We crossed an invisible boundary: the one between the present and what is about to happen. For five days, the Phoenix Innovation Trip guided us into the place where the future is lived as a daily practice. It was a journey that overturned perspectives, sparked conversations, and opened windows onto what will soon also change our way of doing business.
From 3 to 7 November, Phoenix Capital brought to Silicon Valley the partners AmTrust Assicurazioni S.p.A., represented by Assunta Carbonara, Head of Technology & System Development; Francesco Ghizzi, Chief Business Operation Officer & Distribution Director; Irene Ogliari, Head of Underwriting; and Compass – Gruppo Mediobanca, represented by Nicola Gatti, Chief Insurance and AI Officer, and Antonietta Ponticelli, Transformation Director. A diverse, high-profile group with whom we shared a true exploration of global innovation.
Among the most powerful moments of the entire program was the visit to Stripe’s offices. The experience opened with a message as simple as it was striking: “We manage 1.4% of global GDP.” A giant capable of moving 1.4 trillion dollars a year, with a visionary capacity reflected in an extraordinary working environment and in conversations focused almost exclusively on tokenization and stablecoins, an unmistakable indication of the direction global financial innovation is taking.
The meeting with Solana, held at Shack15 in the Ferry Building, was one of the most unexpected and disruptive moments. Solana is currently the largest public blockchain in the world by volume: a fast, scalable infrastructure with real applications in the financial, insurance, and corporate sectors. For participants, the encounter represented a defining break: no longer just theory, but a direct exchange with what blockchain technology can offer to business processes today.
The trip’s packed agenda also included visits to Swissnex, Plug and Play Tech Center, Stanford University’s Center for AI Safety, and the offices of Adobe and Google; followed by institutional moments such as the meeting with the Italian Consul in San Francisco, Massimo Carnelos, and our presence at INNOVIT – The Italian Innovation and Culture Hub. We wanted to build a journey that touched every link in the innovation chain from the inside.
“This trip allowed us to ‘see’ the future, understand it, and bring home practical tools, a new approach to work, and a different, more empathetic, open, and experimental way of living our daily operations.” The insights shared by the partners were among the most valuable elements of the entire experience: their immediate reflections confirm the strength and impact of the program. Recurring keywords emerged – vision, acceleration, exchange, concreteness- comments that describe a journey not only inspirational but capable of generating real value, useful connections, and immediate applications for their business processes.
“We are extremely pleased with the success of this edition of the Phoenix Innovation Trip,” said Francesco Righetti, Director of the Phoenix Innovation Center. “We brought our partners into extraordinary experiences, meeting people, technologies, and organizations that are currently pushing the boundaries of global innovation. After two intense years since the launch of the Phoenix Innovation Center, this trip represents a turning point. Our structure is evolving and taking a further step forward. We will soon present important news with new vertical business initiatives, new opportunities, and innovative services for our clients. The journey continues, and it will be even more ambitious.”
Equally enthusiastic was the comment from Paola Del Zotto Ferrari, International Advisor at Phoenix Capital and Director of Phoenix Spark, who – together with Director Righetti – “designed” this new Innovation Trip.
“A tailor-made journey into innovation. That is how I like to describe this second edition of the Phoenix Innovation Trip. An initiative that, as we said, is taking shape and evolving at the same time. But how do you build a tailor-made Innovation Trip for the partners we accompany? By starting from the core industry in which they operate; then identifying companies, people, and places that best align with that verticality, while also leaving open ‘cross-cutting’ spaces that open up future and conceivable scenarios.
A journey that truly demonstrated the transformative impact of immersive learning, along with the potential of transatlantic collaboration. By engaging with world-class institutions and leaders from the Bay Area, we gained valuable insights into the future and absorbed the dynamic culture that makes this region an epicenter of technological progress and entrepreneurship. It was a continuous exchange of ideas, a source of inspiration fueled by encounters with leading institutions and dedicated professionals.”
We return home with enthusiasm, with new connections, and with the responsibility not only to embrace change but to lead it every day within our teams and business processes.
