BAIAblog

Event Recap: Beyond Borders, The Age of Global Biotech

Last Thursday, BAIA held the much awaited panel event discussion with Pitch Johnson, as moderator, in conversation with David Low, Douglas Crawford, Roberto Crea, and Napoleone Ferrara at Squire Sanders law firm in downtown San Francisco.

Sponsored by Grazia Bennett of Sotheby’s International Realty, the event was a great way to network with industry experts and learn about biotechnology: an exciting, difficult, and life-changing area of science and research. It is no surprise to us that we had a sold-out event and every guest showed us their eagerness to attend.

Left to right: Dr. Crawford, Mr. Low, Mr. Johnson, Dr. Ferrara, Dr. Crea (photo courtesy of Aurora Meneghello Productions)

In synopsis, Dr. Crea and Dr. Ferrara shared their stories at Genentech (now a member of the Roche Group), in the biotech industry, and their decision to leave Italy to come to the US. Pitch Johnson, Mr. Low and Dr. Crawford explained how funding cycles and innovation capital requirements are affecting the biotech industry, and finally, how biotech companies will have to overcome both scientific challenges and compete in the international arena.

The Stories of Two Italian Scientists: Dr. Crea and Dr. Ferrara

In 1974, Dr. Crea earned a Ph.D in Biological Chemistry at the University of Pavia, Italy. In 1981, Dr. Ferrara earned a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the University of Catania Medical School, Italy. In the 80s, if you asked both Dr. Crea and Dr. Ferrara what biotechnology was, they would have not been able to give you an answer: the biotech industry was just beginning, and both independently saw an opportunity to continue their passion for scientific research in the San Francisco Bay Area.

With the “right skills at the right time,” in 1978 Dr. Crea became Genentech’s first Director of the Nucleic Acid Department, and one of the four members of Genentech’s initial scientific team. In 1989 and also with the right skills, Dr. Ferrara and his team of scientists at Genentech made a groundbreaking discovery that opened doors to our understanding and treatment of cancer. Most notably, Dr. Ferrara’s research led to the successful development of Avastin (for the treatment of certain cancers) and Lucentis (for the treatment of macular degeneration disease of the eye) drugs.

The Biotech Entrepreneur: Success, Failure, and Funding

To Pitch Johnson’s surprise, the scientific panel argued that 90% of projects in Phase III fail. For industry outsiders, Phase III is the last stage of product development before registration and marketability of a product/drug. This means that research is increasingly complex, resource-intensive, and success is very hard to predict.

On the business side, entrepreneurs also face similar challenges. Mr. Low, Managing Director at Lazard and an expert in Biotech M&A, told us that, as cost of capital is high and access to capital is low, biotech start-ups are in a very difficult position to compete with mature, profitable companies. In fact, according to a recent Ernst & Young biotech report, the “20% of US companies that were most successful in raising funds garnered 82.6% of capital in 2010 — up from 78.5% the previous year. Conversely, the bottom 20% of companies raised only 0.4% of funds — down from 0.6% in 2009.”

The Future: International Partnerships and Translational Medicine

The future is exciting. Both Dr. Crea and Dr. Ferrara told us that scientific research of the past years is only “the tip of the iceberg, and many more advancements are possible.”

As Dr. Crawford pointed out, we are seeing that biotech research is becoming less vertically orientated and biotech companies are relying more on outside partners to conduct research and testing. In turn, this reliance helps lower the cost of capital for biotech firms and increasingly cooperation is on an international level.

In addition to international partnerships, the panel concluded that biotechnology will become more of a patient-centric industry with the pursuit of translational medicine (i.e. the conversion of scientific discovery into health improvement).

The Future: Creative Scientists

The panel pointed out that “creative scientists” are what the biotech industry needs to innovate and create core technology for the future. BAIA readers, do you see “creative scientists” will keep coming to the Bay Area or will clusters of innovation be established abroad? In Italy?

A special thanks to our speakers: Pitch Johnson, David Low, Douglas Crawford, Roberto Crea, and Napoleone Ferrara.

Like our event recap on LinkedIn, and follow our conversation on Twitter @baianetwork.

