Science Festival Association

What Science Festival Association does

Associazione Festival della Scienza is a non-profit organization founded in 2003 and headquartered in Genova, Italy, that operates one of the leading international science communication festivals. Each year between October and November it runs an 11-day in-person festival featuring over 300 events (conferences, exhibitions, workshops, shows, special events) attended by 200,000+ visitors and 25,000+ students from across Italy, with participation by hundreds of international scientists, researchers, educators, artists, and authors. The Association is supported by a dense institutional ecosystem including CNR, IIT, INFN, INAF, INGV, UNIGE, Centro Fermi, Regione Liguria, Comune di Genova, and Miur (the Italian Ministry of Education), along with principal corporate backers such as Compagnia di San Paolo, IREN, ERG, and IPLOM.

The Association's core technology platform is Festivalscienza.online, an on-demand streaming service launched in 2020 that hosts recorded festival content (lectures, meetings, shows, special events) for Premium and Standard subscribers, with complimentary access for participating teachers. Beyond the annual festival and digital platform, it operates year-round programming including free educational worksheets and video tutorials for families and schools (Attività Didattiche Gratuite), mobile science workshops brought to schools and events (Scienza in Arrivo), and participation in the Horizon Europe-funded Science Comes to Town 2027 initiative across four European cities.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: ticketed entry to the annual festival (with early-bird promotions, discounts, and free categories); recurring annual subscriptions (Standard and Premium tiers) to Festivalscienza.online; and corporate sponsorship/partnership packages providing brand visibility and youth-audience access. Distribution is hybrid: direct ticket sales via the website login/registration system, a dedicated school booking channel (separate from consumer tickets), RAI media partnerships for national reach, and digital channels including three email newsletters (general, teachers, families), YouTube, and Facebook. Pricing details are not publicly disclosed, though the model supports both individual consumers and institutional buyers (schools, corporate sponsors).

Name

Science Festival Association

Legal name

Associazione Festival della Scienza

Website

https://festivalscienza.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Non-profit association founded in 2003 in Genova, Italy, operating the annual Festival della Scienza — one of the leading international science communication events with 300+ events, 200,000+ visitors, and 25,000+ students per edition — supplemented by year-round digital, school, and family programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Science Communication & Education Events

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic & Scientific Conferences (MPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Arts & Culture Community Festivals (Multidisciplinary Arts Weeks) (MPAGAEAG), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

Keywords

• Science communication events
• Public science education
• School science programs
• Educational workshops
• Science festival management

Headquarters

HQ city

Genova

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The Festival generates revenue through the sale of tickets and subscriptions for the annual in-person festival event. Visitors must register/login to purchase tickets online. Schools have a separate booking process.
2. Premium/Standard Subscriptions: Annual subscriptions (Premium or Standard) for the Festivalscienza.online on-demand platform. These subscriptions also include complimentary access for participating teachers.
3. Corporate Sponsorship & Partnership: Corporate sponsors support the festival financially in exchange for brand visibility, content co-creation opportunities, and access to specific target audiences (particularly youth). Partners receive presentation materials and tailored partnership packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Associazione Festival della Scienza organizes and operates the annual Festival della Scienza, a major international science communication event in Genova held each October-November, featuring 300+ conferences, exhibitions, laboratories, shows, and special events drawing 200,000+ visitors. Year-round, it delivers complementary programming including the Festivalscienza.online on-demand video platform, free educational activities and worksheets for families and schools, and mobile science workshops (Scienza in Arrivo!) that travel to schools and events.

Product overview

The Associazione Festival della Scienza operates a unified portfolio centered on science education and public outreach. The core offering is the annual Festival della Scienza in Genoa, complemented by the on-demand digital platform Festivalscienza.online, free educational activities and worksheets, mobile science workshops (Scienza in Arrivo), and participation in the European Science Comes to Town 2027 initiative. The Association was founded in 2003 and also includes a dedicated division for schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Festivalscienza.online: On-demand platform where contents of the Festival della Scienza can be rewatched from 2020 onwards, including lectio magistralis, meetings, shows, and special events with prominent figures from international science.

Products and services

• Festival della Scienza Annual international science communication event held in Genoa each October-November with over 300 conferences, exhibitions, laboratories, shows and special events featuring scientists, researchers, communicators, artists and authors from around the world; attended by 200,000+ visitors and 25,000+ students per edition.
• Festivalscienza.online On-demand streaming platform offering recorded content from the Festival della Scienza, including lectures, meetings, shows and special events with prominent figures from international science; available globally and offered as an annual Standard or Premium subscription, with free access for participating teachers.
• Free Educational Activities (Attività Didattiche Gratuite) Free videos and worksheets of hands-on, interactive science activities for families and schools, designed to introduce scientific topics to children of all ages through simple experiments using everyday or reused materials.
• Scienza in Arrivo! (Mobile Science Workshops) Mobile science workshops, laboratories, competency-building paths and customized teaching plans delivered by the Association to schools and external events throughout the year.
• Science Comes to Town 2027 (Genova) European program of more than 240 science events across four cities (Genova, Aarhus, Kaunas, Oeiras) in 2027, including the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) bringing over 100 students from dozens of countries to Genova.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ visitor attendance and 25,000+ students per edition
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and major.

