Barcolana AI Sea Summit

he first edition of the Barcolana AI Sea Summit, scheduled for Thursday, 8 October 2026 at MIB Trieste School of Management, was presented today at the headquarters of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. This new Barcolana event, organised with the support of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, will be a full day dedicated to artificial intelligence and the transformations it is bringing to everyday life, innovation and our relationship with the sea.

The event is open to the public and free of charge. It is designed not only for industry professionals, but for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of a transformation that is already affecting us all. The day will have two main focuses: the morning will explore artificial intelligence in everyday life and the world of innovation, addressing topics such as its use, costs, data security, mobility and startups. In the afternoon, attention will turn to the sea, exploring AI applications in safety, navigation and routing, medical assistance, the environment, decision-making and performance.

The support of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region contributes to a project designed to strengthen the role of Trieste and the wider region as a meeting point for maritime culture, sustainability, research and innovation, putting artificial intelligence at the service of marine protection, impact reduction and more sustainable behaviours.

“With the Barcolana AI Sea Summit, we are creating a new space for discussion within Barcolana,” said Mitja Gialuz, President of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano. “The sea has always been the starting point of our event, and today we want to place it at the centre of the conversation about innovation as well. Barcolana has the ability to bring together people, expertise and different perspectives. Through this new event, we want to help explore how technology and artificial intelligence can become practical tools in support of sustainability and the protection of the marine environment.”

Fabio Scoccimarro, Regional Councillor for Environmental Protection, Energy and Sustainable Development, said: “Today, artificial intelligence and environmental sustainability are not two separate paths, but two sides of the greatest challenge of our time. It is the role of politics to anticipate change, regulate it, govern it and steer it towards the common good. The Friuli Venezia Giulia Region will be a strategic institutional partner of this initiative, a day of discussion dedicated to artificial intelligence applied to the marine ecosystem and the blue economy, bringing together institutions, the scientific community, experts, businesses and maritime communities.

“As a Region, we are making structural investments in artificial intelligence and in the governance of innovation processes, because the ecological and energy transition cannot be achieved through restrictions alone. Businesses and public administrations must also be provided with new tools capable of optimising resources. Technology has real value when it is guided by ethics and placed at the service of the common good. Major events are extraordinary opportunities to bring people together and can become drivers of cultural change, directly engaging citizens and visitors.”

“The Summit is the starting point of a journey that will continue well beyond 8 October,” said Dean Bassi, Vice President of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano. “With the AI Sea Hackathon, we want to turn the themes of the Summit into concrete challenges and bring together different areas of expertise to develop solutions for marine sustainability. Following the call for applications and the Hackathon in January, selected projects may receive support in their development through an incubation or acceleration programme. Our goal is to build a bridge between ideas, prototypes, startups and real-world applications, with environmental impact remaining the guiding criterion.”

“Artificial intelligence has become an essential element for businesses, organisations and for those of us working in management education,” said Vladimir Nanut, CEO of MIB Trieste School of Management. “Our role is to help people and organisations understand and make the best possible use of the opportunities offered by these new tools.

“The sea has also long been part of our School’s journey, both because of the importance of the maritime economy to our region and through sailing, which we also use in our outdoor training programmes. A sailing boat is an extraordinary metaphor for leading a team: it requires strategy, leadership, adaptability, a clear distribution of roles and teamwork to achieve a shared goal.

“For this reason, hosting the Barcolana AI Sea Summit is particularly consistent with our experience and our objectives. It is an event open not only to professionals, but to anyone who wants to better understand the challenges and potential of artificial intelligence—a transformation that directly affects us all.”

THE SUMMIT – Directed by Pietro Orciuolo and hosted by Edonella Bresci, the Summit will adopt a format inspired by TED Talks, with 15-minute presentations designed to make complex and topical issues accessible to a general audience.

The programme will be divided into three sections: “Understanding AI”, dedicated to practical questions about artificial intelligence; “How Fast Is AI Moving?”, focusing on innovation and the new opportunities created by AI; and “AI and the Sea”, exploring applications and perspectives related to safety, navigation and routing, health, the environment, decision-making and performance.

Pietro Orciuolo, Head of AI Development at Barcolana, said: “There is a lot of discussion about what artificial intelligence will do in our place. We are interested in showing what it will enable us to do better. We built the programme around people’s questions, including those that may seem too simple to ask an expert.

“We are not asking the public to believe in AI. We want to help people understand its opportunities, recognise its limitations and form their own opinions. Because a technology that affects everyone cannot remain a conversation among a select few.”

Scheduled speakers include Diego Vendramini (MIB Trieste School of Management), Alessandro Piemontesi (AsperaAstra), Jacopo Zorzin (Deda Group), Luca Saccomani (Zero Motorcycles Inc., former Tesla Country Manager), Paolo Della Schiava (Fincantieri), Francesco Meloni (Forbes), Anna Gregorio (Picosats), Luciano Del Prete (Trieste Harbour Master’s Office), Giulio Venier (Smart Freight Center), Francesco Amenta (CIRM), Daniele Acciaro (One Ocean Foundation), Alexander Harej (SailAgents), and Michele Malandra (North Sails).

The programme has been deliberately designed to cut across different sectors, bringing together technology, business, mobility, data, research, the environment, health and sport to explore artificial intelligence through a variety of experiences and perspectives.

THE TRIESTE MANIFESTO – During the event, the “Trieste Manifesto for Artificial Intelligence and Marine Sustainability” will be presented. The document will set out shared principles for the responsible use of AI for the benefit of the sea and its communities.

At the heart of the Manifesto are the protection of the marine environment, the ethical use of data, innovation in the blue economy, responsible behaviour, and collaboration among institutions, businesses, researchers and citizens.

BARCOLANA AI SEA HACKATHON – 8 October will also mark the launch of the Barcolana AI Sea Hackathon, an Open Innovation challenge designed to extend the Summit beyond the event itself.

The call will be open to students, researchers, developers, designers, innovators, companies, startups and multidisciplinary teams, who will be invited to develop practical solutions for the marine environment and sustainability.

Applications will remain open until December 2026 and will lead to the Hackathon scheduled for January 2027, with total prize money of €9,000. Selected solutions may subsequently enter a support and development programme leading up to a final Demo Day scheduled for the autumn.

AN APP FOR MARINE SUSTAINABILITY – Alongside the Barcolana AI Sea Hackathon, the project will include the development of a new app dedicated to the environment and marine sustainability, as a separate initiative from the Hackathon.

The aim is to use digital tools and artificial intelligence to promote greater environmental awareness, encourage more sustainable behaviours and support more efficient use of resources. The app project will be presented at a dedicated event at a later date.

The Barcolana AI Sea Summit is open to everyone and admission is free. The event will take place on Thursday, 8 October 2026 at MIB Trieste School of Management in Trieste, with doors opening at 8:30 a.m. and the programme beginning at 9:25 a.m. The event will conclude at 5:00 p.m.

Participants can pre-register via Eventbrite to avoid queuing for registration at the venue.