An important milestone for the Audace Sailing Team, the student team of the University of Trieste: its 2025 project, BAI – Flax Bandit, has officially been included in the ADI Design Index 2026, the annual selection by ADI, the Association for Industrial Design, which showcases excellence in Italian design and innovation.

The project was selected by the ADI Permanent Observatory of Design in the Research for Business category, an award recognizing the best process experiments, new sustainable materials, and methodologies applied to the production sector.

The publication in the ADI Design Index represents the first and fundamental volume of the two-year cycle that identifies the products and research projects eligible to compete for the ADI Compasso d’Oro Award 2028, the world’s oldest and most prestigious award in the field of design. Established in 1954 and managed by ADI since 1956, the Compasso d’Oro celebrates Italian design and manufacturing excellence, contributing to the creation of the Historical Collection, which has been declared a “national asset of cultural interest” by the Italian Ministry of Culture.

“Receiving this recognition is a major achievement for the entire team. It rewards our daily commitment to ‘making research a goal for business’ and to applying advanced research and sustainable materials to the marine industry,” comments former Audace Sailing Team Leader Pietro Miani.

Pictured: Giuseppe D’Orsi, Vice President of the ADI FVG Delegation and coordinator of the Friuli Venezia Giulia regional committee of the ADI Permanent Observatory of Design; former Audace Team Leader Pietro Miani; Simone Taglialatela, designer of the award-winning boat; Arianna Guacci, former Team Secretary General; and Nicla Indrigo, President of the ADI FVG Delegation.