RPM 2nd General Assembly 2026
Posted by Riccardo Paterni - ADMIN on 30/06/2026

The second RPM General Assembly of 2026 took place on June 30th, bringing together member companies—both in person and remotely—to share updates on ongoing projects, define upcoming activities, and identify new development opportunities. Over three-quarters of the current network members were present or represented.

The meeting opened with presentations from two new companies in the network.

Magic Motorsport – here is an introductory interview with Daniele Vento e Francesco Gaglio:

Read the interview > https://www.rpm-italia.org/news-item.php?id=163 

Th.E Engineering – here is an introductory interview with Michele Citti:

Read the interview > https://www.rpm-italia.org/news-item.php?id=162 

We also took a closer look at the organization and dynamics of upcoming international trade shows: PMW and PRI. 

Riccardo Paterni provided a detailed update on the meetings held over the past three months regarding the High Performance Coffee Club—organized by GMA and powered by RPM. 

Significant interest was generated by the study "Motor Valley: An Ecosystem That Generates Value", commissioned by the Motor Valley Association and conducted by Nomisma and Professor Lucio Poma; the RPM board attended the presentation. The study highlighted the increasingly strategic role of neural networks—a concept RPM has fully embraced since its inception—in driving innovation and business development.

The discussion highlighted how RPM is progressively expanding its scope beyond motorsport. In this regard, Francesca Paoli shared the outcomes of *Connext Filiere*—a recent institutional meeting in Rome focused on the aerospace sector—emphasizing that major industry players are seeking SMEs capable of engineering high-tech components. For many companies within the network, the transfer of expertise from motorsport to aerospace represents a tangible growth opportunity.

Other notable engagements included participation in the Monaco Historic Grand Prix alongside AWA, which fielded the Lancia Marino 54. This was a particularly engaging and meaningful experience, thanks to the presence of a specially trained team of female mechanics.

To foster new joint initiatives, Riccardo Paterni attended two events focused on Open Innovation—the inauguration of P.R.A.T.O. Venture Labs and a meeting of Réseau Entreprendre Emilia-Romagna—continuing RPM’s efforts to drive increasingly concrete collaboration among the network's member companies.

RPM also took part in the Motor Valley Fest, speaking at a conference that highlighted AWA’s experience as a prime example of integrating diverse skill sets within high-tech projects.

Finally, the network participated in the assembly of Clust-ER Mech Emilia-Romagna, an organization that promotes innovation projects on a national scale. Among the initiatives presented was A2RL, the international autonomous racing series; following its debut in Abu Dhabi, the event is scheduled to come to Imola on September 5th. RPM was invited to meet the UAE delegation attending the event, thereby opening up new opportunities for networking and collaboration.

Companies visits

Updates regarding international company visits were shared.

RPM continues its work organizing visits to key domestic and international companies, aiming to create new business and collaboration opportunities for the network's member firms. These aspects were examined in both strategic and practical terms.

Technical-Commercial Committee

The Technical-Commercial Committee—established to foster joint projects among the network's companies—continues its activities. We discussed the project presented in May and also examined a project introduced on the day of the assembly itself.

Network Communication

Communication—both within the network and externally—is a strategic element in strengthening RPM’s identity and recognition. During the meeting, member companies were reminded of the importance of adhering to the guidelines set out in the Styleguide and adopting a coordinated approach when communicating joint initiatives. A consistent presence across various channels and a shared image serve to amplify the visibility of the network’s activities, highlight the contributions of individual companies, and consolidate RPM’s positioning among partners, institutions, and stakeholders.

Digitalization and Open Innovation

One of the key strategic priorities identified is strengthening digitalization to foster internal network collaboration through shared digital tools.

Riccardo Paterni presented insights gathered during a visit to P.R.A.T.O. Venture Labs regarding digitalization and open innovation, while Francesca Paoli shared experiences gained through ClustER Mech; by starting with the specific needs of individual companies, the cluster connects pre-mapped, complementary expertise, thereby facilitating new collaborations. As Paoli herself noted, this approach has already led to the definition of an unexpected yet highly promising project. Discussions are also underway with Vannucci Advisors to identify potential funding mechanisms tailored to business networks.

Regarding digitalization, RPM is developing a restricted area on its website designed as a collaborative platform; here, companies will be able to submit ideas or projects, quickly identify the most suitable expertise within the network, and gauge other companies' interest in participating in and developing joint projects.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on administrative matters, followed by a light lunch and the aforementioned technical-commercial committee meeting.