Sergio Mandrone

Links and Resources:

• Official Event Photos
• BAIA Upcoming Events
• Dr. Crea’s Profile
• Dr. Ferrara’s Profile
• Ernst & Young 2011 Biotech Industry Report

The Hatchery offers $100 discount to BAIA Members

As you may have heard, BAIA has recently joined a host of entrepreneurial companies at The Hatchery in San Francisco. A great SOMA location just steps away from the ball park, excellent facilities and amenities, meeting rooms to accomodate groups from 3 to 20 people.  

Today, we are very pleased to announce that The Hatchery SF has decided to extend to all BAIA Members a great deal on its shared office space offering:

BAIA Members who join The Hatchery as tenants will be able to rent individual desks at the discounted monthly price of $500 instead of the regular price of $600!

If you want to take advantage of this deal or just want to learn more about the details, please write to membership@baia-network.org. Hurry up, The Hatchery is filling up quickly!

Increasing the Visibility of Italian Business: IB&II, PanoramaEconomy and BAIAbase

In recent news Italy has been on the spotlight for its debt restructuring challenge. If we look beyond the urgent and immediate issues, Italy faces more a problem of liquidity than one of solvency. In simpler terms, this means that Italy has a primary surplus and a strong working economy, dependent in large part on the small to medium firms (SMEs), especially in the high-end manufacturing sectors, as an example.

It is precisely the strong base of SMEs, which have established the “Made in Italy” premium recognized globally, that drive the Italian economy. Despite this, Italian firms and the SME sector in particular are sometimes only locally known and generally lack a visibility that other European companies have established across borders. In the efforts to solve this issue and build greater visibility to Italian firms, a few notable initiatives have taken place in the last few months:

• The Italian Business & Investment Initiative: The Italian Business & Investment Initiative (IB&II) seeks to promote Italy’s innovative small to medium size enterprise (SME) sector to the U.S. venture capital and private equity investment communities.
• Panorama Economy: IB&II collaborated with leading Italian publisher Mondadori to launch Panorama Economy’s "Why Italy Matters to the World", the first online information source on the Italian economy in English, written by Italians.
• BAIAbase: The first business database mapping Italy-US trade. A useful data bank for company executives and entrepreneurs interested in searching for strategic business partners and equally relevant for business professionals and managers interested in finding new job opportunities in Italy or the US.

Along with the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy and others, BAIA is a partner of the Italian Business & Investment Initiative. Just a couple of weeks ago, a BAIA Partner Event: Italian Business & Investment Initiative Fall Symposium, organized by IB&II, was held at Bloomberg in New York, which included high profile speakers and a roster of selected Italian privately-held SMEs.

Panorama Economy: The First Italian Business Periodical Fully Published in English

Fully published in English! It is now possible for the English-speaking audience to read about the Italian economy, case studies and opinions from one of Italy’s most influential weekly business magazine. Equally important, the Italian community has a great resource available in English. I recommend checking it out at http://www.panoramaeconomy.com/.

Also, I recommend reading the Panorama Economy article Let me show you the America that counts in which Fernando Napolitano, Founder, CEO and President of IB&II, describes how he has developed the initiative.

Sergio Mandrone

 

BAIA Link: Tips on Searching for Members, Events, and Resources

San Francisco. Milan. Rome. Until the introduction of social websites, people had confined means to develop business networks and establish connections, especially if it was across borders. Through BAIA Link, the online business community of Italian and American professionals, the opportunites to connect with business professionals, discuss business deals and exchange information is no longer limited by physical proximity.

Here below is a guide on how to search and connect with BAIA Link members and how to tap into the resources, forum discussions, and events of the BAIA Link community.

BAIA Link Member Search

Under the Members tab, click on Search Members: this advanced search form allows you to search for members based on specific criteria (shown below). Your search query may be as broad as possible, for example you may want to look for all members who are interested in Advertising and Marketing, or narrow and specific, for example you can search for only those members who are marketing managers in Italy.

BAIA Link Events Search: Conferences, Panel Discussions, Networking, and More

As an open social network, BAIA Link enables its members to post any relevant event pertaining to Italy-US. These events range from art exhibitions and food festivals to technology conferences and events organized by BAIA.

Besides using keywords to find events of interest, you can easily start by having a look at the most popular events, by clicking on the Popular Event Types featured on the events page.

It is also very useful to use the tagging function on the events page. Since all baia events have specific tags, to view the list of events organized by BAIA in 2011 search for BAIA 2011. If for example you are looking for conferences, a good way to do that is using the tag conference.

