PRESIDENT OF THE JURY FOR 2025 WAS WALTER DE SILVA, A RENOWNED ITALIAN DESIGNER, WINNER OF THE COMPASSO D’ORO AND AMBASSADOR OF ITALIAN EXCELLENCE IN THE WORLD
Genoa 19th September – Art and design are inseparable in Genoa. Within the stunning setting of the Palazzo Ducale, the cultural epicentre of the Ligurian capital, the prizes for the sixth edition of the Design Innovation Award, the prestigious international prize promoted by the Italian Marine Industry Association and the Genoa International Boat Show (taking place from 18th to 23rd September), were handed to this year’s industry-defining winners. The Design Innovation Award rewards excellence, research, and innovation throughout the boating sector worldwide, and is the most accurate expression of the so-called “Bello e Ben Fatto” (Beautiful and Well-made) a concept that flies the same Made in Italy flag that accompanies a national industry that is famous worldwide
The ceremony awarded ten categories, plus three special prizes and two honourable mentions. The winners were chosen by an independent jury of international experts in the fields of boating, design and culture, chaired this year by Walter De Silva, one of the world’s most illustrious Italian designers of contemporary automotive design, winner of the Compasso d’Oro alla Carriera in 2011 (a lifetime achievement award) and an Ambassador of Italian Excellence in the World. “I was thrilled to talk about design with my fellow Jury members and very pleased to preside over the proceedings. The most important, and perhaps the most complicated phase, was ensuring the jury was able to express themselves, without intervening and simply attempting to mediate, to find the right solution. It was a truly constructive experience because the Design Innovation Award is based on open thinking. The jury, made up of industry and industrial design experts as well as international journalists, carefully scrutinised and analysed all the entries received through a rigorous, impartial and high-profile selection process.
Yachting journalist and content creator Katia Damborski moderated the prize-giving ceremony of the Design Innovation Award, which was attended by approximately 300 guests within the breath-taking Sala del Maggior Consiglio of the Palazzo Ducale. Piero Formenti, in his role as President of the Italian Marine Industry Association and the Genoa Boat Show organising subsidiary I Saloni Nautici Srl, kicked off the ceremony by, first of all, thanking the guests and emphasising the independent work of the jury in selecting the winners: “This is an important opportunity to truly appreciate what the world of design has to offer. The Italian boating industry is among the first in the world, indeed perhaps the first in the world as an industry as a whole. Our yards are capable of designing products that no one else can. Here we can reward those who deserve international recognition, those who innovate, those who bring Italian design to the world. I think it is essential that this award is organised by the industry association. I believe this is the ideal direction for this type of acknowledgement”.
Silvia Salis, Genoa Mayor, also took the floor and expressed Genoa’s pride in the Show: “The Boat Show is our international event. It is our annual appointment that has marked the passing of time since 1961. We know how much the Boat Show and the Blue Economy in general are at the heart of the city’s interest. A Blue Economy that makes us an international excellence and that we celebrate tonight with this award, which must be part of our future. Our aim is to make the Salone more and more attractive, and to update the proposals, in order to create an increasingly rich Fuori Salone, on the model of the one held in Milan during the Salone del Mobile“.
Marina Stella, General Manager of The Italian Marine Industry Association, emphasised the importance of this event as an integral part of the Boat Show: “The award is meant to celebrate the excellence of our boating industry and of the exhibitors present at the International Boat Show, as well as the ingenuity of our entrepreneurs. The Boat Show is an international event, it is a worldwide reference point for the boating industry, which exalts Made in Italy, an important competitive factor for these companies. The Boat Show and the Design Innovation Award spread the culture of innovation and sustainability throughout the entire nautical industry chain“.
Among the guests who took part in the evening’s introduction, Massimiliano Nannini, Chief of the Liguria Regional Council Cabinet, on behalf of the Region President Marco Bucci, expressed great satisfaction with this edition of the Genoa International Boat Show: “The numbers will prove us right. The event represents “the best of Italy”, with a resonance that extends to Europe. The award fits into this context, and it is great to see how this completely free jury always leads to exceptional results in the ability to do and innovate“.
