This is the English translation of a podcast interview conducted in Italian by radio VENETO24 on Friday July 17, 2026
Riccardo Sandre: The logistics of the future, as told by Interporto Padova and Green Logistics Expo. Good morning everyone, I am Riccardo Sandre and this is “The Logistics of the Future,” the weekly column created and produced by Interporto Padova and Green Logistics Expo that tells how one of the key sectors of the economy is changing under the pressure of the rapid changes of recent years. Technological innovations, geopolitical transformations, but also the digital revolution and artificial intelligence applications are effectively redesigning a sector that remains anchored to the materiality of goods. For this reason, the future of logistics lies in the convergence between digital flows and physical movement. There will likely be a hybrid and intelligent supply chain where the immateriality of data will enable and optimize matter. Artificial intelligence, robotics, and predictive monitoring will guide every phase, reducing waste and environmental impact. This is a significant challenge for logistics companies. This is also why Green Logistics Expo will be joined in Pavilion 7 of the Padua Fair by Impact, the first multidisciplinary fair for services and innovation organized by Libra Consulting and UPI, designed to offer an opportunity for dialogue between the business world and that of innovative services. We are discussing this with Anna Piva, Export Manager of Libra Consulting and co-organizer of the event, which will take place on Wednesday the 16th, Thursday the 17th, and Friday the 18th of October, concurrently with Green Logistics Expo. Good morning, Dr. Piva, and thank you for being with us.
Anna Piva: Good morning, thank you for the hospitality.
Riccardo Sandre: There is a lot of talk about digital innovation, artificial intelligence, and a future governed by digital flows, but for companies—especially small and medium ones—orienting themselves in this future world is very difficult. How does Impact act as a bridge between the world of innovative services and technologies and businesses?
Anna Piva: Your question captures the starting point of Impact perfectly, and “bridge” is a key word because the theme concerns both large and small-to-medium enterprises. To be competitive in a globalized world, they must keep pace with the speed at which technologies and services evolve. As mentioned, the difference is that large companies have the resources to monitor, evaluate, and experiment, while SMEs often do not and must rely on external partners or risk falling behind, which is a major issue for our economy. Impact, therefore, responds to this need for sustainable innovation. We created it to offer a direct physical meeting point between companies of any size and those who concretely provide these innovative services. It is not a fair of theoretical conferences, but an opportunity to talk directly with those who develop these solutions, understand what is truly applicable to one’s own context, and evaluate partners with whom to build a growth path. In my work as an internationalization consultant, I see how important the spectrum of skills is that a company must activate today to remain competitive. I believe important signals will emerge at Impact because, more than ever, anyone doing business has access to fundamental tools for competitiveness, efficiency, and compliance. However, they must know where to find these tools and how to use them. These resources are not always sufficiently allocated within production realities. Impact aims to be the place where skills that are often fragmented and difficult to identify become accessible and comparable in a single day.
Riccardo Sandre: Impact is an event that speaks to entrepreneurs 360°, and some innovations are common to all. But what can logistics and transport operators find specifically for their sector?
Anna Piva: The logistics sector is perhaps where this convergence between physical and digital is most direct. Those in transport will find solutions for monitoring and flow optimization, traceability, and predictive maintenance—tools to reduce waste and inefficiencies, which impact both the environment and margins. However, our offer is not limited to technology in the strict sense. I think Impact can contribute even to operators who are already digitally evolved. For example, the insurance component in freight transport has very specific characteristics. I also think of those working on opening to foreign markets who face complex customs procedures; specialized customs consultancy can make a substantial difference for both the transport company and its clients. Consider cybersecurity, as even a connected fleet is now an exposure point for company data. Finally, I think of communication and marketing, which is increasingly relevant even for B2B companies to attract clients and, crucially, qualified personnel, which this sector struggles to find. The value for the logistics sector lies in the variety of Impact’s offering. Alongside Green Logistics Expo, an operator finds both vertical innovations for their business and transverse services that complete their competitiveness without having to search for these interlocutors across different events.
Riccardo Sandre: So, the message is that the event doesn’t just propose technological innovations for structured companies, but provides service companies that offer solutions for smaller realities that would be difficult to manage internally. Is that correct?
Anna Piva: Yes, exactly. Impact is not just for those who can manage digitalization and compliance autonomously, but also for smaller, family-run companies, even those with only one or two vehicles. These companies often lack the internal skills to face massive themes like digitalization, communication, and internationalization, which can cause future problems if unaddressed. The added value of Impact is showcasing service realities designed to be an “external department” or outsourcing for those without internal departments. This might be because they cannot afford it or simply to avoid weighing down their processes with more employees. For example, a consultant can become an export office for a company starting to sell abroad, avoiding the need to train a dedicated person. An outsourced R&D company allows for product innovation without hiring an entire laboratory. A vertical law firm specializing in e-commerce or privacy management allows a company to handle complex regulations without structuring internally. Furthermore, a software house can digitalize a process and optimize the supply chain to avoid bottlenecks without the company building an IT department from scratch. Impact is the showcase where those offering innovative services meet the companies that absolutely need them to remain competitive in a complex, globalized environment.
Riccardo Sandre: We thank Anna Piva for this very interesting chat. We remind you that Impact will take place in the pavilion adjacent to Green Logistics Expo on October 16, 17, and 18. We will see you next week to discover another aspect of the complex and interconnected world of logistics.
Anna Piva: Goodbye.
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