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Venturi: flying the Monaco flag in space

by: Stephanie Horsman
18/05/2022

Monaco-based Venturi Group, headed by Gildo Pastor, can count space exploration to its already forward-thinking vision, with its newest entity, Venturi Lab, poised to design and build mobility solutions capable to handling the extreme conditions found on the Moon and Mars.

After two decades of perfecting electric vehicles on Earth, the Venturi Group is looking to the heavens for its next venture. Using the expertise and experience they have culled over the years, the company has expanded to the creation of durable, reusable space vehicles via their new entity, Venturi Lab, based in Switzerland.

Co-founded with Dr Antonio Delfino, former Head of the Chemistry and Physics Department and Fellow at Michelin, Pastor’s vision has extended beyond the Earth-based into the design and manufacture of people-movers suitable for use in space.

To bring the necessary parts needed together, Pastor has created a partnership with Venturi Astrolab in California. In this capacity, engineers from Venturi Monaco, Venturi North America and Venturi Lab will work together to build batteries and use materials that can withstand and function at very low temperatures, create solar panels, fashion deformable wheels, build electric vehicle control systems and incorporate the integration of human factors for planetary rovers.

“Since 2001, we have been creating high-performance two-and four-wheel vehicles – and even tracked vehicles – that can operate at -50° C or up to 549 km/h depending on the model,” said Pastor. “Today, I am putting our expertise and resources in the service of space research, a field where excellence is the norm. I want to fly the Monegasque flag ever higher.”

The Venturi Lab

Venturi’s aspirations are definitely aiming for the stars. Basing the designs on what is known of the harsh conditions on the Moon and Mars, they are developing technologies that will see their rovers heading to space with the upcoming NASA and SpaceX lunar missions.

“Relying on its strategic partners across the Atlantic, Venturi Astrolab hopes to supply its vehicles to NASA,” said the company in a press release. “For its part and in parallel, Venturi Lab is working with Thales Alenia Space in France and Beyond Gravity, formerly known as RUAG Space, in Zurich, Switzerland. These collaborations will enable Venturi Lab to test new space technologies and present them to the European Space Agency (ESA). Over the long term, Venturi Lab also aims to invent technologies that will help to reduce land-based, maritime and atmospheric pollution.”

The first breakthroughs and achievements of the new venture will be forthcoming in the coming months.

 

 

Photos source: Venturi Group

 

 

 

 

Racing stars rally for charity football match

by: Luke Entwistle
18/05/2022

Francesco Totti is the latest blockbuster name to be confirmed for next Tuesday’s World Stars Football Match, joining a whole grid’s worth of Formula 1 greats, both past and present.

The match will take place at the Stade Louis II, and the build-up to the star-studded event is only intensifying. AS Roma legend Francesco Totti, who made 619 appearances for the Italian club, as well as winning the World Cup with the Italian national side, is the latest to join the AS Star Team for the Children MC, managed by Claudio Ranieri and current France manager Didier Deschamps.

Joining Totti will be team captain Prince Albert II, Louis Ducruet, AS Monaco legends Jerome Rothen and Ludovic Giuly, two-time Monte-Carlo Masters winner Stefanos Tsitsipas, Nico Rosberg, ROKiT Venturi Racing team principal Jérôme d’Ambrosio and many more.

For the F1 Drivers Team, almost the entire 2022 grid will be present, including current World Champion Max Verstappen and the current Monégasque Championship leader Charles Leclerc. The latter also featured in the Fight Aids Cup back in January.

The event will open the 79th Formula 1 Grand Prix week and the funds raised will go towards helping children in need all over the world. Speaking before the event, Totti said, “I am proud to be a part of this team and this charity event. I have always made every effort so that football and sport can help children and new generations all over the world. It will be a great joy for me to become part of Prince Albert II of Monaco’s team and play a game that represents these values.”

Mauro Serra, AS Star Team for the Children MC Executive President added, “This year is very important because we celebrate 30 years of our association and we will play this unique game for the 29th time.”

The event is free to attend for U14s provided they are accompanied by an adult. Tickets go on sale from Saturday, and can be purchased at the Stade Louis II Stadium ticket office from 09:00-18:00 up until game day, with prices ranging from €12-15 for adults.

The event is a great opportunity to watch the stars of football and F1 come together, as the build-up to one of the most important dates in the Monégasque calendar begins, and does so for a positive, charitable cause.

 

 

 

MEB makes business ties with USA, Vietnam and Djibouti

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/05/2022

The Monaco Economic Board has accomplished three missions with three very different entities in the past month, starting with a trip to the United States, followed by two locally-based forums with Vietnam and Djibouti.

