Milan AAIA Chapter

A Major European Hub for AI Innovation

Milan is rapidly becoming one of Europe’s most dynamic centers for artificial intelligence—driven by top-tier talent, cutting-edge research, global corporations, and a robust innovation ecosystem supported by public-private partnerships.

Key Highlights of Milan’s AI Landscape:

  • World-Class Talent: Milan attracts top AI researchers and practitioners from across Italy and Europe, advancing fields such as machine learning, computer vision, and generative AI.

  • Leading Research & Academia: Institutions like Politecnico di Milano and University of Milan are recognized for their AI research excellence and talent development programs.

  • Startup & Innovation Ecosystem: Milan’s entrepreneurial scene thrives with AI startups in fintech, fashion-tech, healthtech, and Industry 4.0. Notably, PoliHub, the innovation district of Politecnico di Milano, supports deep-tech ventures through incubation, acceleration, and strategic mentoring.

  • Competence Centers & Technology Transfer: Milan hosts MADE – Competence Center Industry 4.0, a key national node connecting companies with expertise in digital manufacturing, AI, and industrial IoT, facilitating adoption of cutting-edge technologies in production environments.

  • Corporate Leadership: Multinationals such as Microsoft, Google, Eni, Pirelli, and Intesa Sanpaolo operate innovation hubs in Milan, collaborating with startups and research labs to accelerate AI deployment.

  • Public and EU Investment: National programs (e.g., PNRR) and European frameworks (e.g., Horizon Europe) inject significant funding into AI research, experimentation, and skills development.

  • Active Community: The city is home to vibrant AI-focused events—conferences, meetups, hackathons, and workshops—creating a fertile ground for dialogue, partnerships, and cross-sector innovation.

The Applied AI Association in Milan:

The Milan Chapter of AAIA aims to be a strategic catalyst for collaboration across the AI value chain. By convening thought leaders from academia, startups, corporations, and institutions, the chapter will:

  • Organize regular events including applied AI panels, technical workshops, roundtables, and networking mixers.

  • Bridge research and practice, connecting university research groups with industry challenges and real-world applications.

  • Strengthen the local ecosystem, working closely with incubators like PoliHub and centers like MADE to foster high-impact AI projects.

  • Advance responsible AI, supporting initiatives that prioritize ethical AI, transparency, fairness, and regulatory alignment.

  • Grow the talent pipeline, through mentorship, community engagement, and access to global AAIA resources.

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Featured News

Featured Members

Milan Chapter Team

Antonio Squeo

Felice Vitulano

Francesco Elmi

  • Co-President, antonio@aaiaglobal.com

    Antonio Squeo is CEO and Co-Founder of Hevolus, a pioneer in enterprise-grade Generative AI.  With a background from SDA Bocconi and a visionary mindset, he designs AI-driven business models that transform sales, learning, and customer operations through secure, autonomous agents powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI.  He led the creation of XR Copilot, a GenAI platform for trusted conversational agents, and has delivered AI solutions for clients like Natuzzi, Casillo, Ferroli, Würth, Iren, and Deghi, across fashion, energy, design, and education sectors.  Under his leadership, Hevolus became a strategic partner of Microsoft, Meta, Lenovo, Qualcomm, and the first European company certified by Microsoft in the Retail AI category.

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  • Co-President

    Felice Vitulano is a strategic innovation consultant and certified Innovation Manager (UNI 11814), with deep expertise in digital transformation, emerging technologies, and public-private innovation ecosystems. He is Founding Partner of Orienta and Director of MEDIS-DIH, the Digital Innovation Hub of Confindustria Bari, where he supports SMEs and public administrations in adopting AI, green tech, and Industry 5.0 solutions. He leads high-impact projects such as CALLIOPE in Taranto and “Bari Città Aperta,” promoting open innovation, civic tech, and inclusive digital strategies. Passionate about ethical AI and sustainable growth, he actively contributes to national discussions on the future of technology and regional competitiveness. He was form 2000 to 2022 director for Research and Innovation at Exprivia SpA (an Multinationl Company in ICT service).

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  • Executive Committee Member, Marketing

    Francesco Elmi is a marketing executive with expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Extended Reality (XR), and digital transformation. As CMO at Hevolus Innovation, he drives business growth, lead generation, and international partnerships with leaders such as Microsoft, Meta, and Lenovo. He supported the achievement of 17 Gartner mentions and a Cool Vendor recognition, and has led co-marketing initiatives with NVIDIA, AWS, and Dell. Passionate about human-centric innovation, he helps organizations adopt AI agents, digital humans, and phygital experiences that scale business and education with empathy and creativity.

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