Twenty years of ideas, projects, and visions: in Pontedera, the new edition of Crea©tivity – Research and Innovation in Design. The contribution of the BioRobotics Institute of the Sant’Anna School.

This edition, taking place on November 13 and 14 at the Piaggio Museum and the Pontedera Library, is a special one. Crea©tivity – Research and Innovation in Design celebrates its twentieth anniversary with a rich program of events, initiatives, and meetings, where education, research, and business come together in a laboratory of ideas, projects, and visions. The aim is to give new momentum to the design sector by intertwining innovation and tradition, creativity and uniqueness, future and imagination.

Crea©tivity is organized by ISIA Firenze, MBVision, Comune di Pontedera, Fondazione Piaggio, in cooperation with Point-Tech, Istituto di Biorobotica della Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Istituto Modartech, 3D Academy, LABA Libera Accademia di Belle Arti, with the patronage of  Regione Toscana, ADI Associazione per il Disegno Industriale, Confindustria

Among the highlights of the twentieth edition is the BioRobotics Institute of the Sant’Anna School, which brings an interdisciplinary approach combining science, engineering, and design with a strong focus on responsible innovation. The Institute’s participation serves as a bridge between technological experimentation and design vision, helping to expand the conversation on how design can translate scientific research into concrete solutions that improve quality of life, human well-being, and the dialogue between humans, machines, and the environment.

Focus and Content of the 2025 Edition

The theme of the 2025 edition is “Micro&Macro,” a paradigm that spans every dimension of design and invites exploration of the creative tension between detail and the big picture. In contemporary design, the “micro” represents a passionate attention to detail, while the “macro” expresses the ability to embrace broad and complex scenarios. It is in their dialogue that design reveals its most authentic strength: transforming reality, creating connections, and opening new horizons of meaning. The theme will be explored across three main areas:

Design x Society investigates design as a tool for vision, inclusion, and sustainability. The event venue, Piaggio, is the perfect symbol: the Vespa, an icon born in 1946, redefined the idea of mobility and brought design into everyday life. Today, social design evolves through new processes and technologies that put creativity at the service of the community. (Temporary Exhibition Hall – Piaggio Museum)

Design Tech focuses on the intersection of design and engineering, where scientific and humanistic approaches merge to shape future scenarios. From biorobotics to nanotechnologies, from new vintage to soft tech, design remains a space of research and innovation, capable of connecting industry, culture, and environment within an integrated vision. (Conference Hall – Piaggio Museum)

Transport Beyond looks beyond traditional mobility to explore new frontiers and perceptions. From vehicle interiors to logistics challenges, design redefines mobility as an experience, combining technology, aesthetics, and materials in increasingly sustainable and engaging solutions. (Pontedera Public Library)

The edition will open with a keynote by Senator Pietro Grasso, followed by institutional greetings and three parallel Open Conferences, where speakers from different fields will offer complementary perspectives on the theme “Micro&Macro,” from detail to the big picture.

At the heart of the event is the WorkOut, a 24-hour creative workshop transforming the Piaggio Museum into a laboratory of ideas: 350 students from schools, universities, and academies will work with senior and junior tutors to develop concepts and prototypes on the theme, culminating in the final awards on Friday at 4:00 PM.

The first day will conclude with Crea©tivity Night, an informal evening of discussion and networking among experts, students, and innovators, featuring lightning talks, aperitifs, and open conversations.

On Friday morning, WorkOut activities and the Roundtable resume, followed in the afternoon by Aftertalks & Awards, with the announcement of the winning projects and the presentation of the Vespa Award in memory of Tommaso Fanfani, co-founder of Crea©tivity alongside Massimiliano “Max” Pinucci and Giuseppe Furlanis.

Recognition

Twenty years of ideas, projects, and visions. In 2025, Crea©tivity celebrates a major milestone, its twentieth anniversary, with dual recognition in the design world. The initiative has been included by ADI – Association for Industrial Design in the ADI Design Index, the prestigious annual selection showcasing the best of Italian design, identified by the Permanent Design Observatory. Inclusion entails publication in the dedicated volume, participation in the traveling exhibition, and access to the Compasso d’Oro, Italy’s most prestigious design award.

Adding to this achievement is the Tuscan Design Excellence Award, presented on October 20 by ADI Toscana at the Florence Chamber of Commerce Salon.

These two recognitions confirm Crea©tivity’s cultural and design value, capable, over twenty years, of transforming the Piaggio Museum – a historic cradle of mobility and design – into a true laboratory for the future.