We are proud to announce that MANIMA has been named one of the winners of the Premio America Innovazione 2025, promoted by the Fondazione Italia USA. Selected from over 14,000 candidates, this recognition celebrates Italy’s most innovative and globally competitive startups and SMEs. The official award ceremony was held a couple weeks ago at the Camera dei Deputati in Rome—a symbolic location underscoring the importance of innovation, culture, and enterprise in Italy’s future.

This honour is not just a milestone for MANIMA, but a tribute to a growing movement of businesses that blend heritage with innovation. The Premio America Innovazione is awarded based on indicators of innovation, competitiveness, and investment, and is supported by the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Registro Imprese. For young companies like ours, it represents a powerful mark of excellence and a seal of quality in the eyes of investors, institutions, and the broader international community.

The award was accepted by Di Pasquale Guthmann S.r.l., the innovative startup with a social purpose behind the creation and development of the MANIMA brand. Founded by Piero di Pasquale and Carolina Guthmann, MANIMA was born from a shared vision: to protect and reimagine Italy’s artisanal legacy, particularly the endangered tradition of Sicilian hand embroidery. By placing craftsmanship at the core of a contemporary business model, MANIMA seeks to honour Italy’s cultural identity while building a future-oriented enterprise rooted in purpose and resilience.

Our mission extends beyond the preservation of tradition. At the heart of MANIMA is a commitment to social impact. Through our Digital Atelier, we enable female artisans in remote and rural areas of Sicily to work from home, on their own terms, and to earn a dignified income. This decentralised, inclusive model empowers women who often face barriers to employment due to geographic isolation, family responsibilities, or lack of opportunities in their local economies. Each stitch is not only a symbol of heritage, but of independence, creativity, and pride.

Receiving this award is both an honour and a responsibility. Alongside the recognition, winners were also awarded a scholarship to participate in the prestigious Master’s programme Leadership per le relazioni internazionali e il Made in Italy, promoted by Fondazione Italia USA in collaboration with ICE and GEDI. This programme offers an extraordinary opportunity to deepen our strategic vision, strengthen our understanding of global markets, and connect with others who are advancing Italian excellence on the world stage.

As we reflect on this achievement, we are reminded that innovation does not mean abandoning tradition, it means finding new ways to keep it alive and relevant. MANIMA is committed to building a business model where sustainability, beauty, and social values are intertwined. Our goal is to scale with purpose, always guided by our values and by the belief that every artisan’s story matters.

We are deeply grateful to Fondazione Italia USA for this recognition, and to the talented artisans, team members, collaborators, and supporters who have shaped MANIMA’s journey so far. This award belongs to all of you.

Together, we are redefining what it means to be a Made in Italy brand rooted in the past, built for the future.

By April Clark