Alessandro Cavo, Vice-President of Genoa Chamber of Commerce, then brought greetings from the President of Genoa Chamber of Commerce, Giulia Atanasio, and emphasised the strategic partnership between the Chamber of Commerce and The Italian Marine Industry Association “The last two editions have been flanked by brands of food excellence: this is our way of making Genoa’s beauty known also through its tastes and flavours“.
Carlo Golda, President of Liguria International, in presenting the Liguria International Special Prize, said “This award confirms the strategic cooperation with the Boat Show in promoting one of Liguria’s leading sectors. Made by the master craftsmen of GG Arte Ceramica, the award enhances the production excellence of the territory and strengthens the commitment that, together with the Liguria Region, we are continuously pursuing on international markets“.
Luisa Bocchietto, architect and Coordinator of the Steering Committee of the Award, one of the souls that has given life and shape to the first edition of the award, then took the stage to kick off the award ceremony: “We started quietly and now the Award is growing in participation and appreciation every year. This year we had over 100 entries and it became difficult to select due to the high quality of the new entries. Today, nautical design represents a true cultural frontier, where sustainability, innovation and formal identity intertwine. The Award is a tool to recognise and reward those who know how to interpret the changes taking place. I would like to thank the organisers, The Italian Marine Industry Association and I Saloni Nautici for the trust they placed in me. And also thanks to the judges for their hard work these days. We are proud to have Walter De Silva as President of the Jury this year, a leading figure in the automotive industry and design in general.”
Created in 2020, the Award has grown over the years and has become one of the most appreciated international awards in the sector, establishing itself as a cultural moment of excellence, synthesising trends and highlighting avant-garde projects and underlining the commitment of designers and manufacturers to create a design capable of combining quality, technology, sustainability and beauty.
From about 40 projects nominated in the first year, the number of projects submitted has now reached 100. A trend that testifies to the vitality of the sector and its ability to continuously evolve by focusing on quality, research and attention to environmental sustainability. An acknowledgement that, edition after edition, confirms itself as a privileged observatory on nautical design trends and a prestigious platform for the enhancement of Made in Italy excellence and the most avant-garde realities on the international scene.
The event was also made possible thanks to the participation of main partners such as BPER BANCA, DENZA, EBERHARD &Co, CAMERA DI COMMERCIO DI GENOVA.
CATEGORIES, WINNERS AND MOTIVATIONS
Sail, motor or inflatable boats (up to 10m LH) A32 Luxury Tender – Cranchi Yachts – Designer: Christian Grande Naval Architect: Aldo Cranchi
Motivation: Convincing and detail-oriented solution for an cutting-edge luxury tender that fits into the yard’s building tradition.
Sailboats (over 10m LH and up to 14m LH) XR41 – X-Yachts
Motivation: The ability to include in a racer a level of habitability compatible with the necessary requirements of lightness and internal flexibility.
Sailboats over 14m: Oceanis 52 – Beneteau – Designer: Biscontini Yacht Design Naval Architect: Nauta Design
Motivation: A quality build with innovative interiors and deck layout solutions integrated into a large, serialised product.
Motorboats (up to 14m LH): New Pardo 43 – Cantiere del Pardo – Exterior Designer: Nauta Design + Zuccheri Yacht Design – Interior Designer: Nauta Design – Naval Architect: Zuccheri Yacht Design
Motivation: Unquestionable balance between elegance and sportiness, made with the highest build quality.
Motorboats over 14 m LH: Ferretti Yachts 800 – Ferretti Group – Exterior Designer: Filippo Salvetti – Interior Designer: Ideaeitalia – Naval Architect: Piero Ferrari + Engineering Department Ferretti Group
Motivation: Exceptional aesthetic, design and executive coherence for a vessel with a decisive identity devoted to real use.
Superyachts (over 24m LH): SL110A – Sanlorenzo – Exterior Designer: Zuccon International Project / Interior Designer: Lissoni&Partners
Motivation: Further confirmation of a unique ability to innovate the distribution of space on board, combined with continuous research into materials and finishes.
