Rubik Hub lands in Italy! This autumn marks a new chapter for us — and what a start it’s been! We packed our bags, flew 1,913.3 km to Torino, and opened a brand-new chapter in Rubik Hub’s story.
What started as a bold idea — to connect with the Italian innovation ecosystem — turned into an unforgettable experience filled with insights, inspiration, and countless new connections.
🌍 Our First-Ever Event in Italy
For the very first time, we brought Rubik Hub to Italy — and what a debut it was! Together with our incredible partners Sellalab, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and the Consulate General of Romania in Torino, we hosted an event all about scaling startups internationally.
Over 60 founders, innovators, and ecosystem builders joined us to discuss how startups can expand across borders and grow sustainably.
We were joined by an amazing lineup of speakers:
- Chris Lo, Regional Director, Europe, Central Asia & Israel, Hong Kong Trade Development Council
- Nicolo Bardi, CMO & Co-founder, Joinrs
- Alex Cojocaru, Co-founder, Licenseware
With Simone Martinelli and Carla Bertuzzi leading the discussion as moderators, the conversation flowed around scaling strategies, and the power of partnerships.
We were also honored to welcome His Excellency Cosmin Dumitrescu, the General Consul of Romania in Torino 🇷🇴 — whose presence and support reminded us how important community truly is when building bridges across ecosystems.
During our time in Torino, we also unveiled the Rubik Garage HealthTech Accelerator — our equity-free and fee-free program dedicated to empowering founders who are reimagining healthcare through innovation, AI, and deep tech. For the first time, we’re dedicating an entire edition of Rubik Garage to a single vertical — HealthTech — bringing together startups, experts, and partners shaping the future of medicine. The journey continues in Milan this November, where we’ll host the very first event of the program.
🚀 Riding “The Wave Ahead” at Italian Tech Week
At Italian Tech Week 2025, we didn’t just attend panels — we experienced the heartbeat of Europe’s tech ecosystem. “The Wave Ahead” theme captured exactly how it felt: being surrounded by visionaries who are redefining what’s possible in AI, robotics, health, and beyond. Every conversation reminded us that innovation isn’t just about technology — it’s about people daring to build the future together.
We left inspired by insights from leaders such as Niklas Zennstom, the CEO of Atomico and founder of Skype | ➤ Luciana Lixandru, Partner at Sequoia Capital | ➤ Filippo Filicori, System Chief Surgical Innovation, Northwell Health | ➤ Jason Hart – Vice President of Global & U.S. Marketing and Corporate Communication, Intuitive
Jeff Bezos called this the era of “multiple golden ages” in AI, robotics, and space exploration, urging founders to think long-term, adapt quickly, and stay focused on customer needs.
John Elkann highlighted Italy’s booming tech ecosystem and Europe’s surge in tech investment (from $45B to $425B since 2016), emphasizing curiosity, responsibility, and vision as the drivers of growth.
Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed Europe’s commitment to become a continent of AI, advocating for a uniquely European model of innovation, combining engineering excellence, sustainability, and ethics: ❝ We will not spare any effort to make Europe a continent of AI, a place where talent can thrive.❞
One unforgettable highlight? Witnessing a live robotic surgery demonstration using the da Vinci dV5 system, led by Filippo Filicori and Jason Hart. The precision and innovation on display showed us what the future of medicine looks like — and why HealthTech is one of the most exciting frontiers we can help accelerate.
🤝 Connecting Startups with Industry Leaders
But our Italian journey didn’t stop there. We also took part in Nel Mondo a Venire, a forward-thinking festival in Biella dedicated to exploring the world to come.
We were proud to bring four startups from our community — Storied Data, 2030 Builders, Licenseware, and Nifty Learning — to participate in speed dating sessions with leading Italian companies like DHL, Mondoffice, A2A, and Orso Blu – all clients of Sella Bank.
The goal was simple: connect innovation with opportunity. And that’s exactly what happened.
Meanwhile, our CEO Vlad Gliga took the stage for his workshop “From Local to Global: Strategies for Sustainable Business Growth.” His session focused on helping companies build innovation systems that last — with practical steps for staying competitive, adaptable, and resilient in fast-changing markets.
The event was beautifully aligned with Rubik Hub’s purpose: to empower people to build the future they believe in.
💬 Lessons from Visionaries
One of the most inspiring voices we heard in Italy came from Pietro Sella, CEO of Sella Group, who shared the story of his family’s entrepreneurial legacy — a story that perfectly captures the spirit of “Nel Mondo a Venire.”
He spoke about his great-great-great-grandfather, who in 1735 started a small wool factory in Biella. For years, he ran it with his wife, traveling to shepherds to collect wool — even inventing an early version of what we’d now call a leasing system. His secret? He anticipated the future. He knew winter was coming, and he prepared accordingly.
Centuries later, that same building evolved into a chemical innovation center, and by 2004, the family was already exploring the idea of selling wool online — long before e-commerce became mainstream.
“I believe AI will have the same impact on this generation as the internet did for my father in 1966,” Pietro said.
“Back then, people didn’t yet understand how deeply it would change their world. Today, ChatGPT and robotics are doing the same — helping us make sense of complexity and connection.”
For Pietro Sella, “Nel Mondo a Venire” — the world to come — isn’t about fear. It’s about embracing diversity, taking risks, and remaining curious in the face of uncertainty.
“All the things that happened until now have led to this very day — an extraordinary moment of knowledge and exploration. What matters is to face it with an open mind.”
That message resonated with everyone in the room — and with us at Rubik Hub. Because at its core, innovation is about exactly that: curiosity, courage, and connection. Listening to Pietro, we couldn’t help but draw a parallel between his family’s story and our own. Like the Sella family in Biella, we started in a small town — Piatra Neamț — with a bold vision and a drive to create meaningful change.
Their legacy shows what’s possible when purpose meets persistence. And as we continue building our own, we’re reminded that innovation isn’t just about the future — it’s about the courage to start where you are, and the belief that what you build today can inspire generations to come.
✨ Looking Ahead: The Rubik Hub Italy Chapter
Between Italian Tech Week, Nel Mondo a Venire, and our own event with partners like Sellalab, we’ve experienced firsthand the incredible energy, creativity, and openness of Italy’s innovation ecosystem.
We met brilliant founders and connected with investors and institutions that shared our belief in the power of collaboration. We also had the opportunity to share our story and mission on Radio Lu and Radio Torino International, spreading the word about how Rubik Hub supports founders and strengthens innovation across borders.
During one of these interviews, we had the privilege of joining His Excellency Cosmin Dumitrescu, Consul General of Romania in Torino, for an insightful conversation on innovation and entrepreneurship.
We were incredibly proud to build a solid foundation for our partnership with Sella, marking another step forward in our mission to empower startups and create meaningful connections across Europe.
We know this is only the beginning – we’re going back to Italy soon, this time to Milan, with the Founders Bootcamp for the Rubik Garage Accelerator – Future of Healthtech edition!
