Hublab

What Hublab does

Hublab is a Milan-based strategic consultancy and content laboratory founded in 2008 by Nicola Zanardi. The firm supports institutions, corporations, foundations, associations, and communities through three integrated service lines: strategic consulting for innovation and knowledge transfer, content curation and publication management, and large-scale event organization. Engagements span brand repositioning (CIS Nola, Europe's largest wholesale center at 1,000,000 sqm), corporate restructuring (NaturaSì), strategic visioning for real-estate redevelopment (MilanoSesto S.p.A. ex-Falck areas), and platform feasibility studies (Telecom Italia's CulTiVar agricultural platform). The founder's background spans leading Italian agencies (Pirella Göttsche, J. Walter Thompson, Xyz, Bitmama Reply), major media (Corriere della Sera), and academic appointments at Università di Siena and Milano Bicocca, lending the firm strong editorial and institutional credibility.

The company's flagship content and event properties are deeply intertwined with anchor institutional clients. Equilibri Magazine is a digital platform on sustainable development produced for Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, evolving a journal originally published by Il Mulino since 1997; it is complemented by the recurring Almanacco Equilibri annual publication (e.g., "Il potere di imparare" 2025, "La società dell'educazione" 2024). Milano Digital Week, curated by Hublab every year since 2018 in partnership with the Comune di Milano, is described as Italy's largest digital culture event and reached 85,000+ attendees in 2019, 120,000+ visitors in 2020 (the largest fully-digital event in Europe that year), and 150,000+ active users during the 2021 online edition. The Laboratorio 2050 bimonthly podcast, produced for NaturaSì, extends the offering into audio content. Delivery is supported by a 7-person in-house team supplemented by recurring partners including Leftloft (design), Giga Design Studio (digital/code), and Limiteazero (interaction design).

Hublab operates a project-based, bespoke-services revenue model with pricing not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is relationship-driven and direct, with no channel intermediaries; visibility is generated through thought-leadership publications in outlets including Corriere della Sera, event curation, and the founder's editorial profile. The firm is privately held with no external investors identified, serves primarily Italian clients (with European reach limited to the Milano Digital Week profile), and functions as a boutique multidisciplinary laboratory valuing what it describes as "biodiversity of skills."

Name

Hublab

Legal name

Hublab

Website

https://hublab.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hublab is a Milan-based strategy consultancy and content lab founded in 2008 by Nicola Zanardi, supporting Italian institutions, companies, foundations, and associations with innovation strategy, knowledge transfer, sustainability positioning, content curation, and event management (notably Milano Digital Week).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Strategic Consulting Services: Strategy consulting for institutions, companies, communities, foundations and associations covering innovation, knowledge transfer, concept development, and sustainability positioning projects. Revenue generated through project-based consulting engagements.
2. Content Development and Curation: Development and curation of publications, magazines, almanacs, and digital content for clients such as Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (Equilibri Magazine, Almanacco Equilibri).
3. Event Curation and Management: Organization and curation of large-scale events such as Milano Digital Week, exhibitions, and conferences. Includes content creation, project management, and event coordination services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hublab provides strategic consulting and knowledge transfer services to institutions, companies, communities, foundations, and associations. Its core deliverables include innovation and sustainability strategy consulting, concept development, content curation and publication management, and large-scale event organization. The company operates as a multidisciplinary laboratory combining strategy, communication, and cultural expertise to support clients in digital transformation, knowledge dissemination, and sustainability positioning.

Product overview

Hublab is an innovation and knowledge transfer laboratory offering consulting services, content curation, and event organization. The portfolio includes strategy consulting and brand positioning services, the Equilibri Magazine digital platform (produced for Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei), the annual Almanacco Equilibri publication series, the Laboratorio 2050 podcast, and Milano Digital Week event curation. These offerings are interconnected through their focus on sustainable development, education, and digital transformation, with consulting services often informing and supporting the content-driven products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Almanacco Equilibri
• Equilibri Magazine Digital platform for Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, transforming the historic Equilibri journal (published by Il Mulino since 1997) into a digital publication focused on Sustainable Development, curated and coordinated by Hublab.
• Laboratorio 2050 Podcast
• Milano Digital Week Italy's largest digital culture event, curated and organized by Hublab since 2018. The annual event focuses on digital education, culture, and innovation, with editions including 'Lo Sviluppo dei Limiti' and 'Città Equa e Sostenibile'.
• Strategy and Innovation Consulting Strategic consulting services supporting institutions, companies, communities, foundations, and associations in innovation and knowledge transfer. Includes brand positioning, sustainability strategy, and organizational restructuring.
• Content Curation and Development Content creation, curation, and management services for publications, exhibitions, and digital platforms, including exhibition design and storytelling for cultural and corporate clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managed Milano Digital Week with 120,000+ participants (2020), 150,000+ users (2021), and 85,000+ attendees (2019)

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fondazione Eni Enrico MatteicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Ongoing partnership for the design and curation of Equilibri Magazine (digital platform for sustainable development) and Almanacco Equilibri annual publication. Hublab is part of the editorial team and manages strategic, online/offline communication and content aspects.
• Comune di MilanocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partner for Milano Digital Week events. Hublab has curated all editions from 2018-2023, working with the Municipal Government's Digital Transformation and Civic Services department.
• Cariplo FactorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical coordination partner for Milano Digital Week events since 2018. Cariplo Factory serves as technical coordinator and business development partner.
• IAB ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneral contractor and business development partner for Milano Digital Week events since 2018. IAB Italia handles business development aspects of the collaboration.
• Politecnico di Milano (METID)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngaged for strategic consulting on study program analysis and orientation, particularly regarding accessibility, AI integration, and online/blended learning pathways.
• ArtsForminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for exhibition coordination and production, including Fotografia Open - Human Nature project and Milano Digital Week coordination.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hublabstudio
• Facebookfacebook.com/HublabStudio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hublabmilano

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hublab