Free Mind Foundry, the largest Innovation Hub of South Italy, opens its doors to a wide digital community
Free Mind Foundry, the largest Innovation Hub of South Italy, opens its doors to a wide digital community
It is a new beginning for many digital companies and people that since the 17th of July started to meet and live together in the most technologically advanced Innovation Campus ever opened in our territory.
The Free Mind Foundry inauguration ceremony that took place in Acireale was very crowded and animated by unconventional moments, 400+ guests and local authorities, partners, customers, colleagues, guests and families of the employees.
To warmly welcome the guests, introducing the next-gen Innovation Campus, was Dr. Eng. Simone Massaro, BaxEnergy CEO, followed by His Excellency, the Bishop of Acireale, Antonino Raspanti, Dr. Saverio Continella, Managing Director of Credito Siciliano and Deputy Manager of Credito Valtellinese, other local authorities, Representatives of our Partners and customers from Italy, Germany, Portugal, Austria and other countries, Professors from Universities of Catania and Messina.
“Our companies are made up of people. People with passion, great enthusiasm, with willingness to overcome obstacles, limits and geographical borders”, said Dr. Eng. Simone Massaro, adding “There is nothing more powerful than an idea and this place is exactly that. Free Mind Foundry represents that idea that grows from a small seed into a giant tree”.
The digital companies that have already joined the Innovation Hub are specialized in different sectors of cutting-edge technologies such as software, hardware, IoT and Big Data, renewable energy management, computer graphics, gaming, cloud computing and machine learning.
“It is fundamental recreating a people-centred work environment, and this Innovation Hub represents the ideal space in which international teams can reach their personal and professional growth”, declared His Excellency, the Bishop of Acireale, whishing all the best to this new community of young talents and visionaries.
“Lots of realities in Italy, in Sicily are digitally underdeveloped. This innovative project combines innovation and tradition and it is extremely important to us being part of it”, said Dr. Saverio Continella.
Following the conference, the inaugural punch through a paper wall replaced the traditional ribbon-cutting, officially starting the Innovation Hub’s tours!
The guests have been led through different areas in the Campus. During the guided tours, every single room was illustrated in all its details and equipment.
The entire project was realized in 45 days from design to realization. There are more than 500 sensors that have been designed, manufactured, installed within the same time. The Campus will host 7 companies for a total of 180 people by the end of the year.
The visit started with the presentation of the first interactive touch screen, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) located at the entrance of the office. Through the map displayed by the AI, it is possible identifying the seats still available, book desks, rooms, booths and discover where your team or the people that you are looking for are sitting. Thanks to the facial recognition feature, the AI is also able to detect and verify faces, age, gender and moods.
The tour continued guiding the guests from the BaxEnergy Brain, the Business Value Monitoring Center, through which our systems monitor 24/7 the power plants of our customers worldwide, to the Server Room, the beating heart of our office that controls the Monitoring Room and all of our systems operations.
Visitors had also the opportunity to discover the rest of the Hub, passing through the co-working space equipped with tailor made innovative desks, the IoT Lab, the Print Center, the Meet-up Rooms, the Gaming Room, the terrace, the Digital Gym and the inner Backyards.
The grand opening was concluded by a final toast in the Olives Courtyard and the groups shot, which together with the opening conference, the tours through the Campus and many unconventional moments made this inauguration the memorable opening ceremony of a promising reality.
“I always wanted to create a place to stimulate creativity and innovation. This was a dream of mine since I was young. Our Country, Italy, and especially Sicily, is reach of minds and now they have their place, their home. And many minds together reach what no single person can”, concluded Dr. Eng. Simone Massaro.