It’s been a busy few weeks for the Monaco Economic Board (MEB), who have been on the go and on the ground forging new relationships with countries around the globe, notably the USA, Vietnam and Djibouti.

Guillaume Rose, Executive Director of the MEB, explains that “By multiplying the meetings with quality interlocutors from all over the world, we strive to offer a maximum of business opportunities to Monegasque companies with an international outlook. These actions are intended to make Monaco a business hub within Southern Europe, and to further strengthen our strong appeal to economic decision-makers around the world. In this regard, we welcome the recent appointment of Frédéric Genta. This is an asset that can help tip the balance of economic decisions in our favour.”

On 29th April, MEB reps Michel Dotta, Justin Highman and Guillaume Rose visited the American state of Indiana where they were received by Governor Eric Holcomb and his Secretary of Commerce Bradley Chambers. They were treated to a business luncheon and later,a cocktail event, where several MEB member companies were in attendance.

Governor Holcomb is pushing for interactivity between his state and Europe, and the connections and opportunities between the Principality and Indiana were strengthened via discussions on energy transitions, electric car technology, sustainability and innovation, and of course, motorsport with the Andretti Autosport team taking part in the Formula E race.

Europe is one of the leading regions for Indiana in terms of foreign direct investment and business ties. Within this region, Monaco enjoys an excellent image with Indiana, particularly for the dynamism of its yachting sector, but also for its resilience in times of crisis.

From left to right: Philippe Ortelli, Jean-Jacques Robin, Youssouf Moussa Dawaleh, Frédéric Geerts, Guillaume Rose, Ayeid Mousseid Yahya, Alexis Mohamed, Jordana Remon-Coubeche, Justin Highman. Photo by MEB/ Carte Blanche

On 4th May, the MEB organised an economic conference dedicated to Vietnam at the Novotel Monte-Carlo. Vietnam, considered one of the “Asian Tiger” countries, is looking at a 6% GDP rebound in 2022, making them an attractive place to do business with. Additionally, the country of 98 million has opened up to free trade agreements with Europe in recent times, making them a good alternative to the Chinese.

Toan Thang DINH, Ambassador of Vietnam in France and Monaco, and Quôc Cuong DAO, in charge of investment promotion, presented the economic assets of their country to about 50 key leaders, before the Asian delegation visited two Monaco companies who are already active in their nation, 3xEngineering and SIAMP CEDAP.

Finally, on 9th May, the Monaco Economic Board, in partnership with the Club of Monegasque Entrepreneurs in Africa (CEMA), represented by its President

Frédéric Geerts and his Secretary General Denis Ruyant, organised an economic forum intended to intensify business relations between Monaco and the Republic of Djibouti, a country with a population of one million that enjoys a strategic location at the entrance to the Red Sea.

Bilateral economic presentations started off the day, leading to the signing of memoranda of understanding between the Chamber of Commerce of Djibouti and the MEB as well as a BtoB meeting session.

Maritime transport was the primary focus, but hardly the only, with meetings dedicated to finance, renewable energies, tourism, logistics and telecoms on the agenda. In the end, over 60 meetings brought Monaco and Djiboutian business people together.

During their stay in the Principality, the members of the Djiboutian delegation also visited members of “Team Monaco” who work to promote the Principality’s international influence: the MonacoTech incubator-accelerator, the Monaco Scientific Center and the Oceanographic Museum.

 

Photo: Frédéric Genta and Guillaume Rose with Eric Holcomb and the delegation in Indiana, by MEB/Carte Blanche

 

 

Revealed: the A-listers to be honoured at Monaco Streaming Film Festival

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/05/2022

Some of Hollywood’s biggest names will be given accolades at the upcoming Monaco Streaming Film Festival’s Gala Awards ceremony, the only festival that is solely focused on video-on-demand content.

The 2nd Monaco Streaming Film Festival, running from 31st May to 2nd June at the Grimaldi Forum, is presenting a grand finale with the Streaming Awards Gala on Friday 3rd June at Le Meridien Beach Plaza Hotel.

The gala will feature some of Tinseltown’s biggest names, including Avatar writer and director James Cameron, who will be receiving the Reg Grundy Innovation Award, Bond-series producer Barbara Broccoli, celebrities Jeff Fahey, Victoria Smurfit, Mark Wahlberg, and Patricia Arquette, to name but a few.

As reported on by Monaco Life in April, the event, created by Tony Davis, is a powerful forum for the streaming content community, giving players a chance to network, communicate more easily and learn about the latest opportunities in this not-so-niche part of the entertainment industry.

