How the Cagliari Innovation Lab led innovation in 2024

Since its foundation in 2022, the Cagliari Innovation Lab, Growens’ Research & Development Center, has established itself as a leading hub for innovation, fostering stronger connections between academia, technology, and the local community.

In 2024, the Lab consolidated its role by organizing a successful series of seminars, building on previous events and delving into current topics such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and more.

Looking ahead, the Cagliari Innovation Lab will conclude its seminar series in collaboration with The Net Value with a final event scheduled for January 23, 2025.

The event, titled “Refactoring Code in the Era of Rapidly Evolving Software Requirements,” will be led by Davide Lafratta, Backend Engineer at Growens, andwill explore the challenges and benefits of code refactoring, focusing on improving maintainability, reducing complexity, and balancing speed and quality.

The Events of 2024 

The dynamic series of events tackled pressing issues in the modern technological landscape, offering an invaluable opportunity for exchange and collaboration. Each session generated practical insights and forward-thinking solutions to drive technological and industrial advancement. Here is the full list of sessions:

(TNV) – AI – HTML – JSON: AI applied to the seemingly simple transformation of any HTML into a specific JSON

The first seminar of the year addressed a key challenge for SaaS companies: delivering a seamless onboarding experience for users. During the event, Growens presented its innovative project that translates any HTML code into a proprietary JSON code, used by its business unit Beefree, as a potential solution to the problem.

Speakers Alessandro Di Stefano, Data Scientist at Growens, and Ph.D. researchers Massimiliano Fadda and Massimo Loi explained how the project integrates hybrid methodologies, including:

• Deterministic methods to optimize performance.
• Computer vision algorithms for structural recognition.
• Large Language Models (LLMs) to identify styles and enable new AI functionalities.

The event drew great interest, attracting a diverse audience of professionals and AI enthusiasts.

University and Industry together for Research & Development: the case of an AI project to transform HTML into a specific JSON 

Shortly afterward, the same project was presented at the University of Cagliari, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between industry and academia.

Using the HTML-to-JSON project as a case study, the speakers highlighted how these partnerships can address complex challenges by combining advanced research with real-world applications.

The event showcased mutual benefits, including support for local talent and shared technological progress.

The AWS Cloud Center of Excellence at Growens 

This session focused on Growens’ Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE), developed in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), and its key role in overcoming digital transformation challenges, such as migrating on-premise infrastructure and applications to the cloud.

Speakers Luca Guida, AWS Solutions Architect; Michele Cappellini, CIO; Michele Croce, SysOps Administrator; and Marco Pini, Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, shared strategies for structured cloud integration, demonstrating how AWS technologies are essential for driving innovation and efficiency.

Participants got a preview of how Growens leverages AWS to optimize operations and accelerate growth.

The legal implications of using AI in software

The final event of the year, hosted by The Net Value, addressed the legal aspects of artificial intelligence.

Speakers Stefano Sarto, Legal Manager at Growens; Camilla Ragazzi, Senior Contract Manager; and Attorney Massimo Simbula discussed Growens’ proactive approach to the evolving regulatory landscape of the EU AI Act.

The session highlighted Growens’ internal guidelines designed to mitigate risks and maximize the potential of AI, illustrating how regulatory compliance can serve as a competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving sector, rather than being seen as a mere obligation.

Conclusion

The seminar in January 2025 will mark the conclusion of a significant series of events, held in collaboration with The Net Value, and the end of an important chapter in the Lab’s journey.

While this phase is coming to a close, the Lab will continue to play a pivotal role in the innovation ecosystem, strengthening connections between academia, industry, and technology.

Through its unwavering dedication, the Lab will remain committed to fostering local talent and developing innovative solutions, reaffirming its status as a driver of regional growth and a benchmark for technological progress.