This summer, I had the pleasure of embarking on a transformative journey across the globe. I would have never guessed I would’ve taken my first solo international flight at the age of 17 to explore the wonders Silicon Valley has to offer, and I wouldn’t have imagined the world that was waiting for me on the other side!

This journey has been truly eye-opening. Through the Silicon Valley Study Tour I spent a week visiting companies such as Apple, Google, Pure Storage, and Udemy. Connecting with Italian professionals who have built successful careers in Silicon Valley has transformed my view of the world; their stories of perseverance were the greatest demonstration that anything is possible.

Most of all, I am thankful to everyone who made this possible; from Mr. Paolo Marenco to our outstanding tour guides Simone Dalledonne and Eleonora Carletti.

I have been in the Bay Area, California from 9th to 17th of August.

Thanks to the scholarship from Silicon Valley Study Tour, I was able to visit various universities and companies such as Apple, Pure Storage, Google, Sysdig, Bootstrap Labs, an Ares company, Udemy, Minerva CQ, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley , and participate to a meeting of BAIA Business Association Italy America.

Throughout our visits, we encountered and conversed with numerous inspiring, talented individuals who shared their personal experiences, career journeys, and achievements in their professional endeavors. 🧠

What I have gained from this wonderful experience is the realization that everything is achievable, even the things we believe to be unattainable. There are no problems, only challenges, no failures or mistakes, only opportunities. Therefore, take a chance and embrace the unknown future, despite its uncertainty.

Special thanks to Paolo Marenco and all those I have had the privilege of sharing this one-of-a-kind experience with.

I have been in the Bay Area, California from 9th to 17th of August.
Thanks to Silicon Valley Study Tour I have had the opportunity to visit universities and companies like Minerva CQ, Pure Storage, Google, Sysdig, Bootstrap Labs, Udemy, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, and participate to a meeting of BAIA Business Association Italy America. During our visits, we met and talk with a lot of brilliant, motivating people who told us their stories, their career path and how they succeeded in their career.
What I have learned from this beautiful experience is the awareness that everything is possible, even what we think to be impossible. And there are not problems, but challenges, not failures or mistakes, but opportunities. So, risk everything and welcome the future, even if it is not certain. 🧠

Thanks to Paolo Marenco and everyone with whom I have shared this unique experience

Wow! I recently flew back to Italy after a wonderful experience in California USA. Thanks to Silicon Valley Study Tour I was able to achieve one of my big goals: to visit the heart of the global tech industry.
We met many enlightening hard workers who told us their fantastic stories and explained how and why that small strip of land became what it is now.
One of the things I have appreciated most is the mindset of the people who work and live there. Problems become challenges and mistakes become opportunities.
I also had the change to visit the entire city of San Francisco, which I personally think is magnificent.
Finally, I want to thank everyone who kindly hosted us and treated us so well, especially Mrs. Toby Levine and Mr. Paolo Marenco, as well as the two tour guides Simone Dalledonne and Eleonora Carletti, who made this happen.

I’m honoured to have been part of this journey!
I learned a lot in these days in Silicon Valley, especially, I understood what drives the brightest minds of the world and the importance of a strong network for a successful career.
Finally, I’m grateful for everyone of my travel companions: I could have not asked for better people to share this adventure with. I met exceptional indivudals from wich I learned a lot.
Thank you so much Silicon Valley Study Tour and thanks a lot iBicocca for making all this possibile.
Ad maiora

We have reached the tenth anniversary of SVST 🎂 .

What is SVST? It’s an experience that can radically change your life, just as it did with mine.

Let me take a step back: I was a young university student, motivated and passionate about all subjects related to computer science and innovation. During a course on economics and innovation, taught by two incredible professors, Paola Pisano and Marco Pironti, I had the opportunity to participate in an extraordinary project called the Silicon Valley Study Tour.