Maxi-RIBs (over 10m LH) – Stradivari 52 – Cantieri Capelli – Designer: Cantieri Capelli Technical Department + Giuseppe Bagnardi BG Design Firm
Motivation: Excellent combination of habitability and formal quality accompanied by an overall and detailed control.
Multihulls: BGF45 – Bluegame – Designer: Luca Santella + Zuccon International Project – Hull Designer: Bluegame + Caponnetto Hueber
Motivation: Having successfully transferred cutting-edge technology to a serialised product, with unexpectedly impressive internal solutions.
Boating equipment and components: IPS Professional Platform – Volvo Group Italia
Motivation: Technical innovation that maximises efficiency and allows versatility between combinations of different drive types.
Onboard electronics and software: Force Pro – Garmin
Motivation: A functional design for a cutting-edge electronic position control solution.
Honourable Mention: Lancia Aprea 42 – Aprea Yacht and Service – Designer: Victory Design
Motivation: Revisiting classic lines and a skilful use of materials for a boat with a powerful identity.
Honourable Mention: Wauquiez 55 – Wauquiez – Concept: Cyril Ballu – Interior Designer: Roseo Design/ Naval Architect: Marc Lombard Yacht Design Group
Motivation: Developing the Wauquiez tradition towards a long-distance cruiser with contemporary sailing and distribution solutions.
Special Prizes
For Outstanding Innovation: Say 52 – Say Carbon Yachts – Designer: Karl Wagner + SAY Engineers + Genesis Design – presentedby Alessandro Grosso, Country Manager BYD & di Denza Italia
Motivation: High-impact design integrating design and advanced construction solutions.
For Outstanding Career – Cantieri Navali Codecasa presented by Luigi Zanti, Liguria and Piemonte Director at BPER Banca
Motivation: Cantieri Navali Codecasa is awarded this Outstanding Career Award to celebrate its 200th anniversary, with particular reference to the continuous evolution of its product, which stands out for striking the perfect balance between tradition and innovation, an element that has enabled it to achieve admirable examples of construction excellence.
For Outstanding Talent (for high-potential entrepreneurial ideas and direction): Electrifly
Motivation: The start-up Electrifly is awarded the Special Prize for Outstanding Talent for the development of an innovative solution to support the drive axle, based on a magnetic levitation system.
The award was presented by Mario Peserico,General Manager of EBERHARD & CO
Liguria International Award
Gene.Sys
Manufacturer: P2M for Amer Yachts
The award was presented by Carlo Golda,President of Liguria International
JURY MEMBERS
Steering Committee representative:
▪ Luisa BOCCHIETTO – Architect and designer
Design and industry experts:
▪ Walter DE SILVA – Designer
▪ Aleks TATIC – Designer
Expert industry journalists (Italian and international):
▪ Franco MICHIENZI – Editor-in-Chief, Barche
▪ Pier Paolo BELLINA – Editor-in-Chief, Il Gommone
▪ Nabil FARHAT – Editor-in-Chief, The World of Yachts & Boats
Representatives of academia or organisations and institutions within the boating sector:
▪ Andrea RATTI – Executive Director, MSc. Yacht Design – Politecnico di Milano
Boatowners or well-known figures from the worlds of art, economics and culture:
▪ Claudio FELTRIN – President, Federlegno Arredo
It is important to recall that in previous editions, the Design Innovation Award has acted as a springboard for emerging realities and highly innovative projects, contributing to the visibility and development of new entrepreneurial trajectories in the nautical sector. Significant cases include Moi Composites (Politecnico di Milano), winner of the 2020 Innovation Award with MAMBO; UniBoat (University of Bologna), awarded in 2021 for a highly experimental university project of the same name; and Ecoracer by nlcomp, which brought to the public’s attention the first racing boat built from natural fibre and recyclable thermoplastic resin. These experiences testify to the Award’s strategic value in promoting virtuous synergies between business, research and creativity, charting new courses towards a sustainable and competitive future.