BAIA Link Forum: How to Search for Resources

On BAIA Link, the discussion forum is designed to facilitate knowledge sharing and discussions. The BAIA Link Forum is organized around a few key areas:

• Event discussions: Discuss past and upcoming events in the US and Italy.
• Business opportunities: Find and share ideas and opportunities for business in the US and Italy.
• Careers: Job opportunities and career resources for and from the BAIA community. Need to hire? Looking for a job?
• Ask the Consulate: Questions, opinions, discussions about visas, passports, bureaucratic procedures, and everything related to the Italian Consulate. The BAIA Link community or maybe someone from the Consulate will answer.
• and More! View the complete forum categories here.

If you are a relatively new BAIA Link member, chances are that the forum search function may prove to be effective in finding useful resources posted by the BAIA Link Community in the past.

BAIA Link Careers Section: Destination for Job Seekers

Recently, the careers section has become one of the favorite destinations for job seekers. Here are a few discussions shared by the BAIA Link Community:

• Tips for Internship and Job Seekers in Silicon Valley
• Useful Links for Job and Internship Seekers
• Silicon Valley Jobs: A Strategic Insight on How to Land a Job in the ITC Sector
• The Best Resources on Silicon Valley

Become a BAIA Link Member

Now that you know how to search for members, events, and resources, sign up and become a BAIA Link Member. It’s easy and free. Post your own discussions on our forum and connect with the 1,400+ members of BAIA Link.

Sergio Mandrone

BAIA Aperitivo: The Italian Way to Connect

Photos courtesy of Aurora Meneghello Productions

BAIA Aperitivo, held every first Wednesday of the month in San Francisco, is the latest addition to the list of events organized by BAIA – Business Association Italy America.

BAIA Aperitivo is an informal, social get-together, free and open to anyone. It is the best way to meet Italian professionals and entrepreneurs, to socialize with the Italian business community, and to chillax with friends at a different location every first Wednesday of the month during happy hour from 6 to 8pm. We kicked off the BAIA Aperitivo series in August at the Bubble Lounge and soon after its big success in September we were at the Press Club.

So, come join us October 5th at our 3rd BAIA Aperitivo at Twenty Five Lusk, savor the Italian happy hour with us, and spread the word to your Italian friends too. Check out our events page, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us @baianetwork for upcoming BAIA Aperitivo locations and other events.

If you have any suggestions on which wine or lounge bar to host BAIA Aperitivo next, please comment below.

Sergio Mandrone

UPDATE:

BAIA Aperitivo: Nov. 2 at CHAMBERS eat + drink at the Phoenix Hotel. Come rock with us!

Event Recap: BAIA Celebrates 5th Anniversary at the Italian Consulate

This year BAIA celebrates its 5-year anniversary!

We are all inspired and amazed by the efforts and numerous volunteering hours donated by each past and current BAIA team member. They all have contributed to the production and success of our year-round events and projects, they have built our online community and services and most recently have built BAIAbase, the open Italy-USA business database that allows anyone to look up and search conveniently and at no cost which Italian companies operate in the US or viceversa.

On July 27, 2011 at the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco, we celebrated BAIA’s fifth anniversary with Fabrizio Marcelli, Consul General, Marcello Curci, Vice Consul, the BAIA team and our closest supporters.

In an earlier occasion here on our blog, we had the opportunity to get to know Mr. Marcelli and, throughout the years, he has always been a firm supporter of BAIA. In opening the doors of the Consulate for this private event and addressing the attendees, once again Mr. Marcelli expressed his belief that BAIA can play a significant role in establishing awareness of the Italian professional community in the Bay Area.

I would like to thank Mr. Marcelli and Mr. Curci for hosting BAIA’s special anniversary at the Consulate and share stories together while having a bite of real Italian focaccia.

Consul Marcelli, BAIAbase project leader Massimo Arrigoni and Vice Consul Curci

The event at the Consulate was also an opportunity to officially present BAIAbase. BAIAbase is a free service for the business community and it is the result of endless volunteer hours and a small (but significant for BAIA) financial effort. In the coming months we will start a fundraising campaign for BAIAbase and keep you informed on any new features that will further improve information on Italy-USA companies.