The goal was to visit the technological and innovative ecosystem of Silicon Valley and return to Italy with a wealth of ideas and inspiration. And that’s exactly what happened. Reaching this milestone wasn’t easy: together with my fellow university students, professionals, and supporters, we launched a crowdfunding campaign that allowed us to fly more than 10’000 km from Turin and land as true pioneers.

That’s right, this was the mission’s title: – to be pioneers of Silicon Valley – .

I remember every step I took in those days, every single thing I saw, every person I spoke to, as if it were yesterday.
I had the great and respectful honor of meeting Loris Degioanni, an encounter that I will carry in my heart for the rest of my life. It was thrilling to share the entire journey (before, during, and after the trip) with Andrea Scianò, a perfect travel companion and my best friend. I also fondly remember the impeccable guidance of Paolo Marenco and Carola Pescio Canale during the various tours, and the adventures shared with the colleagues who joined me on this trip as Pietro Marenco,Dennis Rava, Giovanni Landi, Trevor Devalle, Mariagrazia Pisseri, Giacomo Carozza, Salvatore D’Oro, Giovanni Merlino and others.

I recall visits to Ericsson, Facebook, Google, NetApp, Mashape and A3Cube, which kindly welcomed us and allowed us to visit their incredible facilities.

It doesn’t matter where I am today geographically; my mindset is still that of a young pioneer who wants to innovate, and the energy of the Silicon Valley air is now an integral part of my way of thinking.

This is a token of gratitude to everyone who believed in me 10 years ago and all those who supported us in the crowdfunding campaign, such as Vittorio Viarengo, Marco Toledo, Movincom Servizi S.p.A., Viviana Bono, Lorenzo Tassone, Claudia Negro, Mauro Giraudo, Luca Console, Elena Marcelli and others. I will never let go of my sense of gratitude towards them.

Finally, I want to extend a special thanks to Tosetti Value – Il Family office, which I still consider “home” to this day. It’s an environment where I grew up and absorbed professional values and a deep sense of respect for work and people.

I wish the best of luck to all those who have embarked and will embark on the Silicon Valley adventure, because they will be the new pioneers.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone.

Written in August 2024

Today marks an important anniversary for me: 10 years ago, I had the fortune of participating in the Silicon Valley Study Tour, an experience that radically changed the course of my life.

Ever since my dad gave me my first 80286 computer when I was 5, I knew that computer science would be a significant part of my life. Then, ten years ago, I suddenly found myself in the heart of technological innovation, surrounded by extraordinary people, visionary companies, and startups ready to challenge the status quo—it was a unique experience. That intense week was not only an opportunity for professional growth but also a window into a world that, until then, I had only dreamed of. It allowed me to understand what it truly means to build products from scratch, to innovate, to find new solutions to new problems, and how important it is to cultivate an open and forward-thinking mindset.

But getting there wasn’t easy. To participate in the trip, my colleagues and I from the Università degli Studi di Torino had to organize a crowdfunding campaign to cover the costs, supported by special exceptional professors, Paola Pisano and Marco Pironti, who believed in us from the very beginning. Without their help and the support of the companies they connected us with (thanks Tosetti Value – Il Family office and Movincom Servizi S.p.A.) we wouldn’t have made it. This success made the experience even more special, knowing that behind it was the support and trust of those who encouraged us to pursue our dreams.

During that amazing tour, at that time brilliantly led by the great Paolo Marenco and Carola Pescio Canale, I was lucky enough to meet a newly-founded startup in San Francisco that believed in me and my—at that time, limited—abilities, giving me the opportunity to enter the world I had always wanted to be a part of, and to work alongside the best in the field. It’s incredible that I still have the honor of being part of that team today.

Between sessions and company visits with the friend for life Gabriele Muscogiuri, I formed friendships that last to this day. The laughter, shared adventures, and moments of camaraderie made that experience not only educational but also personally enriching and unforgettable. Thanks Giovanni Landi, Dennis Rava, Trevor Devalle, Pietro Marenco, Giacomo Carozza, Salvatore D’Oro.

