e-Novia at WMF 2026 to share a practical view of innovation

From 24 to 26 June, e-Novia joined WMF – We Make Future at BolognaFiere, one of the international events dedicated to innovation, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

For e-Novia, WMF 2026 was an opportunity to engage with startups, companies, investors and innovation stakeholders, while sharing its approach as a Venture Studio and Innovation Consulting partner for organizations looking to turn ideas, technologies and research capabilities into market-ready solutions.

At the center of e-Novia’s presence was Physical AI. This means the convergence of artificial intelligence, sensing, embedded software and physical systems. It is not only about using AI as a digital tool. It is about making products, machines and processes more intelligent, adaptive and connected to the real needs of businesses and people.

A place to observe how innovation is evolving

WMF brings together companies, startups, investors, institutions and international technology communities. In this environment, e-Novia contributed a perspective focused on execution, shaped by its work with companies, founders, researchers and industrial partners.

Innovation today cannot be understood only as the generation of new ideas. It increasingly depends on the ability to identify promising technologies, validate them in real operating contexts and build sustainable growth paths around them.

This is where e-Novia’s role becomes relevant. Through its Venture Studio, e-Novia supports the creation and development of new technology ventures. Through its Innovation Consulting practice, it helps companies define transformation paths, develop new products and integrate intelligent technologies into industrial processes.

Federico Moro in the Startup Competition jury

One of the key moments of e-Novia’s participation was the presence of Federico Moro, Head of e-Novia Venture Studio, in the jury of the Startup Competition, dedicated to some of the most promising entrepreneurial projects selected at international level.

The Startup Competition offered a valuable point of view on the trends shaping technology entrepreneurship. The strongest projects were not only based on new technologies. They addressed real industrial and social needs, with a clear focus on applicability, scalability and impact.

One insight clearly emerged. The quality of a startup does not depend only on the strength of the initial idea. It also depends on the conditions built around that idea. Technology validation, market understanding, development capabilities and access to the right ecosystem all play a decisive role.

For a Venture Studio, this is a central part of the work. Turning an opportunity into a company requires more than funding or mentoring. It requires hands-on execution, multidisciplinary expertise and the ability to connect research, industry and capital around a shared direction.

YAPE as a concrete example of Physical AI

During the event, a concrete example of Physical AI came from YAPE, a venture from the e-Novia group. WMF organizers selected YAPE as an autonomous ground drone to support merchandising delivery across the exhibition spaces.

YAPE shows what it means to bring artificial intelligence into the physical world. Its software does not operate in an abstract digital environment. It interprets space, reads the surrounding context and adapts to real operating conditions.

This capability is particularly relevant when autonomy has to interact with dynamic environments, changing routes, people, objects and infrastructure. In these contexts, AI creates value when it can work reliably outside controlled settings and integrate with existing processes.

The same logic can be applied to other off-highway scenarios, including agriculture, industrial logistics, yard operations and special-purpose vehicles. These are areas where autonomous systems can support efficiency, flexibility and operational continuity, especially when traditional automation is difficult to deploy.

For e-Novia, YAPE also represents a broader innovation principle. A technology developed for a specific use case can evolve over time, move into new fields of application and open new industrial opportunities. This is one of the ways in which Physical AI can generate impact beyond the original product or context.

From event presence to ecosystem value

e-Novia’s participation in WMF 2026 confirmed an important point for companies, startups and investors. Innovation is not an isolated process. It is an ecosystem that requires different capabilities, a clear understanding of market needs and practical tools to reduce the distance between research and industrial application.

In this scenario, e-Novia works as a partner for organizations that want to make innovation more concrete. The Venture Studio contributes to building new Physical AI companies, connecting founders, technology, industrial partners and capital. The Innovation Consulting practice supports companies in shaping and developing solutions that can improve products, services and processes.

WMF was therefore more than an exhibition presence. It was a moment for listening, exchanging perspectives and validating market directions. It offered a valuable opportunity to meet startups and partners, while bringing an industrial view to the future of artificial intelligence.

Physical AI as a driver of transformation

The main message emerging from e-Novia’s experience at WMF 2026 is that the future of AI will not be defined only by digital models. It will also depend on the ability of those models to create impact within physical systems.

Intelligent products, autonomous vehicles, connected machines and AI-enabled industrial processes are already reshaping the way companies design, operate and compete. To build this future, organizations need technological expertise, entrepreneurial vision and execution capabilities.

This is the intersection where e-Novia continues to work. By combining venture building and innovation consulting, e-Novia helps transform research and technology into companies, products and processes that create measurable value.

Discover how e-Novia supports companies, researchers and industrial partners in adopting Physical AI technologies.