The inaugural board meeting of the National Underwater Dimension Hub Foundation (‘Pns’) convened today at the Italian Navy’s Support and Experimentation Centre in La Spezia. Established in May, the foundation aims to coordinate and promote Italy’s integrated underwater capabilities across civilian, industrial, scientific, and military sectors.
Constituted by the Ministry of Defence and Defence Services as a non-profit public-private partnership serving the public interest, the foundation acts as the institutional and operational core for the National Underwater Dimension Hub. This initiative strengthens public-private cooperation in underwater domain development, focusing on technological advancement, scientific research, industrial growth, enhanced national competitiveness, and protection of intellectual property.
Foundation governance includes President Roberta Pinotti (former Defence Minister), Vice President Luca Andreoli (CEO of Defence Services), and board members: Barbara Caputo (Director of Polytechnic University of Turin’s AI Excellence Centre), Cristiano Ghirlanda (Board Member of Fondazione Carispezia and CEO of Euroguarco Spa), along with the Board of Auditors, Director General, and General Assembly of founding members. Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy Admiral Enrico Credendino, the foundation’s honorary president, also attended the meeting.
“The governance of the National Underwater Dimension Hub now takes full shape,” stated Pinotti, describing it as “a future centre of excellence for research, innovation, and strategic cooperation in the underwater domain.” Andreoli emphasized the hub addresses “technological, economic, and geopolitical challenges,” reinforcing “Italy’s position as a European and Mediterranean leader in this crucial security and industrial development sector.” He characterized the foundation as “an innovation laboratory” fostering public-private integration. Admiral Credendino concluded it is “the key instrument to enhance the hub’s economic, technological, and industrial impact, ensuring its medium-to-long term attractiveness and sustainability.”
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