" We are coming to Lugano in order to develop new projects."

Antares Vision, a startup founded by two former university classmates, Emidio Zorzella and Massimo Bonardi, is on its way to Ticino. Antares has been listed on the Milan Stock Exchange beginning in 2019, and has investments and projects in several parts of the world. It is an international leader in visual inspection, product tracking and data management systems for pharmaceuticals.

So why has Emidio Zorzella decided to invest in Ticino?

"Our mission is precisely to accelerate technological innovation and digitalization to guarantee transparency, safety and sustainability of products and supply chains to safeguard companies and consumers. Our presence in Ticino, is therefore aimed at innovation. Becoming part of Lifestyle-Tech Competence Center is a logical step for us given our core business in the technology field, but also a great opportunity to share innovative projects with excellent partners, between industrial realities and the academic world, to find solutions that can improve people's lives."

There has been a lot of work in Switzerland around technology and digital. Do you also see this in Italy?

" Switzerland is an incubator of innovation and a very attractive country for investment. It has been leading, for more than a decade, the ranking of the Global Innovation Index, the world's most innovative countries, due to the presence of major research and academic institutions as well as the ability to transform the result of R&D into the creation of marketable products. As a Group we are operating in a global market and we are always looking for places with a calling for innovation where we can develop new solutions, with the awareness that the creation of value must take place on the territory where we are present and as a listed company we operate with maximum disclosure."

Lugano is now a firm fixture in the innovation strategy, between Milan and Zurich. Do you share this perception?

"Certainly, also given the territorial proximity and the language spoken, Lugano is the gateway between Northern Italy and the heart of Switzerland. Lugano and Canton Ticino are appealing places for innovation with a presence of skills, knowledge and networks that can transform ideas into tangible products. It is an area that boasts networks such as Lifestyle Tech Competence Center, part of the Switzerland Innovation Park, top research institutes, such as SUPSI and USI, and an educational level of excellence, especially in ICT / AI. Lugano, consequently, is the perfect example of working together, mixing ideas."

You are present in different parts of the world. In addition to digitizing products, you are also expanding your offerings into other areas. which ones and why? Also, what made you choose to target the food sector, for instance?

"Our technologies were established to ensure the high quality, safety of products for the benefit of citizens and trademark protection. Building on our expertise in the pharmaceutical sector, which by its nature requires more and more sophisticated controls that are also regulated by different states, we have been able to develop a platform for one of the most crucial sectors for people's health and safety, such as the agri-food sector."

Can product traceability be guaranteed right down to the details today?

"Today we have a comprehensive and unique ecosystem of technologies to ensure product quality (inspection systems and machines) and the traceability of products along the supply chain (from raw materials, production, and distribution to the consumer), with integrated data management, including via artificial intelligence and the use of blockchain. And our know-how on tracking and inspection can be adapted to any industry. As an example, besides pharma, medical devices and food we operate within the cosmetics and beverage market."

First the pandemic, now the reflections of the conflict in Ukraine. To invest at this time is also an act of courage. Which market prospects do you envision in the coming years?

"The challenges ahead are complicated, between the continuing health emergency, the difficulty in sourcing electronic components, the rising cost of logistics, as well as the conflict in Ukraine. Nevertheless, we look to the future with a cautious optimism, hoping that the situation can settle down as soon as possible. We make it a point to innovate and digitize, which are unstoppable trends, and operate in an area that meets the demands of companies, governments/institutions and consumers for transparency, safety and sustainability of products and supply chains."

How confident are you?

"What was mentioned earlier leads me to be hopeful and to pursue even more wholeheartedly our business vision to improve people's quality of life and the protection of those who strive daily to produce socially and financially sustainable goods. Great challenges await us, and as entrepreneurs we are constantly monitoring the changes in the markets."

The development of digital and technology is a booming sector. Do you think you can find suitable professional figures for your type of project?

"We have decided to have a footprint in Ticino for the development of R&D activities. Our goal is to start a journey from funding the un Feasibility Project- Innosuisse in collaboration with SUPSI to further develop a full traceability platform from origin (raw materials) to consumer. We will define the supply chains for which we will carry out the development, also with a national or international partner that we are currently seeking. Depending on the results and the scale of the project, we will evaluate the opening of an Innovation Center with the hiring of resources. We are confident that Ticino can offer expertise in technology, and we know that the area will be able to support our path."