Curiosity may be the key to discoveries, but it takes vision for innovation to revolutionize industries. For Mara Bagnasco, Corporate Strategy and Innovation Director at 3V Enterprise, curiosity has been what inspired her to work on a commitment to make the transition from scientific discoveries to practical innovations. Starting from being curious about chemistry, she became interested in connecting science, strategy, engineering, and sustainability because this way innovation makes sense only if it benefits humans and nature.
In her professional path, Mara has always supported the long-term approach which is focused not on solving current problems, but creating innovative solutions that will benefit future generations. Being involved in promoting the digital transformation process, cooperation between industries, and  evolving the role of engineers in innovation, she always keeps in mind responsibility and purposes.
For Mara, technological development cannot be an end in itself; every invention and innovation must be contributing to sustainable progress and developing scientific and industrial communities.
From Scientific Passion to Strategic Vision
Long before joining corporate leadership, Mara was quite certain about what she was good at and interested in. Right from a tender age, Mara wished to become a chemist because she loved the way in which science worked. This passion led her to the field of research and development where she derived much fulfillment from turning science into practical applications. However, as she progressed in her career, she realized that innovation was not enough to bring any significant difference without strategy.
There is one occasion when she attended a conference sometime in the 2000s in which the speaker drew comparison between the views of Western leaders and the Eastern perspective on time. The example of China which had been planning for centuries showed her how long-term planning can be the key driver in national and industrial development. “It made me realize that long-term thinking and a strategic corporate approach were the only means of having an impact on the world with research and innovation.” She adds that both science and corporate strategy can actually go hand in hand.
Transforming Challenges into Collaborative Solutions
Mara’s work in research made her appreciate the difficulties that come with scaling up any innovation in the industry, the process of translating success in the laboratory to success in production. No matter how successful any discovery was in the laboratory stage, there would be numerous challenges to overcome before making it into a viable product.
When Mara came on board at 3V Enterprise, she recognized that the company’s customers faced the same challenges and 3V was the perfect fertile ground to turn that into a opportunity.
Rather than sticking to being an equipment provider, she saw the company as having the potential of becoming an engineering partner. “We needed to evolve from an equipment supplier into a strategic co-developer of processes,” she says.
The above vision became the basis of the company’s digitally integrated R&D hub in Bergamo. This center has been constructed with state-of-the-art pilot plants that can simulate reactions, filtration, drying, and evaporation technologies to help customers test, optimize, and scale up their process prior to taking it into commercial production. With a capability to generate, analyze  and integrate data, the facility is future proofed for AI implementation, making the process more efficient and less risky while accelerating product development. Most importantly, this will help engineers collaborate with customers right from the very beginning of the process.
Responsible Innovation Beyond Technology
Despite the fact that technology serves as the foundation of her work, Mara always believes that innovations must always be accompanied by responsibility. The philosophy of leadership of Mara is based on the concept of “Responsible Innovation.” In other words, success in such an innovative environment is achieved by the combination of technological breakthrough and social value.
“Innovation can’t be assessed merely in terms of technological advances – it is defined by its contribution to sustainable progress,” Mara says. Such a philosophy is deeply rooted in the corporate culture impacting not only strategic priorities but also overall business choices.
Acknowledging the fact that environmental responsibility has been irrevocably linked to the economic growth, the company not only optimizesproduction processes but also offers industrial wastewater treatment services, environmental plant solutions and chemical recycling technologies. Thus, thanks to solving the problems with the ever-toughening environmental regulations of their customers, the company is gaining competitive advantage.
The same principles apply to the office environment. With the adoption of the Manifesto of Non-Hostile Communication, we see an effort to establish a workplace that is founded on the values of mutual respect, cooperation, and productive communication. At the same time, Bergamo R&D Hub is created as much more than just a technologically sophisticated structure. It becomes a place where engineers, scientists, specialists from various fields can meet, share their ideas, collaborate and develop innovations useful for society and industry.
Building a Culture That Embraces Change
The toughest transformations for Mara do not involve technology; they involve culture. Changing the culture within an organization takes time, trust, and commitment, especially if shifting away from existing business models to more partnership-based approaches is involved. Transitioning from equipment production to engineering solutions meant that the company had to develop its competencies and understand its evolving mission.
Mara attributes this success to the vision of the company’s ownership and effective collaboration within the organization. Establishing self-reliant teams that can make intelligent decisions is just as essential.
She is no less dedicated to this principle when it comes to leadership. It is not about her professional duties; for her, learning plays a significant role in her daily life. Curiosity drives her to study various topics, including digital intelligence and circular chemistry, and determination helps her to make her ideas come true. She can learn about new cultures thanks to traveling and find peace of mind and strength of character in nature. “Studying and learning continuously are what better describe me,” she says.
Looking Ahead with a Global Perspective
Mara believes, the future of the life sciences and fine chemicals industries will be defined by the convergence of digitalization, artificial intelligence, and increased collaboration along the entire value chain. Saving costs and improving manufacturing efficiencies will continue to be important, but they will not be the only things that matter anymore.
“Technology alone will not be enough,” Mara explains. It is necessary for organizations to transform from traditional supplier relationships to integrated cooperation, where engineering companies will actively participate in the process of product development. By means of data, co-designing, and digital validation, they will be able to speed up scale-up, reduce costs, and build flexible ecosystems of industries capable of adapting to the growing complexity of challenges in the global world.
The international experience made her realize that every culture has something important to offer. She was able to learn long-term vision from the Asian cultures, pragmatism from the American one, and a humanistic philosophy represented by Leonardo da Vinci from the Europeans. Combining these approaches to problem-solving allowed her to develop an efficient strategy for managing difficult tasks.
Inspiring Future Generations
Looking forward, beyond the current accomplishments, Mara wishes to motivate future innovators to understand that sustainability requires much more than technological innovations. Engineering and chemistry need to become potent tools used to resolve the issues facing our world responsibly, thus contributing to both the environment and economy. The establishment of the Bergamo R&D Hub  represents not only a significant achievement for 3V and Mara herself, but also a clear commitment to delivering a valuable contribution to scientific and technical growth in Italy.
As far as guidance for future leaders is concerned, it is evident that Mara would advise them to act upon certain principles that have guided her throughout. For instance, one needs to remain curious, interdisciplinary in his/her studies, and not accept easy answers.
For her, such an attitude toward innovations can be best expressed through the motto: “To know, to connect, to create.”
Mara is inspired by the words of Adriano Olivetti, who said that “Nothing important and permanent can be built without strong personal effort and sacrifice.”
Conclusion
The professional experience of Mara Bagnasco proves how close science is to strategic management, as it showed how research and engineering along with sustainability and future vision can be used not only for technological innovations but also for creating something truly meaningful.
With such approaches, which include responsible innovation, partnerships, and education, Mara is making contributions to both businesses and society in general. With the development of the digital era and changing methods of cooperation between industries, 3V and Mara’s example shows what kind of leadership will be in demand in the future.
