NODES at Expo 2025 Osaka: three days of innovation and international relations
From October 2 to 4, 2025, NODES – Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile brought the voice and vision of the Ecosystem to Expo 2025 Osaka, within the Italy Pavilion of the Ministry of University and Research.
Three intense days on an international stage of innovation, featuring aerospace research, sustainable mobility, and new opportunities for global cooperation. At the center stood the dialogue between research, business, and institutions, with Piedmont and the North-West of Italy leading a shared vision of a sustainable future.
The opening day on October 2, titled “Volare”, gathered some of the most prominent institutional and academic figures: Ambassador Mario Vattani, Commissioner General for Italy at Expo; Stefano Corgnati, Rector of Politecnico di Torino; Alberto Cirio, President of the Piedmont Region; Stefano Lo Russo, Mayor of Turin; and Gianmarco Montanari, Director General of MOST – National Centre for Sustainable Mobility.
Alongside them, the speech by Chiara Ferroni, Director General of NODES, gave substance to the role of the Ecosystem as an open and inclusive model of innovation, highlighting how innovation acts as a driver of territorial development, a concrete instrument for implementing the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), and a model capable of inspiring international collaborations.
“Research that becomes innovation, innovation that becomes impact” – with these words, Ferroni summarized the mission of NODES: an ecosystem that unites universities, enterprises, and the entire territory to face the great challenges of our time.
The presence of NODES at Expo 2025 Osaka marks a key milestone in the internationalization of the Ecosystem and demonstrates how research, when supported by a strong territorial network, can become both a driver of local development and a recognized global player.
From Piedmont to Japan, the challenge is shared: transforming knowledge into value, building networks that bring together distant territories united by the desire to innovate sustainably.
As Chiara Ferroni concluded:
“Our commitment is to create connections capable of crossing borders, linking skills, innovation, and sustainability to build together the future of our territories.”
On Saturday, October 4, Spoke 1 – Aerospace and Sustainable Mobility will take center stage at the Pavilion with the continuation of the AIRONE exhibition and the talk “Wings of Innovation”, a moment dedicated to projects and flagship initiatives that open new perspectives for the future of flight and space.
