Let’s revisit an intense training day during which the students of the Innovators Community Lab had the opportunity to experience firsthand the atmosphere of a major Italian industrial group.

What does an international company really look like? And what does it mean to lead it every day—balancing strategic decisions, innovation, and sustainability, while staying rooted in the territory where it all began?

With this new edition, the Innovators Community Lab has further strengthened its role modeling opportunities, aiming to provide students with examples, experiences, and connections useful for understanding the dynamics of innovation, enterprise, and the world of work through direct engagement with key players in the production system. In this context, the visit to the Marcegaglia Group represented a pivotal moment in the program.

Founded in 1959 by Steno Marcegaglia, the company is now a global leader in the steel processing sector, with a strong international presence alongside deep roots in Gazoldo degli Ippoliti (province of Mantua), home to its headquarters. A family-run business with over 6,600 employees worldwide, it is now led by Emma and Antonio Marcegaglia, who welcomed the ICL students for a day of dialogue and exchange.

The visit offered participants the opportunity to hear a firsthand account of what it means to run a business—intertwining reflections on strategy, ecological transition, social responsibility, and the ability to innovate without losing sight of one’s origins. It was a genuine and open dialogue during which students could ask questions, share their thoughts, and observe up close a company that blends global reach with a strong family continuity.

One of the most significant moments was the visit to Casa Marcegaglia, the corporate museum inaugurated in 2023 and conceived as an experiential space. Here, students explored the story of the founding family and the value system that shaped the company’s growth—through immersive digital installations. Particularly impactful was the virtual narration by Steno Marcegaglia himself, who retraced the steps of his journey from humble beginnings to industrial success.

The day concluded with a tour of the group’s headquarters—an opportunity to observe up close a complex, well-structured enterprise deeply connected to its surrounding context.

For the ICLabbers, it was far more than just a company visit: it was an experience that offered inspiration, questions, and new perspectives. A chance to reflect on what enterprise means today, rediscovering its human side and its capacity to generate both economic and social value.

And this is where the ICLab finds its deepest purpose: taking students beyond the classroom, to where ideas meet reality and begin to take shape.