Leonardo Awards, winning companies and universities meet Mattarella at the Quirinale

Alongside them, the ceremony was attended by the winners of the Graduation Prizes 2025, the awards made available by the Leonardo Committee to enhance the best university theses dedicated to Made in Italy. These students are offered a scholarship or a paid internship at one of the Committee's companies.

The eight theses awarded this year rangedfrom technological innovation to industrial sustainability, and agribusiness. Over the years, the Comitato Leonardo's Degree Awards project has concretely supported over 160 young graduates, facilitating their entry into the world of work thanks to the collaboration with some of Italy's most important businesses.

The President of the Leonardo Committee, Sergio Dompé, said: 'The companies awarded this year confirm the extraordinary ability of Made in Italy to innovate and compete in global markets, thanks to a heritage of know-how and creativity recognised worldwide. At the same time, the eight young talents we celebrated today represent the new lifeblood of the country: brilliant paths, transversal skills, a solid education. As Comitato Leonardo, we will continue our commitment to promote the competitiveness of Made in Italy companies, their heritage and values, supporting Italy's growth in the coming years'.

The winners of the Leonardo Prizes 2025

- Leonardo Award 2025: Giovanni Ferrero, Executive Chairman of the Ferrero Group

- Leonardo Sustainability and Innovation Award 2025: Giuseppe Lavazza, Chairman Lavazza Group

- Leonardo Qualità Italia 2025 Award: Fabrizio Di Amato, President and Founder of MAIRE

- Leonardo Prize Quality Italy 2025: Armando de Nigris, President of Acetificio Marcello De Nigris 1889

- Leonardo Qualità Italia 2025 Award: Alessandro Garrone, Executive Deputy Chairman ERG Group

- Leonardo Qualità Italia 2025 Award: Marco Nocivelli, Managing Director Epta SpA

- Leonardo Impresa Sociale 2025 Award: Alberto Balestrazzi, Founder auticon Italia

- Leonardo Impresa Giovane 2025 Award: Matteo Minelli, CEO Universo FLEA

- Leonardo International 2025 Award: Byung Joon Han, Co-founder and CEO Silicon Box

Graduation Prize Winners 2025

- GSE Gestione Servizi Energetici Award to Andrea Alberoni for his thesis 'Energy Models as a Tool for Net-Zero Policies', University of Bologna

- Alfredo Canessa' Prize Centro di Firenze per la Moda Italiana to Arianna Biliorsi for her thesis 'Fashion and Social Media in synergy: insights into Brand Communication through case studies', University of Bologna

- Zonin 1821 Prize to Alberto Cumerlato for his thesis 'Market trends and evolutionary approaches in the wine sector: a possible revival among young people. The case of Zonin 2821', University of Verona

- Dompé farmaceutici Prize to Alessandra De Santis for her thesis 'Characterisation of acute myeloid leukaemia with extramedullary localisation in Patient Derived Xenografts models of AML with nucleophosmin mutation NPM-1', University of Perugia

- Fabbrica D'Armi Pietro Beretta Prize to Veronica La Regina for her thesis 'AI and Ergonomics: use of common AI tools in industrial design', University of Gugliemo Marconi

- Centro Orafo il Tarì Prize to Rocco Macrì for his thesis 'The Precious Survivors of Pompeii', La Sapienza University of Rome

- Pelliconi Prize to Michela Scaloni for her thesis 'Made in Italy in the Chinese market: evolution of consumer behaviour and growth strategies', UNINT International University of Rome

- Simest Prize to Elena Vian for her thesis 'The trade in raw materials and the war conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Legal and customs analysis of today's international scenario', UNINT International University of Rome