International Academy
Bergamo Città Impresa – Festival of Industrial Territories
Applications are now open for the Academy Project of the Città Impresa Festival, open to students from bachelor’s, master’s and PhD from all European and International Universities. The festival will be held in Bergamo from November 7 to 9, 2025.
The Academy Project aims to offer a unique opportunity for meeting, exchange, and training, through active participation in the event, which ensures selected students:
- Preferential access to all scheduled events (conferences, talks, and seminars);
- Opportunities for direct interaction and dialogue between students and entrepreneurs from the best Italian companies;
- Guided visits to selected companies, with entrepreneurs or qualified technical figures leading the visits (for students opting for option 1).
Students interested in applying can choose from two options:
- Option 1 | Guided visits to companies + participation in the Festival: The Academy will take place from Thursday, November 6 to Sunday, November 9, for a total of 4 days/3 nights
- Option 2 | Participation in the Festival: The Academy will take place from Friday, November 7 to Sunday, November 9, for a total of 3 days/2 nights
CONFIRMED GUESTS FOR THIS EDITION: Gregorio De Felice, Chief Economist at Intesa Sanpaolo Bank; Valeria Brambilla, CEO at Deloitte & Touche; Marco Varvello, RAI correspondent in London; Daniele Franco, former Italian Minister of Economy and Finance, State Accountant General, and Director General of the Bank of Italy; Stefano Manservisi, Director General for Development Cooperation at the European Commission.
The Città Impresa Festival is promoted by ItalyPost, in collaboration with the European Commission and Kilometro Rosso, with the main partnership of Intesa Sanpaolo Bank and Brembo Company.
The first application deadline is Sunday, August 3, 2025.
Additional deadlines will follow based on available spots.
Scholarships to participate in the festival città impresa Academy
This year, the Città Impresa Festival is particularly focused on engaging young students from Internazional Universities, offering them a unique opportunity for meeting, exchange, and training. The organization is offering a number of scholarships for students to apply for the Città Impresa Academy and access accommodation scholarships.
The event program
The program is being finalized and will be available in the coming weeks on this website. Below is a brief overview of the key elements of the event.
Bergamo Città Impresa – Festival of Industrial Territories, during its 19th edition, will invite entrepreneurs, economists, institutional representatives, and journalists to discuss the challenges and opportunities related to the redefinition of geopolitical balances, the energy crisis, and the need to relaunch growth in major European countries.
The theme for this year’s edition will be: EUROPE AT THE CROSSROADS
The Festival will offer an in-depth analysis of the political and economic transformations in the continent with confirmed guests such as Bill Emmot, to discuss the UK situation; Mariam Lau, to understand Germany under Merz; Anais Voy-Gillis, to explore the dynamics of the French industry; and many others, including Marco Varvello, RAI correspondent in London; Daniele Franco, former Italian Minister of Economy and Finance, State Accountant General, and Director General of the Bank of Italy; Stefano Manservisi, Director General for Development Cooperation at the European Commission.
Also at the center of the debate will be the new relationship between America and China, in a world where tensions between great powers directly affect trade, investment, and security.
Company visits
Students selected for option 1 (company visits + Festival) will have the opportunity to participate in guided visits to selected companies, real case studies of product and process innovation. The visits will take place on the afternoon of Thursday, November 6 and the morning of Friday, November 7, 2025.
Students from previous Academy editions have visited companies included in the annual ItalyPost Research, which ranks the best companies in the Lombardia Region.
Key criteria include:
- Revenue between €30 million and €500 million
- Average annual growth of at least 10% over the past 6 years
- High profitability demonstrated by an EBITDA above 9%
- Financial solidity guaranteed by a maximum net debt/EBITDA ratio of 1.5
The companies we have visited include: Remazel Engineering, Persico Group, Lovato Electric, Fassi Gru, Acerbis, Siad Group, Pietro Fiorentini, Zordan, Cielo e Terra, ABB Italia, Marelli Motori, Morato Pane, Zamperla, and many others.
Benefits for selected students
The Academy Project at the Bergamo Città Impresa Festival offers 200 accommodation scholarships, which include:
- Preferential accessand reserved seating for event sessions, with opportunities for direct dialogue with speakers after sessions
- Guided visits to companies (for those selecting option 1)
- Accommodation in shared rooms at partner hotels for the duration of the stay, depending on the option chosen by the student, with the possibility of requesting extra nights for an additional fee
- Fixed-menu lunches and dinners at venues indicated by the organization
- Transfers between hotels, Festival venues (where necessary), and selected companies during the visit itinerary (option 1)
- At the end of the event, an official certificate of participation will be issued, only for students attending the scheduled events
The accommodation scholarships cover 50% of the organization’s costs. To confirm participation, selected students must pay a fee, depending on the chosen option:
- Option 1 | Guided visits + Festival participation (4 days / 3 nights): €360
- Option 2 | Festival participation (3 days / 2 nights): €260
Note: Travel expenses to and from Bergamo are the responsibility of the selected students.
A valuable addition to your CV!
At the end of the event, you will receive an official certificate of participation, which you can include in your CV as proof of an exclusive training experience recognized by Italy’s leading companies.
How to apply for the accommodation scholarships
To apply for the accommodation scholarships, simply fill out the form available by cliking here and specify which type of scholarship you wish to apply for (option 1 or 2).
The deadline for submitting applications is August 3, 2025.
Additional deadlines will follow, depending on availability.
Selected students must attend the event program defined by the Festival Città Impresa organization and actively participate in the activities planned for the three days of the event.
Applications will be selected and approved until all spots are filled. The selection of candidates will be at the sole discretion of the festival’s organizational team.
Our staff will provide selected students with all necessary information regarding meals, accommodation, and the event schedule and will communicate the payment details for the participation fee.
FAQ
If you have any doubts or questions regarding the application process, accommodations at Bergamo Città Impresa, or what to do in case of withdrawal after paying the participation fee, click here to find answers to the most common questions.
For more information
Contact us Monday to Friday, from 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 6 PM, at the following:
M. academy@italypost.it
T. 0490991240