Adriano Mauro

Adriano MAURO has more than 25 years of experience in industrial research and development teams in Europe and Africa.

At the beginning of his career, he worked in Italy on the development of prototypes, pilot, and plant tests for leading industry players in several verticals: Solari, a recognised leader in designing and manufacturing Display Information Systems, Queue Management, and Data Collection Systems; Alifax, an Italian company specialised in the development of clinical diagnostic instrumentation for laboratory automation; and Calligaris, a leader in the furniture sector.

Since 2008, Adriano has served as the General Manager of Operations at IO Furniture in Lagos, Nigeria, where he established the production plant, led the digitisation of the company’s processes, and integrated the logistics network.

Now, as Founder and Managing Director of AREA in Udine, Italy, he is responsible for the strategic development aimed at becoming the leading organisation focused on technology transfer and digitisation of SMEs in West Africa. With AREA, he is participating in several EU-funded projects. Adriano coordinates GreenVetAfrica, a project funded by the Erasmus+ programme, which aims to train men and women in the field of waste management in Africa. This project leverages the expertise of a consortium with partners from Spain, Italy, Nigeria, and Ghana.

Additionally, he is the Director of Apodissi, an SME with offices in Lagos, Nigeria; Windhoek, Namibia; and Dubai, UAE, in the Technology Development Department. With Apodissi, he is also currently involved in several EU-funded projects (DIGILOGIC, PRACTICE, SMART STEP, and RURALITIES) that span agritech, smart logistics, and training within the framework of digital innovation. His roles have encompassed project management, scientific dissemination, capacity building, and business community engagement. He has ensured successful outcomes and fostered innovation ecosystems.

He has a deep understanding of the industrial and SME technology needs in the European market, as well as specific expertise in the African market. He possesses extensive knowledge in various sectors, such as remote expert solutions using technologies like smart glasses, particularly for the maintenance sector, and immersive learning technologies, supporting organisations in the deployment of AR/VR solutions. In the field of robotics, he has extensive experience in COBOTS, enabling non-specialised personnel to perform complex tasks. Recently, he has been involved in consulting and transferring skills in the field of manufacturing and programming DRONES for patrolling and video surveillance.