Forward-looking collaboration leverages academic excellence and industry expertise to advance critical digital infrastructure innovation
Bologna, Italy [February 9, 2026] – Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, has signed a framework collaboration agreement with the University of Bologna, one of Europe's most prestigious academic institutions and the oldest university in the Western world, founded in 1088. The five-year agreement establishes a broad collaboration focused on knowledge development, skills advancement and territorial impact.
Giovanni Molari, rector of the University of Bologna (left), and Giovanni Zanei, vice president, large power conversion at Vertiv (right).
"For Vertiv, this collaboration with the University of Bologna is a strategic step that allows us to combine advanced research, technological innovation and talent development," states Giovanni Zanei, vice president, large power conversion at Vertiv. “Joining forces with the University means contributing not only to regional growth but also to generating knowledge and solutions that will impact digital projects and infrastructure globally."
"This agreement," notes Rector Giovanni Molari, "represents a model of virtuous collaboration between university and business, capable of generating shared value, concrete opportunities for students and researchers, and new trajectories for sustainable development."
Key initiatives include research, development and innovation projects funded at regional, national and European levels, technical-scientific consulting, scholarships, research grants, PhD programs, as well as the creation of shared laboratories and research infrastructure. A key focus will be the promotion and dissemination of results through seminars, events and forums on cutting-edge topics.
On the education front, qualified Vertiv experts will contribute to educational programs from undergraduate to doctoral levels, including specialized training courses, Summer and Winter schools, and interdisciplinary programs. The collaboration also includes up-skilling and reskilling initiatives for Vertiv employees, potentially establishing a dedicated Advanced Training School. Students and graduates will benefit from curricular internships, recruiting events, and international opportunities within Vertiv's global network.
The framework also addresses technology transfer, with collaborations on patents, university start-ups and spin-offs, as well as workshops, contests and open innovation initiatives, along with emphasis on public engagement, sustainability and social innovation, with projects benefiting the territory and community.
Learn more about careers and innovation at Vertiv at Vertiv.com/careers.
About Vertiv
Vertiv (NYSE: VRT) brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers' vital applications to run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today's data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extends from the cloud to the edge of the network. Headquartered in Westerville, Ohio, USA, Vertiv does business in more than 130 countries. For more information, and for the latest news and content from Vertiv, visit Vertiv.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27 of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act. These statements are only a prediction. Actual events or results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements set forth herein. Readers are referred to Vertiv's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for a discussion of these and other important risk factors concerning Vertiv and its operations. Vertiv is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Vertiv media contact:
Susanna Collins
E susanna.collins@apodpr.co.uk