Additionally, there will be free premieres and screenings to highlight some of the newest offerings in the streaming content world. Upward of a hundred films will be presented over the three-day period, made up of 20 feature length offerings and 80 shorts. There are also three black tie premiere evenings, which require advance tickets and include a cocktail event preceding the screening.

The festival itself will have a series of summits, conferences, keynotes and panel discussions with people in the know in video-on-demand (VOD) production and distribution, including talks on the future of Ad-based VOD (AVOD), Subscription VOD (SVOD) and Transactional VOD (TVOD) models.

For more info on the Festival and the Gala, visit the website on https://streamingff.com.

 

SEE ALSO: 

Monaco Streaming Film Festival prepares for powerful return

 

 

 

Venturi reignite their title charge in Berlin

by: Luke Entwistle
17/05/2022

Monégasque manufacturer ROKiT Venturi Racing bounced back from a difficult weekend on home soil to take consecutive podiums over two races in the German capital.

Key to their revival was Edoardo Mortara. The Swiss driver scored podiums in both races, including a victory from pole position on Saturday. Having expertly controlled the first-part of the race, Mortara was made to race in the second to ensure the lights-to-flag victory.

After taking his second boost, he fell behind Jean-Eric Vergne and Monaco winner Stoffel Vandoorne. Mortara made easy work of Vergne, before getting the job done on Vandoorne a couple of laps later to retake the lead.

Vergne, however, had a fan boost, and used it to good effect. The former F1 driver took a podium in Monaco a fortnight ago, but was looking for more in Germany. He launched an audacious move on Vandoorne and then on the leader Mortara. Although he made his first move stick, Vergne went too deep on the second and Mortara switched back on him to take the chequered flag. Vergne and Vandoorne rounded off the podium.

Lucas Di Grassi, meanwhile, had a difficult qualifying and then didn’t finish in the race, but the Brazilian’s fortunes turned-around on Sunday. He was still out-performed by team-mate Edoardo Mortara, who secured second-place having qualified on pole.

Nyck de Vries, who made a first corner lunge to jump from third to first, controlled the race from start to finish to secure his second win of the season. Di Grassi was pipped to the final podium position by Vandoorne late-on as the Belgian snuck down the inside of Di Grassi, despite the Venturi driver’s best attempts to shut the door.

It was a hugely successful weekend for the Monégasque team, who move up to second in the Formula E Championship. Mortara is also back in the hunt for the Drivers’ Championship, but still has work to do to catch Vandoorne, who has a 12-point lead.

“This weekend has been phenomenal and I’m extremely proud of the entire team for what we’ve been able to achieve,” Team principal Jérôme D’Ambrosio said. “62 points from two races is an incredible achievement and, in a championship as close and competitive as Formula E, is one that doesn’t happen very often at all.”

Formula E next heads to Jakarta at the start of June, and at the halfway mark Venturi are well and truly in contention for both the constructors and drivers’ championships.

 

Photo source: ROKiT Venturi Racing

 

 

 

RAMOGE photo competition is underway

by: Stephanie Horsman
14/05/2022

RAMOGE, the international cooperation agreement between Monaco, France and Italy, is hosting its biennial photo competition and this year it has a category for the “New Generation” and photos taken on mobile phones.

The international photo competition is now open to budding photographers with a love of the sea via the RAMOGE- L’Homme et la Mer (Man and the Sea) event as part of their awareness-raising programme.

From now until 30th September, photographers are invited to submit snaps showing the relationship between human activities and the Mediterranean in three categories for adults and one for young people under 21.

The three adult categories are Man and the Sea, RAMOGE Zone, dedicated to photos taken solely in the region between La Spezia and Marseille, and free style. The under-21s are free to submit any relevant photo under the theme Man and the Sea, the view of the New Generation, which allows for submissions taken on mobile phones, tablets or other digital devices.   

The contest is free and open to anyone, and each photographer can present up to four images.

This year’s jury is made up of a distinguished list including Ricardo Busi, President of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP), Greg Lecoeur, “Nature Photographer of the Year” for National Geographic in 2016, and Sergio Pitamitz, “Environmental Photojournalist of the Year” for NPPA in 2016.

For each category, the winner will be awarded an FIAP medal, a €200 cash prize with an additional €100 cash prize going to the winner of the RAMOGE Zone theme. Second place winners will receive an FIAP medal and €150. Those in third will get an FIAP medal and €100.

For complete rules and details, visit the contest website at https://ramoge.org/concours-photos/

 

 

Photo by Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash