Retail pitch - Italian rising brands

Michele Ardoni moderates the "Italian Rising Brands" pitch competition at MAPIC Italy 2026, in partnership with Experviser. Six selected Italian emerging brands present their expansion concepts to industry leaders and commercial real estate operators.

The participating brands:
Lucio Nucci, Amministratore of Maria di Ripabianca — a historic Italian luxury cashmere brand founded in the 1960s in Ripabianca, Umbria, producing clothing and home collections using noble fibres, relaunched in 2020.
Carolina Gallice, Founder of Maison Bloom — a premium nursery in Milan redefining early childhood education through wellbeing, design and educational excellence.
Salvatore Grizzanti, General Manager of OPEN Baladin — Teo Musso's craft beer pub-restaurant network, an open source concept sharing recipes and knowledge, with 10+ years of experience in Italian foodservice and franchising.
Alfonso D'Ambrosio, CEO of Maria il mare fritto ad aria — contemporary seafood reimagined: lighter, more conscious, compatible with modern lifestyles while maintaining the pleasure of tradition.
Max Chiesa, CEO of Donburi House — a ramen and izakaya format combining authentic Japanese recipes, curated design and centralized production, expanding through direct stores and franchising.
Jasmine Haffadi, Imprenditrice of StoreFit — fast fitness gyms combining advanced technology (EMS), short high-intensity training and personalized guided programmes.
Each brand pitches their concept to a jury of retail and foodservice industry leaders, followed by evaluation and networking.