Looking back, I realize how much that experience has influenced my choices and my journey.

For this reason, I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to make that adventure possible: Vittorio Viarengo, Viviana Bono, Lorenzo Tassone, Claudia Negro, Mauro Giraudo, Luca Console, Elena Marcelli, Beverly Bertolino Ph.D., and others.

Ten years have passed, but the impact of that experience continues to be felt every day. I am proud to be part of a community that believes in the power of innovation and the strength of global connections. And I can’t wait to see what the next ten years will bring.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Written in August 2024

One year ago was the best trip in my professional career so far. With the Rome Business School Bootcamp I was able to visit #SiliconValley.

Together with prof. Antonio Scialletti, Andrea Parodi and Giovanni Pollara I stepped ‘into the future’ visiting Big Tech companies like Meta, Google, Juniper as they opened their doors.

What I learned on this trip is vast. And one year later I can say with confidence that it helped me through some challenging career moments this past year.

One high note was sitting down with industry top leaders, asking them questions and having those questions reciprocated. Leading to vibrant conversations about leadership, our future as a species and upcoming technology trends that will impact our lives. The confidence this gave me was like a rush and I will always keep in it my back-pocket.

A few takeaways that I still think of one year later:

Lead with kindness. Come from a place of curiosity and compassion. It is not only closer to our human nature, it is also more fun and will give back.
• Have a solid partner who will have your back. “Yes it sounds cheesy”- that’s exactly what CEOAlessandra Costa herself said as well, but I find it to be very true. Someone who you can trust and dream with. Who can envision your future bigger than where you are now.
• Keep on learning and dare to learn from others. There is no limit to your ambitions. Personally this is a big one for me, with my serendipitous start in Finance a few years ago to the rest of the horizon of my career. Your background field of study should never limit you in your future- Don’t let it!
• Traveling and meeting others is a great gift.

The Bootcamp did not just open the doors to SV but to other students on this trip, who came from all over the world and that I am so happy to have gotten to know. Fellow students (fellow dreamers?) from all different fields. Each as ambitious and curious. Driving conversations further well after the company visits late into the evening. I still think of you all fondly!

Thank you Rome Business School for making this possible as well as: Google, Meta, Cisco, University of California, Berkeley Stanford University, Juniper Networks, Synopsys Inc, Minerva CQ, Mind the Bridge, Accenture, Noventi and Silicon Valley Study Tour.

Oh and yes, seeing driverless cars driving through the city traffic was truly sci-fi and out of this world.

Written in August 2024

I want to thank Boolean and Silicon Valley Study Tour for the incredible opportunity they gave me. About a month ago ended the most incredible, beautiful and enriching experience I have ever had. Spending the month of August in Silicon Valley changed my vision of the world and the perception of my possibilities. Listen to the lessons of to the top managers, CEOs and researchers of the most innovative California companies including Google, Meta, Apple and many others, was absolutely enlightening. thank you with all my heart.

What a treat it was to host this group of energetic individuals at Cadence! Incredible conversations and eyes open into a future full of opportunities. Kudos to Paolo Marenco for assembling such a diverse group representing 10+ Italian Universities and half a dozen countries. And big THANK YOU to our recent college grads for helping me host.

Expectations before the Tour were high, but in reality I don’t believe who has described the Silicon Valley like something incredible, unique and awesome. Well, after the Tour I changed completly my idea!. I has been in other places also for work, but Silicon Valley is completly different from the rest of the world. The main thing that has me impressed is the dynamism and energy of the Silicon Valley workers. The speed of taking decisions is something incredible for us. Moreover, for IT engineers there you can find the top. If you have the possibility to go there, speak with people, you will find the maximum concentration of technology, innovations, ideas which has to be taken to reality. In other words: IMPRESSIVE.

