Augusto Innovation Hub presented at the Italian Senate
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The project presentation at Le Città del Futuro, Palazzo Giustiniani, Sala Zuccari, Rome.
Rome, 15 September 2026. The Augusto Innovation Hub project was presented at Palazzo Giustiniani, one of the historic seats of the Italian Senate, during the institutional forum Le Città del Futuro. Innovazione, IA, Finanza e nuovi modelli di gestione urbana. The occasion brought the Milazzo initiative into a national discussion on how technology, sustainable energy, finance and architecture can shape the next generation of cities and productive infrastructure.
The presentation took place in Sala Zuccari, the celebrated frescoed hall of Palazzo Giustiniani. Its architectural and institutional setting gave particular significance to a project conceived to connect Sicily with the development of strategic European technological capabilities.
An institutional conversation about the future
Convened on the initiative of Senator Antonio Salvatore Trevisi, the forum brought together representatives of Italian institutions, academia and the business community. Participants included Senator Roberto Rosso, Hon. Deborah Bergamini, Hon. Chiara Tenerini and Hon. Erica Mazzetti. The event was conceived by Davide Cavalli and moderated by journalist Barbara Gasperini.
Within this setting, architect Giancarlo Zema, President of Giancarlo Zema Design Group and a global strategic partner of R. Rockefeller S.C., presented Augusto Innovation Hub and its architectural vision. The proposal connects the regeneration of the former Montecatini industrial site in Milazzo with a new campus dedicated to advanced technology, research and sustainable infrastructure.
R. Rockefeller S.C. was represented by Valentino Loforese, CEO and Majority Shareholder, together with Francesco Cuccurullo, CEO of the Italian Branch, and Gianluca Annunziata, Director of the Italian Branch. They attended alongside Fabrizio Crimi, President and Founder of Augusto Innovation Hub.
AI, cybersecurity and virtual production in one European hub
Augusto Innovation Hub is being developed as a European strategic hub for artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and virtual production. Its purpose is to bring research, engineering, secure digital infrastructure and creative technologies into the same environment, with a focus on technological independence and practical applications for institutions and industry.
For R. Rockefeller S.C., the partnership connects original AI software and cybersecurity capability with the Group’s international engineering network. The data-centre component also creates a direct link between the growing demand for computing capacity and the need for dependable, sustainable energy.
Geothermal AGS as a defining technology
A central element is the planned Italian pilot within RRSC’s Advanced Geothermal Systems programme, developed with RePG. The Milazzo project is intended to demonstrate the integration of geothermal energy with the campus and its data-centre requirements, supporting the project’s ambition for zero-impact energy infrastructure.
RRSC positions AGS as a distinctive strategic technology for continuous, sustainable power. In the Group’s project account, access to comparable technology is concentrated in around five companies worldwide. The pilot is the practical step towards demonstrating that capability in the Italian project, with its engineering configuration and performance established through the site-specific development process.
A programme for growth through 2028
According to the project promoters’ latest update, Augusto Innovation Hub has secured €100 million for its initial phase, within a funding framework involving the European Union and the Italian government, with the support of the Sicily Region. The announced development plan envisages a structured expansion to €200 million by 2028, with further private investment expected in addition to that programme.
The initiative combines technological independence, advanced skills and sustainable energy with the redevelopment of an industrial site. R. Rockefeller S.C. contributes as a technology and engineering partner, linking the Milazzo programme with its AI, cyber and geothermal capabilities.
The presentation at Palazzo Giustiniani marks an important moment in the project’s institutional visibility. The video and photographs on this page document the occasion and the participation of the project team. Explore the Augusto Innovation Hub project page for the campus programme, technology areas, leadership and project materials.
Moments from Sala Zuccari.
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