For more information go to our BAIAbase FAQ or send us an email at base@baia-network.org

Sergio Mandrone

 

Notes & Links:

• Event photos
• Fabrizio Marcelli interview blog post
• The official Consulate General web site
• How to support BAIAbase web page

BAIA launches BAIAbase

How many Italian companies are active in Silicon Valley? How can I find updated contact information for American branches of Italian fashion companies? Is there a list of businesses that can help an Italian company export and market its products in the USA?

Finding an answer to this sort of questions has typically not been easy. Today, this is about to change. BAIA, Business Association Italy America, is proud to launch BAIAbase: the first business database mapping Italy-US trade that is public, open to all users, editable, and therefore designed to remain always up-to-date.

Think Wikipedia: a repository of information created by and for users. BAIAbase uses the same approach: it leverages the contribution of Internet users, whether companies or individuals, to keep its data current. BAIAbase listings can be updated by anyone, simply and intuitively, through any web browser, from anywhere in the world, and free of charge. 

The information it provides will prove vital to entrepreneurs, managers, and academics, as well as companies and associations that operate across Italy and the US. For example, a business looking for a partner in the Apparel industry that is an American branch of an Italian company will find dozens of relevant results, in just a few clicks.

BAIA is now releasing BAIAbase in public BETA: check it out and get involved.

While hundreds of listings are already active - and many more are added daily - there is still a long way to go to fulfill the potential of this exceptional tool. And you can help!

• Add new companies
• Edit existing companies
• Contribute more detailed company information

(Note: all edits are moderated before going live)

BAIA has invested countless volunteer hours and significant resources in a tool we believe will change the way people look for information on Italy-US trade. There are big plans for the future of BAIAbase - from LinkedIn integration to reports, statistics, and business match-making tools. You can help BAIAbase grow by becoming a Sponsor or a Featured Company.

Start using BAIABase and contributing to it: that’s the best way to ensure this tool is relevant to the Italian-American professional community - and to you.

You can learn more about BAIAbase in this presentation. Email us your comments, questions and feedback at base@baia-network.org.

BAIAbase Beta Overview

 

Internship recap: Why Baia is the right place for exciting career opportunities

Hello Baia Community,

After six months as the Marketing and Communications Intern for BAIA, I would like to share this great experience with all of you!

The internship was more than I ever could have expected: it allowed me to grow and learn at a level that many recent graduates don’t have the chance to. I felt like a major contributor and I was able to work independently on multiple assigned projects. Working for BAIA helped me to use the knowledge I acquired throughout my education: the members of the association were very attentive, responsive to my requests and always made me feel like an important member of the group.

For many recent graduates like myself, an internship like this can be an extraordinary opportunity for professional growth and real-world exposure. You will certainly find great mentors, business professionals and the chance to work on core activities like web projects, event management, membership programs as well as the opportunity to propose and execute a project of your choosing.

Relevant experience, contacts, referrals, and introductions, are all you really need to get your foot in the door and this is exactly what Baia did for me. Through its large network I was able to meet many great professional from the Silicon Valley, while being exposed to a cohesive community of Italian and American companies. I was able to shape my communications skills and in less than 1 month after I ended the internship program, I was able to find a wonderful job in the field I have always pursued.

Baia is now launching the second year of internship program. If you are interested please visit our website to look at the job description and requirements: http://www.baia-network.org/baia-internships.asp

We look forward to having you on board!

Rossella Florio

Event recap: Women Entrepreneurs, the US vs. the European/Italian Experience

BAIA organized an inspiring event on January 19th, hosted at the offices of Cooley LLP in San Francisco and sponsored by Studio Design Solutions. Enjoying appetizers catered by C’Era una Volta, a sold-out, diverse audience participated in a spirited debate about a hot topic: Women entrepreneurs in growth businesses: why so few? Why are men much more likely than women to be entrepreneurs?

Despite representing the majority at colleges and universities and despite their increased participation in science and engineering, women are still underrepresented among business leaders especially in high tech and other high growth fields. In addition, there seems to be a disconnect between opportunities and resources in equity funding for high-growth, women-owned/led businesses.

Wendy Beecham, moderator of the panel and CEO of Watermark, an organization whose mission is to connect women leaders in a manner that leads to purposeful, meaningful, and enduring relationships, and amplifies their collective professional community, tried to capture the different perspectives among the panelists. "Women in our association are accomplished, confident, but they don’t get access to capital. Why are women out of the loop?"