I have had the possibility to make an interview (two in reality) with one company there for an
internship. Well, we will see what happens after. One thing that I have taken home with me after this tour is the consciousness of living the present. Is not important what you have made in the past, or what is your expectation of the future, you have to work hard and to create opportunities for you.

Finally I need to give thanks to Paolo. This opportunity has changend my mind (and he knows this words!). As I have told to him the last day, we open our minds to 1080 degrees!

Dear Paolo,
it’s incredible to think how just two weeks can change you forever.
It’s not only seeing wonderful places you dreamed about since you were a kid.
It’s not only “sittin’ on the dock of the bay” or going up Sand Hill
Road, knowing that “if you’re going to San Francisco summertime will
be a loving day”.
It’s not only have the possibility to say, once you’re back home, “I
was there where everything started. And where it starts again every
day”.
It’s not only visiting some of the top industries of the world.
It’s not only walking the same streets the founders of them companies
walked (and still walk).
It’s not only meeting some of the best Silicon Valley startuppers and
asking them lots of questions.
It’s not only finding out that they are listening to you and they are
eager to reply and help you.
It’s not only having job interviews and giving your CV to people
offering you internships or thesis, even in a year of world crisis,
and discovering that if you try hard you really can get what you want
sooner or later.
It’s not only understanding the amazing world of venture capitalists.
It’s not only listening to people who believe in sentences like these:
“What matters is not ideas, but the people who have them. Good people
can fix bad ideas, but good ideas can’t save bad people” and “Have the
courage to follow your heart and intuition”.
It’s not only coming back with an almost painful longing for doing
something great and beginning to understand that it IS possible to do
something great, wherever you are, if you are hungry and young enough
(speaking about heart and soul, not age, of course).
It’s not only doing all this with students (and not only) like you,
with whom you immediately become friend for the rest of your life
because you all share the same ambitions and dreams.
It’s not only being part of something great, together, discovering
that greatness, no matter how brief, stays with a man forever.
It’s all of this and much more.

But words are not enough, you need to live it.
And if you do, you know what I’m talking about.
See you there,

Written in March 2010

Paolo’s “Storia nel Futuro” and “Silicon Valley Study Tour” initiatives do a great job of creating a bridge between Italian students in different Universities and Italian entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. Through the program, young Italians get a chance to experience the entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley and be inspired by people who have achieved their dreams working in the heart of the world’s most famous valley of Innovation. Paolo this experience can not be lost. Please, start the ex-alumni community of the “Storia nel Futuro” and the “Silicon Valley Study Tour”. Thank you

People must never stop dreaming but Silicon Valley Study Tour can definetly turn real what a minute before was just a dream”, this is what I think now after experiencing the SVST09 during which I had the opportunity that led me to a workplace in a US National Laboratory. Paolo, your Study Tour is not only an occasion to find a thesis or an interview abroad, it’s a trip that can shape the mind of a student, getting new contacts and experiencing the heart of the world high tech. Your efforts bring life to a real bridge between Italy and the US. Keep growing the network and believing in what you do, because our talent and our sake of new challenges would be nothing without the occasion you give us!

A song for Jeff Capaccio, SVIEC Chairman
Poetry and song – Last night in San Francisco

For me it was the second time in SV but there’s always something new to learn.

I came back home with a huge will of trying and never be scared of ask something to anyone. The SVST is a real shock!noboby can go home without have changed something in its life. I am back with more optimism and a new quote:
“Try and fail, but don’t fail to try.”

If we want to make Italy a better country we have to start! And i believe that Paolo is on the right wat with the Silicon Valley Study Tour! Thanks again for this absolutely terrific experience!

Paolo Marenco is for sure one of the most open-minded and innovative person I know. The Silicon Valley Study Tour led every summer by Paolo is a terrific and enriching experience. I strongly suggest to every student willing to “touch” Silicon Valley and to network with great and passionate people. I am happy to see the number of participants growing year by year confirming the success of the Tour and Paolo’s vision.