The Digital District of Reggio Emilia represents a territorial best practice in terms of innovation, digital transformation, education, training and attractiveness. As such, it has been selected among the projects that will participate to the mission organized by the Emilia-Romagna Region at Expo Dubai 2020, mission that involves the top actors of its advanced mechanical engineering. 

The mission aims to promote international investments, R&D activities and training actions, and to start new partnerships and collaborations in the development of innovative projects with UAE or other countries, generating opportunities for regional companies and R&D laboratories.

The Digital District will be presented by the innovation centre REI Foundation (Fondazione REI) with the support of Unindustria Reggio Emilia. The project – that has found a place on an important international stage such as Expo – represents an effective collaboration between public and private sectors, putting research and highly qualified skills at the core of its development model. Its main objective from the mission is to attract innovative investments and to start long-lasting relationships with companies and innovation centers.

Fondazione REI will participate to the mission with President Fausto Mazzali and Director Andrea Parmeggiani; Unindustria Reggio Emilia will participate with President Fabio Storchi e General Director Filippo Di Gregorio.

The mission to Expo Dubai 2020 - that will take place during the Thematic Business Forum Travel & Connectivity of January 12th and the Emilia-Romagna Regional Day and the AI Forum (both on January 13th) - includes a visit to the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park, B2B meetings with delegation representatives in dedicated and personalized space, as well as networking activities. 

Subjects involved in the initiative, in addition to the Digital District, are key actors of the regional innovation ecosystem: Clust-ER MECH, association including companies, laboratories and training institutes, that involved several members in this mission in Dubai; the Regional Government - supported by its agency for investment promotion ART-ER Attractiveness Research Territory - strongly committed to support inward and outward internationalization activities.