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The Italian Consul in Detroit, Paola Allegra Baistrocchi, took part on February 20 in the launch Talk Show for the second edition of ROCK, the RetImpresa competition dedicated to Open Innovation and collaboration within Italian supply chains. Moderated by Rai journalist Mattia Iovane and available on YouTube, the talk show provided an important opportunity for experts, businesses, and stakeholders to discuss trends and opportunities offered by collaborative innovation, especially thanks to the The Perfect Pitch initiative.
As is well known, in 2024 the Consulate of Italy in Detroit collaborated on the first edition of ROCK and hosted the final stages of the The Perfect Pitch competition last September with representatives of the three finalist startups in the sustainable mobility sector. Joining Consul Baistrocchi to recount the 2024 experience were Fabrizio Landi, President of RetImpresa, Davide Ippolito, CEO of Reputation Research, and Rai Italia journalist Monica Marangoni. Together, they discussed and revealed the behind-the-scenes of this new format, launched in 2024 and transformed into a TV series that will soon be broadcast.
Continuing its commitment to promoting Italian excellence in the United States, the Consulate will also facilitate, in 2025, meetings between representatives of Italian innovation and key stakeholders and venture capitalists in Michigan and the Detroit consular district, which also includes Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Tennessee. Consul Baistrocchi emphasized:
“The idea of bringing Italian startups to Detroit to showcase what can be achieved in one of the world’s most important ecosystems for startup growth is of fundamental importance. At the same time, it highlights how modern and cutting-edge Italy truly is.”
Indeed, The Perfect Pitch initiative continues the work carried out by the Consulate in recent years to promote an image of Italy that is no longer solely tied to tradition and artistic or scenic beauty, but also highlights it as an innovative country with strong economic and technological ties to the rest of the world. Meanwhile, the perception of Detroit and the Midwest in general remains anchored to its industrial past, whereas the remarkable potential of a region that serves as a key hub for modernity and technology—capable of attracting investments and strategic partnerships—is less widely known.
President Landi concluded by stating:
“Even in 2025, The Perfect Pitch will be one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the ROCK program, especially considering the media impact of this project thanks to the TV series produced during the first edition in collaboration with the Consulate of Italy in Detroit.”
