The first edition of the IGCKM Annual Conference, held on 11th July 2023 at the Università Politecnica delle Marche in Ancona, was an extraordinary success. The event gathered over 250 scholars from around 50 different Italian universities, creating a vibrant, energetic atmosphere filled with curiosity, collaboration, and fresh ideas.

From its very first edition, the conference stood out for its intergenerational spirit and the overwhelming participation of young researchers ready to challenge conventions and contribute to the global knowledge dialogue.

For the first time ever, the Editors of some of the most prestigious journals in the field, the Journal of Knowledge Management (JKM), Journal of Intellectual Capital (JIC), Journal of Technology Transfer (JTT), Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice (ETP), Technological Forecasting and Social Change (TFSC), R&D Management (RADMA), and Technovation, came together in one place, making the event a true milestone in the Italian academic landscape.

The Paper Development Workshop, held during the conference, offered an unparalleled opportunity for participants to present extended abstracts of their original research and receive direct feedback from the Editors themselves. The workshop welcomed early-stage and in-progress research, encouraging bold, innovative, and original ideas that aligned with the editorial visions of the journals represented.

Young scholars were especially encouraged to take the stage, with no restrictions on methodology or theoretical framework, embodying the community’s core belief in openness, intellectual freedom, and scholarly courage. The goal was simple yet powerful: to elevate research through constructive dialogue, in a space free from constraints, barriers, or academic elitism.

Participants not presenting papers were equally welcomed, invited to join the discussions, exchange ideas, and take part in a truly inclusive academic experience.

This inaugural edition of the IGCKM Conference laid the foundation for a new way of doing research, one that values collaboration over competition, cosmopolitanism over narrow specialisation, and impact over prestige.

The success of this first edition confirmed what we already knew: when young scholars are empowered and ideas flow freely, remarkable things happen.