On 3 and 4 June, Naples will host NeAcademy and DataFest 2026, two events dedicated to the themes of the evolution of digital infrastructures, artificial intelligence, networking and the future of the Internet ecosystem which are repeated with a renewed formula after the first edition last year at the Apple Developer Academy in San Giovanni a Teduccio.
The two days, which will take place at the “Polytechnic and Basic Sciences School”, in Piazzale Tecchio, will bring together companies, professionals, students, operators in the ICT and Telco sector, universities and international entities in the Cloud, Data Center and telecommunications world in a moment of discussion dedicated to the transformations that are redefining networks, digital platforms and infrastructural models.
NeAcademy was born with the aim of creating a bridge between the academic world and the technology industry, bringing students and young professionals closer to topics related to networking, AI, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and the Internet ecosystem. During the day, topics related to the evolution of peering and Internet interconnection, routing security, cloud infrastructures and applications of artificial intelligence in the Service Provider world will be addressed, with interventions by, among others, Flavio Luciani, Alessandro Breccia and Brian Turnbow.
DataFest, on the other hand, represents the moment of in-depth analysis dedicated to distributed digital infrastructures, the multi-provider cloud, edge computing, Data Centers and new content delivery models. During the event, topics related to the distribution of digital content, edge infrastructures, the relationship between AI and energy sustainability and the evolution of distributed cloud models will be addressed, with the participation of professionals, such as Sabino Titomanlio, Massimo Bandinelli and Philippe Tripodi and large companies in the sector.
During the two days, topics related to the evolution of Internet networks, the increasingly strategic role of artificial intelligence in digital infrastructures, the growth of distributed cloud models, the energy sustainability of Data Centers and the transformation of Telcos into platforms enabling advanced digital services will be addressed.
Among the focuses of the 2026 edition, which will have MIX as a strategic partner, also peering and Internet Exchange, cybersecurity, edge infrastructure, sovereign cloud, hyperscale Data Center, data governance and new distributed architectures oriented towards low latency and data proximity.
«NeAcademy was born with the aim of creating a concrete bridge between the academic world and that of telecommunications, cloud and digital infrastructures», declares Federico Santulli, CEO of NHM, a co-host company with DataFelix. «Today many students undertake excellent study courses, but often do not have the opportunity to really come into contact with issues that are transforming the market. The idea is to bring new generations closer to an industrial ecosystem that evolves quickly and requires increasingly transversal skills.”
«The main value of NeAcademy is to create real connections between talents and businesses – continues Santulli – we want to build an ecosystem where universities and businesses are not separate worlds, but parts of the same growth path».
Alongside technological themes, the two initiatives also aim to enhance the role of Naples and the South in the development of digital innovation and infrastructure in the Mediterranean. In recent years, the area has seen growing attention and investments towards networking, edge infrastructure, cloud and data centers, in a scenario that is increasingly central to the future of connectivity and digital transformation. «Naples represents a natural strategic point for this type of initiative – concludes Federico Santulli – the city has all the characteristics to become a strategic hub of the Mediterranean: central geographical position, international connectivity, human capital and creative capacity».