Planetek Italia receives the Innovation Award from EY during the EY Private Roadshow.

The EY Private Roadshow kicks off in Apulia, a traveling event created and organized by EY to promote and reward local excellence, and foster dialogue between entrepreneurs, local institutions, and business associations, with the aim of strengthening the growth of territorial ecosystems.

The EY Private Roadshow is organized by EY, a global leader in assurance and professional services, with over 9,500 people in Italy, and by EY Private, EY’s business unit dedicated to private companies.

The first stop of the roadshow took place on May 23 at the Castle of Conversano (Bari) and will continue in Lombardy and Tuscany. During the event, the international and Italian macroeconomic outlook was explored, with an analysis of the key growth drivers for companies and a discussion among some of the region’s top entrepreneurs on how to seize opportunities for Apulia’s ecosystem.

Apulia: A Fertile Ground for Innovation

Apulia is a region in transformation, as shown by the economic analysis presented by EY and UniCredit during the event. The region’s GDP grew by 5.2% between 2021 and 2023, in line with the national average (5.5%), driven mainly by the services and construction sectors. A key opportunity for added value lies in the high number of innovative companies and start-ups: in 2024, Apulia registered 6.6 innovative firms or start-ups per billion euros of added value—above the national average of 6.0.

“Apulia confirms its status as a fertile ground for innovation. Its entrepreneurial fabric is evolving towards high value-added models, with businesses capable of innovating, attracting investment, and retaining talent. That’s why we chose to host the first stage of our Roadshow here and to celebrate some of the local champions who continue to demonstrate the strength of regional entrepreneurship in an ever-changing environment” said Flavio Deveglia, EY Bari Office Managing Partner at EY Italy.

Three Apulian Entrepreneurs Honored

During this first Apulian stage, EY honored three entrepreneurs who have stood out for their values and contributions—not only locally, but also nationally and internationally: Pippo Cannillo, CEO of Maiora S.p.A. SB – Human Capital Award; Alberto Paglialunga, Founder and CEO of Deghi S.p.A. – Investment Award; Giovanni Sylos Labini, CEO of Planetek Italia – Innovation Award.

Innovation Award to Planetek Italia, with the following motivation: “A company that for over thirty years has been transforming the complexity of space into knowledge and solutions for users, and, thanks to a strategic vision focused on innovation and sustainability, has established itself internationally, expanding Southern Italy’s role in the global landscape.”

The award was received by Giovanni Sylos Labini, CEO of Planetek Italia, who stated: “We are honored to receive this award from EY, which recognizes the value of innovation as the driving force behind our work. At Planetek, innovation means turning satellite data into useful knowledge to support institutions, major players in energy, engineering, and utilities, as well as national agencies and research, contributing to the growth of the region and the Apulian aerospace sector with a sustainable and forward-looking vision.”

More information at: https://www.ey.com/it_it/insights/ey-private-roadshow