Sharon Vosmek, CEO of Astia (a non profit global organization with a distinct focus and mission – to propel women’s participation as entrepreneurs and leaders in high-growth businesses, fueling innovation and driving economic growth) brought her professional experience to the discussion with an important question: even though women make up more than half of the students in technology and are receiving Phds from major colleges around the country, less than 10% get access to capital. Why is it it they have more trouble getting access to funding? One explanation some of our panelists emphasize is the lack of situational confidence: "walking in a room with mostly business men can be intimidating".

For Laura Ventura, VP of Marketing and Co-Founder of CumuLogic, with 15 years experience in high tech marketing, being one of the few women entrepreneurs is actually an advantage because "men remember you, because there are just a few of us, such a small group. In my last meeting there were 5 women versus 80 men. Getting exposure to large companies is vital, being in the right place at the right time is the key." Another reason is networking: "women tend to network with women and men tend to network with men" says Sharon Vosmek, "it plays out on the golf course, in the boardroom and it is certainly playing out in the world of high-growth entrepreneurship." 

Certainly women tend to be found more in small business groups where their connections are based on longevity and trust, which is seen not as a limit but as a strength by Joanna Rees, Founder of VSP Capital (a San Francisco based venture capital firm). "Venture capitalists work together with entrepreneurs. Both have the same goal: go out there to the community and raise money. There are some potential avenues for getting capital, and Non profit organizations like the National Center for Women and Information Technology, Astia and Springboard Enterprises, are trying to raise awareness by mentoring business women and introducing them to investors. When you don’t have a large amount of funding for your projects- continues Joanna-, work together with venture capitalists on the business plan and ways to source more capital". Don’t be intimidated by the networking process, "stand out and be different, thinking always: I deserve to be here."  What about the difference between the US vs the European model? It seems that European entrepreneurs have a hard time getting access to capital as well: first of all European networking is full of individuals who are skeptical, plus the entrepreneurs don’t articulate their pitch properly with investors: "there’s no access point if you don’t know the venture capital language." 

Silvia Console Battilana, co-founder of Auctionomics ( a software and consulting company for high stake auctions around the world) and just recently returned from a 3-week stint in Kenya, teaching entrepreneurship to African women, brings the European prospective with her experience in Italy and Africa. In Silvia's words, "I have been a student and a professor both in American and Italian universities. The entrepreneurship culture is not promoted in Italian universities. You can see it immediately looking at the relationship between the professor and the students. In Italy the professor is on a pedestal and is transfering knowledge to the the students. In the USA the relationship between the professor and the students is interactive and the knowledge flows in both directions". She also pointed out how in some parts of Europe "if you have a quick success they think you stole, and cannot be honest. Here in the Silicon Valley, it is different: a confident woman can have great power. If you have capabilities and ideas, there are no gender limitations."

Rossella Florio

Resource Links: 

• Official event photos
• New Scholars blog
• Watermark blog
• Astia Notes blog
• Joanna Rees blog 

 

Event Recap: BAIA Winter Mix in San Francisco

La popolazione agiata del pianeta gode di  innumerevoli diritti ed è tutelata dalle autorità, questà è di per sé una fortuna poiché i poveri del pianeta devono ancora lottare per la sola sopravvivenza fisica. Il benessere, la comodità e i diritti però sono oggi spesso fraintesi dall’uomo occidentale che li percepisce come un fine e non come un mezzo perdendosi completamente in essi. Il più importante diritto dell’uomo è un diritto naturale del quale lui solo può volontariamente privarsi, è il diritto alla libertà e conoscenza di se stesso e/o ossia del Tutto. Il confronto impavido con le condizioni di vita e con le Realtà è come una caccia in territori sterminati. Decifrando le tracce e con un’attenzione costante, potremo ritrovare la strada. (Matteo Bergamasco, Italian Artist) 

The Cain Schulte Art Gallery in San Francisco was this years setting for the annual  Baia Winter mix on December 8. While enjoying wine and appetizers offered by Café Renzo, a mix of young and seasoned professionals, entrepreneurs, and the extended BAIA Community had the opportunity to mix and mingle while admiring the innovative creations presented in the MAGNA CARTA-ART/PAPER exhibition.

