The institutional mission to Houston by Trentino Sviluppo and the Autonomous Province of Trento took place from April 17 to 20, 2026, with the aim of strengthening economic and institutional relations and exploring collaboration opportunities in the strategic sectors of innovation, life sciences, and energy.
The delegation included Nicola Polito (Chief Operating Officer of Trentino Sviluppo), Monica Carotta (Head of FDI & KAM Area at Trentino Sviluppo), Valentina Perrotta (Director of the Research and Innovation System Planning Office of the Autonomous Province of Trento), and Arla Dell’Agnolo (Attraction & Key Account Management Area).
The visit agenda was organized by the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce in Texas, with the support of Francesca Gottardi, consultant for the Autonomous Province of Trento in the United States, and included a series of high-level meetings with key players in Houston’s economic and scientific ecosystem.
The mission opened with participation in the Ital-Texas Business Alliance Breakfast, hosted for the first time at the Consulate General of Italy in Houston. The event represented a key networking opportunity with around 40 local entrepreneurs and top managers, giving the Trentino delegation the chance to present their region—particularly its strategic projects and the development of new innovation hubs—and to engage directly with the Texan business community. The event is part of the broader “Business Breakfast” initiative, which over the years has become a well-established platform for economic dialogue between Italy and Texas.
During the visit, the delegation also engaged with some of the most relevant organizations within Houston’s innovation ecosystem. These included the Texas Medical Center, with a visit to the Innovation Factory and Helix Park, accompanied by a presentation on infrastructure dedicated to life sciences and biotech by Jason Sakamoto, Associate Director and Head of Medical Device Labs at TMC Biodesign.
Further meetings were held with the Rice AI Venture Accelerator at the Ion District, with the Greater Houston Partnership to explore investment attraction dynamics and regional development opportunities, and with Plug and Play Tech Center and the Sugar Land Office of Economic Development, focusing on innovation, startups, and public-private collaboration.
A particularly meaningful moment was the discussion held at TMC3 Helix Park with a delegation of Italian researchers based in Houston, representing ISSNAF and Comites, who shared their projects both in research and commercialization, developed within innovative startups and leading pharmaceutical companies.
