The 2025 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, awarded for the theory of sustained
growth through creative destruction, will close Fiera Milano’s Expo Summit with a
keynote lecture on the relationship between innovation, industrial policy and climate
objectives
Milan, 23 March 2026 – Philippe Aghion, Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2025,
will be among the leading speakers at NetZero Milan 2026, the Expo Summit
organised by Fiera Milano and dedicated to the energy transition and the
electrification of the economy, taking place from 20 to 22 October 2026 at
Allianz MiCo. Aghion will deliver a keynote lecture on the morning of Friday, 22
October, bringing the event to a close.
One of the world’s most influential economists in the fields of innovation and
economic growth, Aghion was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Economic
Sciences, together with Joel Mokyr and Peter Howitt, for explaining the
mechanisms of innovation-led economic growth. In particular, he was
recognised for formulating the theory of sustained growth through creative
destruction, which describes how progress emerges from a continuous flow
of innovations capable of replacing existing technologies, industrial models
and skills. Considered one of the most robust interpretative frameworks for
understanding the relationship between innovation and development, the theory
shows how each new technology simultaneously generates opportunities and
disruption: the innovation cycle is “creative” because it produces value and
increases productivity, but also “destructive” because it renders existing solutions
obsolete and reshapes markets and competitive roles.
This paradigm speaks directly to the energy transition. The shift from a fossil
fuel-based system to sustainable models of production and consumption requires a
profound transformation of industrial processes, significant investment in innovative
technologies, advanced digital and energy infrastructure, and targeted financial
support. In his address, Aghion will offer insights into how these transformations
can be effectively governed, so that creative destruction becomes a driver of
competitiveness, industrial innovation and economic acceleration.
Taking place at Allianz MiCo from 20 to 22 October 2026, NetZero Milan confirms its
format combining exhibition and high-level content, delivering a comprehensive
overview of enabling technologies, market scenarios, regulatory requirements and
financial levers. The programme includes an opening scenario-setting event and
a structured series of Vertical Conferences organised around five thematic focus
areas – Energy Demand, Energy Supply, Carbon Offsetting & Hard-to-Abate,
Finance & Economic Signals, and Transports – fostering multidisciplinary dialogue
and international contributions.