• Science4Everyone Consortium / APREflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Science Comes to Town 2027 is coordinated by the Science4Everyone consortium led by APRE (Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea). Association Festival della Scienza coordinates Genoa activities. Project funded by Horizon Europe with 15 partners across 4 cities.
• Federazione delle Associazioni Scientifiche e Tecniche (FAST)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Italian partner in Science Comes to Town 2027, joining Association Festival della Scienza and Comune di Genova in the Italian consortium.
• IREN (Main Partner)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Main partner (Main partner tier) of the Festival. Utility company providing corporate sponsorship and content collaboration.
• ERG (Main Sponsor)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Main sponsor contributing financial support and potentially co-developing energy-related content.
• IPLOM (Main Sponsor)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Main sponsor contributing financial support to the Festival.
• RAI (Media Partner)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026National public broadcaster as media partner providing broadcast coverage and audience reach.
• CNR — ICMATE (Istituto di Chimica della Materia Condensata e di Tecnologie per l'Energia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborated on educational activity 'Lampada di lava' as part of La Ricerca Diffusa project, a CNR outreach initiative.
• CNR — IAS (Istituto per lo studio degli impatti antropici e sostenibilità in ambiente marino)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborated on educational activity 'Come trovare le microplastiche' as part of La Ricerca Diffusa project.
• CNR — ICCOM (Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organometallici)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborated on educational activity 'Paradosso meccanico' as part of La Ricerca Diffusa project.
• CNR — IPSP (Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaborated on educational activity 'Gelatine di frutta scientifiche' as part of La Ricerca Diffusa project.
• Miur (Ministero dell'Istruzione)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Italian Ministry of Education supports school programs, enabling over 25,000 students per edition to attend the Festival since 2022. Works with Ufficio Scolastico Regionale per la Liguria.
• Ufficio Scolastico Regionale per la LiguriacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Regional school office that collaborates with the Association to develop and promote science initiatives in Liguria schools.
• RAI Radio2 — Caterpillar (M'Illumino di Meno)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2005Annual partnership since 2005 for M'Illumino di Meno (National Day of Energy Savings). Festival creates free educational activities for the initiative. Radio2 provides broadcast audience reach.
• Camera di Commercio di GenovacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Founding institutional partner of the Association. Supports the Festival della Scienza as part of the Genoa business community ecosystem.
• Centro FermicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Institutional partner associated with the Festival della Scienza, representing the Enrico Fermi Center for scientific research and education.
• CNR (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Major scientific partner. Multiple CNR institutes collaborate on educational activities: ICMATE, IAS, ICCOM, IPSP. The CNR's La Ricerca Diffusa project collaborates with the Association for outreach and citizen science programs.
• Comune di GenovacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Municipal government partner. Co-coordinator of Science Comes to Town 2027 initiative and key supporter of the Festival's local operations.
• Confindustria GenovacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Industrial association partner representing Genoa businesses, supporting the Festival as part of the local innovation ecosystem.
• Costa EdutainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Cultural and entertainment company partner. Co-develops educational content and events within the Festival program.
• IIT (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Scientific research institution partner contributing expertise and researchers to Festival events and programs.
• INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003National geophysics and volcanology institute partner contributing scientific content to Festival events.
• INAF (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003National astrophysics institute partner contributing astronomy and space science content to the Festival.
• INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003National nuclear physics institute partner contributing physics content and researchers to Festival programs.
• Regione LiguriacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Regional government of Liguria provides institutional support and funding for the Festival della Scienza.
• UNIGE (Università di Genova)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003University of Genoa is a founding institutional partner, contributing academic researchers and scientists to Festival events.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Science Gallery International: Global network of university-affiliated spaces (originally Trinity College Dublin) blending science, art, and technology through exhibitions and events. Comparable in mission to engage young adults with science, though operating year-round venues rather than a single annual festival.
• Nerd Nite: Global network of informal science-and-culture events held in bars and venues with researcher-led talks. Comparable informal science communication model targeting adult audiences, though operating as a decentralized recurring series rather than a single large annual festival.

Regional players

• Berlin Science Week: Annual multi-day science communication platform in Berlin bringing together international institutions for public events. Comparable multi-format European science festival model and institutional partner base, though operating in a different European geography.
• Bristol Science Film Festival & Festival of Nature: UK-based annual science and nature communication events featuring exhibitions, talks, and family activities. Comparable annual public-facing science event format but focused on a different regional geography and theme mix.

Direct peers

• Cheltenham Science Festival: Part of Cheltenham Festivals in the UK, an annual science event combining talks, debates, workshops, and family activities with strong scientist participation. Directly comparable event-driven science communication model targeting general public and schools.
• World Science Festival: Annual multi-day science communication event held in New York with international footprint, featuring hundreds of scientists and a similar mix of public lectures, exhibitions, and family programming. Directly comparable in scale, ambition, and curated event programming to Festival della Scienza.
• Cambridge Science Festival: University of Cambridge's annual science festival combining public lectures, hands-on demonstrations, lab tours, and school programs. Closely comparable in academic-partner-driven model and Genova's UNIGE/CNR anchored format.
• Edinburgh International Science Festival: One of the world's largest annual science communication festivals, founded in 1989 and held each spring in Edinburgh. Highly comparable to Festival della Scienza in mission, multi-format event design (exhibitions, talks, workshops), and science-education focus for general public and schools.

Broad incumbents

• AAAS Annual Meeting: Large international scientific conference and family science events organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Comparable in academic/scientific conference programming and family outreach, but with a much larger footprint and professional research community focus rather than public-facing festival identity.
• The Royal Institution: Historic UK scientific institution running year-round public lectures (notably the Christmas Lectures), demonstrations, and family programming. Comparable in delivering accessible science content to public audiences, but with a permanent venue and broader educational portfolio rather than a single annual festival.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fdellascienza
• Facebookfacebook.com/festivalscienza
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/associazione-festival-della-scienza

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Science Festival Association