Curated by the directors Marina Cain and Kit Schulte, the exposition seeks to highlight the universal and contemporary relevance of the issues emanating from the Magna Carta in today’s increasingly globalized world. A cross cultural sections of international artists was selected to display personal explorations on the contemporary issues of protection of personal freedom, individual rights and unlawful imprisonment. The works on display range from small charcoal and ink drawings to large experimental sculptures.

Thanks to Silvia Girardi Art, BAIA’s sponsor and friend, two Italians artists were represented in this exhibition as well: Matteo Bergamasco and Daniele Girardi. We asked them some questions about their works and how they relate to this important 13th-century legal document, a key element in the radical transformation of constitutional thought.

Q: The Magna Carta is widely considered the most important legal document in the history of democracy, the first attempt to establish individual liberties for the public as a whole. How can its principles still be considered relevant in the world of contemporary globalization? 

Daniele Girardi: “In the new globalized world, information is accessible worldwide. the Internet is a giant container of messages and is somehow a universal document where anyone can write and express themselves. You can picture it as a democratic document where news circulates free and fast. It can be thought of as an extension of ideas, a knowledge base of the world and its messages of peace, brotherhood and freedom, are timeless.” 

Matteo Bergamasco: “The Magna Carta, besides specific content, has been considered as a symbol of freedom granted to the people. This was an important step considering the past of slavery and abuse. However we need to be careful because a document that grants rights, in reality hides a strong statement: there is a superior power that gives rights to individuals in order to not crush them under its boot. This kind of logic shouldn’t exist in a society meant as an organism were people self-regulate themselves in peace and harmony without laws and legislation. In order to arrive to this point, the individuals need to mature and form a collective consciousness."  

What inspired you to work on paper? 

DG: “The Magna Carta opened the way to freedom and individual rights. I see it as a journey toward the conquest of rights, of a territory, of emancipation and an infinite road looking for freedom. This project on paper represents an attempt to travel these long roads where undefined  visions are present. It is a journey toward the unknown but more important it is a journey to find ourselves. The road is an icon to our freedom and the right to access it.”

MB: “My work displayed at the exhibition is made using a simple and fast technique, and you can imagine it as a journey, a story made by the same protagonist. The paper I used for this work is also cut in an unusual way making it more like a antique than a modern work. The Magna Carta becomes a small piece of paper, absolutely subjective and more like a personal journal. However all the individuals are united by the idea of the journey and in this way it becomes universal.” 

Both their works explore intimate views of the concept of Magna Carta, and  this is one of the major intents of Silvia Girardi. Promoting emerging, as well as established artists with an emphasis on the renewal over the past decade of the italian art scene in painting, sculpture photography and new media.

In light of the next Baia Event on Women Entrepreneurs, the US vs. the European/Italian Experience, we asked Silvia Girardi about her personal experience as woman entrepreneur: 

Silvia Girardi: “As with many art dealers, it was a passion that inspired my business. Love of the art in all its forms, a strong network of artists that I developed in Italy and the vibrant art scene in San Francisco brought me to this field in 2005. I started representing a group of five Italian artists due to personal connections and admiration for their work I believed their works could have done well so I started to have a curiosity for the entrepreneurial side of the art world. Cultivating a network of artists and simultaneously establishing connections with art galleries, collectors and museums, was the first step. In the first two years of business in San Francisco these artists took part in group shows, while also having solo shows and press coverage throughout the country. Networking was and still is the main focus of my activities. It is all about meeting people and maintaining relationships over time.I had the chance to meet inspiring women art dealers and entrepreneurs from whom I eagerly “stole” their talents in networking and event planning.The connection with Italy is definitely a plus. In California I have found a real audience of art lovers who are interested in Italian art, craft, design and culture in general. I speak to that audience as well as to the international audience. My key words are: be passionate, don’t expect success overnight, take risks and expect the unexpected!” 

Looking forward to seeing you all on January 19, 2011 for the Baia Panel Women Entrepreneurs, the US vs. the European/Italian Experience. 

 

Rossella Florio

PS: Resource links:

• Official Event photos
• SF Examiner article
• SF Examiner video
• Silvia Girardi website 
• Matteo Bergamasco website
• Daniele Girardi website