Rain (or more specifically, a big storm that blew in the night before) did little to stop play at the third TEDx Forte Dei Marmi this weekend.
The sell-out event, an annual gathering of ideas and networking from the worlds of yachting, science and culture, was hosted at the iconic Augustus Beach Club in Versilia. It began with an upbeat gala dinner the night before which announced the launch of SuperyachtCoast.com, a new meeting hub for leading players in the luxury world of the region.
The TEDx talks were held at sunset the following day. Centred on the theme “Designing Timeless Beauty” and celebrating Italian culture and style, the event featured a distinguished lineup of speakers. The evening opened with sports physician Riccardo Ceccarelli, founder of Formula Medicine and the Mental Economy method, who shared his approach to enhancing focus and optimising the brain’s performance under stress. While this method helps elite athletes like tennis player Jannik Sinner perform at their peak under pressure, it also offers valuable insights for professionals navigating the high-stakes world of luxury.
Luca Dini, founder of LUCA DINI Design & Architecture, took to the stage and discussed how to transform "bold ideas into tangible realities". He observed how the worlds of yachting and architecture share a spirit of innovation, craftsmanship and visionary design. Yachts are becoming "floating buildings", he said, while architecture is increasingly inspired by the sea redefining habitability through hybrid solutions and innovative materials.
Next, founder of Cenacolo Artom and Artom Strategy Arturo Artom, known as the "father" of telecom liberalisation in Italy with Telsystem, emphasised the need for networking: skills, he said, are being taken over by digitisation and AI and the future depends on connecting people, ideas and disciplines.
Annalisa Tarquini, professor at the International University of Monaco and an expert in ultra-high-net-worth consumer behaviour then emphasised the responsibility of the luxury industry in nurturing a new generation of craftspeople. She noted that young people are "totally adrift" and increasingly dream of becoming influencers rather than carpenters or seamstresses - "no one thinks to show them the beauty of these careers", she implored. This trend must be reversed to safeguard Italy’s precious ‘Made in Italy’ heritage. "The most important resource is people," she concluded. "Their hands, their faces, their names."
Other speakers sharing inspiring highlights included Marco Marseglia, associate professor at the University of Florence (DIDA) and expert in biodesign, circular economy and biofabricated materials who revealed how nature could be harnessed in eye-opening ways, like taking marble sludge, a damaging byproduct of stone cutting and injecting it with microorganisms to ‘grow’ new stone.
Marta Giunti, former national ski team member, now coach, psychology student and founder of Giuntitrail discussed the power of the mind to overcome illness; Gianluca Binelli, founder of Booster Box, Precis Group CEO Southern Europe reflected how innovation can flourish in places we least expect (like Tuscany) and doesn’t need to be confined to the usual suspects, such as Silicon Valley, while Teresa Budetta, founder of a Swiss longevity startup Aveda Life encouraged the audience to become "longevity rebels" – the secret to ageing is valuing your health, maintaining vitality and valuing family and community – instead of counting the years, it’s about "making every year count."
The event was hosted by TGCOM24 anchor Claudia Vanni, with co-host Anna Vagli, journalist and television criminologist. They were joined by organiser Matteo Stefanini, licensee Marta Del Sere and a large team of young volunteers.
"The mission of TEDx Forte dei Marmi has always been to inspire and spread ideas capable of changing the world, creating moments of connection between brilliant minds," explains Matteo Stefanini.
"We live in an exciting era – artificial intelligence, quantum computing, personalised medicine, sustainable energy, biotechnology for longevity. TEDx wants to offer a window on the future at the edge of human knowledge, sparking curiosity. Dreams to Design is meant as a call to action, to transform dreams into reality through innovation and above all through the connection of extraordinary people."
TEDx Forte dei Marmi is organised independently under license from TED International and supported by partners including AB Yachts & Maiora, Nero Lifestyle, QuickGroup, Real Estate World Investment and Ardora.ai, Sanpaolo Invest Fideuram. The event is also under the patronage of the Municipality of Forte dei Marmi, Visit Forte, and Visit Versilia. The next edition is scheduled for 2026.e risk is to replicate what you’ve already done, so you need to have new experiences, new ideas and new approaches." Speaking to people from different backgrounds, he said, is crucial to a designer. "As an architecture office we are very curious, that is what drives us."
TEDx Forte dei Marmi is organised independently under license from TED International and supported by partners including AB Yacht & Maiora, Nero Lifestyle, QuickGroup, Real Estate World Investment and Ardora.ai, Sanpaolo Invest Fideuram. The event is also under the patronage of the Municipality of Forte dei Marmi, Visit Forte, and Visit Versilia. The next edition is scheduled for 2026.