New Adriatic Innovation Zone by Terna launches with OpenHUB and OpenLAB to support startups, SMEs, and advanced HVDC research

New Adriatic Innovation Zone by Terna launches with OpenHUB and OpenLAB to support startups, SMEs, and advanced HVDC research

(IN BRIEF) Terna has inaugurated the Adriatic Innovation Zone in Ascoli Piceno, a new hub designed to boost innovation and entrepreneurship in the Marche region while supporting the energy transition. The facility, developed with local institutions under the leadership of CEO Giuseppina Di Foggia, will host two main initiatives: OpenHUB, which connects startups and SMEs with industry and finance partners, and OpenLAB, a laboratory focused on HVDC and maritime technologies linked to sustainability. The project strengthens Terna’s commitment to the region, where it plans €700 million in investment through 2034, including the strategic Adriatic Link interconnection between Marche and Abruzzo. With the new hub, Terna seeks to make the Adriatic area a centre of excellence for technological innovation and energy infrastructure.

(PRESS RELEASE) ASCOLI PICENO, 11-Sep-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Terna has officially opened the Adriatic Innovation Zone in Ascoli Piceno, creating a new hub dedicated to research, experimentation, and collaboration to support the energy transition. The launch marks the Group’s third international innovation centre, following similar initiatives in San Francisco and Tunis.

Developed through the vision of Terna’s Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Giuseppina Di Foggia, together with local institutions, the hub is designed to foster cooperation between startups, innovative SMEs, universities, and industry. Its mission is to strengthen the Adriatic entrepreneurial ecosystem while positioning the Marche region as a key driver of technological progress.

The inauguration ceremony welcomed prominent representatives including Lucia Albano, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance; Senator Guido Castelli, Special Commissioner for 2016 Earthquake Repair and Reconstruction; Andrea Maria Antonini, Councillor for Production in the Marche Region; Marco Fioravanti, Mayor of Ascoli Piceno; Gian Luca Gregori, Rector of Marche Polytechnic University; and senior Terna executives including Francesco Salerni, Executive Vice President for Strategy, Digital and Sustainability, and Carla Napolitano, Head of Innovation.

The Adriatic Innovation Zone will serve as a platform for two flagship programmes. The OpenHUB initiative will connect startups and SMEs with industrial, financial, and institutional stakeholders to accelerate business growth. Meanwhile, the OpenLAB will provide a dedicated laboratory for advanced engineering trials, with a focus on High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technologies and maritime solutions — both essential to sustainability and the broader energy transition.

This initiative further demonstrates Terna’s strong commitment to the Marche region, where it has outlined €700 million in investments under its 2025–2034 Development Plan. Among the region’s flagship projects is the Adriatic Link, a 1,000 MW HVDC interconnection spanning approximately 250 km between Marche and Abruzzo, including 210 km of submarine cable. Recognised as strategic infrastructure for Italy, the project will enhance energy security and flexibility while supporting the integration of renewable generation in central regions.

By opening the Adriatic Innovation Zone, Terna aims not only to drive the next wave of energy technologies but also to catalyse economic and entrepreneurial development across the Adriatic area.

Media Contact:

Tel: +39 06 83139081
Fax: +39 06 83138372
e-mail: ufficio.stampa@terna.it

SOURCE: TERNA