FONDAZIONE GIANNINO BASSETTI ETS

Their core work

Fondazione Giannino Bassetti is a Milan-based foundation dedicated to responsible innovation — specifically, how emerging technologies should be governed and shaped by public participation. They design and run co-creation processes, citizen engagement forums, and deliberative methods that bring non-scientists into research and innovation agenda-setting. Their work bridges the gap between advanced technologies (like bioprinting and synthetic biology) and the societal questions those technologies raise, making them a go-to partner for projects needing genuine public engagement rather than token consultation.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early work (2016–2018) centred on technology roadmapping for industrial sectors — mapping how precision medicine, 3D printing, and synthetic biology should develop with societal input (SMART-map). From 2020 onward, they shifted toward hands-on participatory governance: running co-creation processes, citizen science initiatives, and quadruple-helix engagement at the regional and territorial level (TRANSFORM, MOSAIC). The trajectory is clear — from studying how society should engage with technology to actually building the engagement infrastructure.

They are moving deeper into mission-oriented innovation governance and territorial co-creation, positioning themselves as practitioners — not just analysts — of public engagement in R&I.

How they like to work

FGB mostly joins consortia as a partner (3 of 4 projects) but proved capable of leading when they coordinated TRANSFORM, their largest project at EUR 555,750. With 34 unique partners across 14 countries, they operate as a well-connected network node rather than a repeat-partner organization. This suggests they are adaptable collaborators who bring a specific competence (public engagement, RRI) to diverse consortia rather than working within a fixed circle.

FGB has collaborated with 34 unique partners across 14 countries, indicating broad European reach for a foundation of its size. Their network spans both research-heavy and policy-oriented consortia, reflecting their position at the intersection of technology and society.

What sets them apart

FGB occupies a rare niche: a foundation focused specifically on the responsibility dimension of innovation, with practical methods for public engagement — not just theory. While many partners in RRI projects are universities or policy institutes, FGB brings a dedicated, mission-driven focus on how innovation governance actually works in practice. For consortium builders, they are the partner you bring in when your project needs credible, structured citizen engagement or when reviewers ask "how will you involve society?" and you need a real answer.

Highlights from their portfolio

• TRANSFORM
  Their only coordinated project and largest budget (EUR 555,750), focused on open and responsible innovation in Smart Specialisation Strategies — a strong signal of their core identity.
• ENLIGHT
  An unusual fit: a bioprinting and regenerative medicine project where FGB likely contributes the societal and ethical engagement dimension, showing their ability to embed RRI into hard-science contexts.
• MOSAIC
  Directly addresses mission-oriented SwafS (Science with and for Society) through co-creation, aligning with the EU's increasing emphasis on mission-driven research governance.