The Business Award for Innovation (IxI) by Confindustria, the award dedicated to Italian companies that choose to invest in innovation as a structural lever for competitiveness and development. Now in its fifteenth edition, the Award promotes an advanced concept of innovation, which is not limited to the product or process but also enhances organisational models, corporate culture and the ability to create value over time.

The IxI Award is promoted by Confindustria in collaboration with the Giuseppina Mai Foundation, with the support of Intesa Sanpaolo, 4.Manager – Main Strategic Partner for Corporate Culture –, with the contribution of IWS and with technical support of the Italian Quality Award Association (APQI).

In the European landscape, the Business Award for Innovation stands out as the first innovation award to adopt the criteria of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), an internationally recognised model of excellence for assessing performance and organisational quality.

The Award also represents an opportunity for growth: companies can benefit from the contribution of a qualified network of experts in the fields of Research and Innovation and Finance for Innovation, provided by the initiative's partners to accompany them on a path of evaluation and development.

The IxI Award and the “Award of Awards”

Through the Business Innovation Award, Confindustria participates in the National Award for Innovation – “Premio dei Premi” (Prize of Prizes) for the Industry and Services category. This is an initiative of the Italian Government, established by decree of the Prime Minister on 7 April 2008 on the occasion of National Innovation Day. Managed by the National Foundation for Technological Innovation – COTEC and aims to promote the best innovative and creative skills of businesses, universities, public administrations, institutions and individual creators.

Nine companies that won the IxI Award are eligible for this recognition: six belong to the small and medium-sized enterprise category and three to the large enterprise category.