I have waited a lot before posting specifically about the conference I'm helping to organize for Reed Business Information.

I feel now it is time to spend a few words to explain why I'm doing this work and what we have concluded until now.

I'm so lucky (thanks to my company) to travel in US from time to time (speaking and attending conferences, Barcamps, etc). Indeed a fundamental part of my job is enabling connections, opportunities and understanding the market to create new products. I'm also involved in a number of free research projects (Facetag.org, Taggly) and web 2.0 initiatives (Netwo). Even if I'm not a journalist (probably neither a good or influential blogger :->), I also write on italian and international "magazines" (Apogeonline, Social Media Today) about web 2.0, enterprise 2.0, user experience, information architecture, bla bla bla.

The bottom line is that I'm trying to create small bubbles, growing seeds of energy and change with other passionate professionals. I deeply believe this change is needed here in Italy to give voice to common people, to customers, to employees and new startups.

Please note this is not a sort of egalitarian, anarchic, visionary hope. This hope is becoming the matter of fact and moreover it is changing the way companies do their business with large benefits not only to customers but especially to companies themselves. This change goes vaguely under the name of Web 2.0.

While it is quite easy to involve geeks, web developers, consultants and marketers, the same is not true for large companies (after a period very low in investments and innovation).

The point is that this wave is coming anyway. It is inevitable and companies must learn to investigate, understand and experiment with the new dynamics of communication and relationships. Some business (pharma, publishing and media for example) see it as a treat. It is a big opportunity instead. A fast running train. You can take it or being run over.

To push this change a new awareness and culture is needed. Technology is no longer the focal point in a social market. It is merely an enabler for the cultural revolution. Investing in something that you can hardly touch (not hardware, but minds, ideas, approaches) is always a long jump, but ideas that go mainstream can be a powerful force even if you are not able to see them in advance.

Web 2.Oltre tries to bring this change (evolution, revolution) to the attention of companies in Italy in a new way. I believe having experts telling the story to other experts is not sufficient to change a sentiment, to create a digital culture, to open new opportunities. Each one of us understands a different kind of communication, so different communication languages are needed.

In my experience a very effective incentive for companies is coming to know what your competitor is doing, learning about its results, techniques and faults to do better and get inspiration.

This is exactly what we are doing: bringing here a mix of international (Dion Hinchcliffe, Jeff Nolan, Lee Bryant, Bernard Cova, Michael Schuster and italian experts (Mauro Lupi, Paolo Valdemarin, Marco Montemagno, Alberto D'Ottavi, David Orban, Mirko Pallera, Alex Giordano, Luca Conti) to give the vision and prepare the ground for leading italian companies to discuss their projects, perspective and doubts as well. As you can see from the site the list of managers is quite long (and not everyone has been already made public).

Starting from yesterday, the blog is public. It will follow the Fast Forward Blog example discussing the topics that will be presented during the conference (not about the conference). If you want to participate, drop me an email.

The final goal is doing a small step together (experts, consultants and market).

I could be naive but at least I'm trying.