere eliminate.
Personalmente, molte famiglie che conosco qui a Los Angeles, tendono a mangiare la maggior parte dei pasti fuori casa (molto fast food) o ordinare cibo a domicilio (spesso si tratta di pizza o cibo cinese) e a condurre una vita sedentaria tra macchina, ufficio e divano. Nonostante in California esista ancora il culto del corpo e il clima mite favorisca le attivita’ fisiche all’aperto, la vita frenetica, il traffico e le grandi distanze, lasciano poco tempo ad adulti e bambini per l’esercizio e la cucina casalinga.
Le soluzioni sono senz’altro complicate ma inizierei ad analizzare i motivi del successo ottenuto dalle campagne antifumo in America e nel mondo per cercare di seguirne le orme e sensibilizzare adulti, bambini e l’industria che opera nel settore, circa le pesanti conseguenze sanitarie, finanziarie e sociali del prolungamento di questo stile di vita.
