“Sponsorship without research and technology is like navigating unknown waters without a map: informed guidance is what leads to confidence and success.”
Giovanni Palazzi
President
In brief, what does StageUp do and what is your approach to sponsorship and partnerships?
StageUp is an independent research and advisory company specializing in sponsorship, communication and marketing. For more than 25 years, we have helped organizations make better sponsorship decisions through research, data analysis and strategic consultancy. We work across sport, culture, entertainment and live events, supporting public institutions, brands and media agencies with tailored solutions that combine market intelligence, sponsorship valuation and strategic planning.
Over the past 25 years, we have built one of Italy’s most comprehensive sponsorship research databases. We are now bringing this methodology to organizations across Europe seeking the same quality of data and service for their sponsorship decisions.
Our philosophy is simple: sponsorship deserves the same analytical standards as every other form of media investment. Too often, sponsorship decisions are still influenced by intuition, personal relationships or perceived prestige. While creativity remains essential, it should be supported by objective information and specialist expertise to maximize value and minimize risk. That is why I often say that sponsorship without research and technology is like navigating unknown waters without a map. Reliable data does not replace experience, it empowers better decisions. Our role is to help clients understand where value exists today, and where it will emerge tomorrow.
What approach differentiates StageUp and makes your sponsorship strategy unique?
Our differentiator is a quantitative, planning-driven approach. We believe that the same principles used to evaluate television, digital or social advertising should also be applied to sponsorship, enabling organizations to compare investments using consistent and measurable criteria.
Over the years, StageUp has developed proprietary research methodologies and extensive market databases that allow us to evaluate sponsorship opportunities with transparency and precision. We measure event audiences, targets, economic and ESG impact, ROI, and media performance, transforming data into practical insights.
Technology plays a fundamental role in this process, but it is only one part of the equation. Data has value only when it is accurate, certified and interpreted by people with the expertise to turn information into strategy. We see technology as an enabler of better governance rather than an end in itself.
What do you see as current trends within sponsorship, and how are they affecting how you work and how you deliver on strategy?
The sponsorship industry is entering a new phase of growth. As investment continues to grow globally, organizations are placing much greater emphasis on accountability, measurement and return on investment.
This shift strongly aligns with StageUp’s DNA. We have always believed sponsorship should be planned and measured through evidence rather than assumptions. In Italy especially, where sponsorship has traditionally been relationship-driven, this change is particularly significant.
At the same time, artificial intelligence and blockchain are opening entirely new possibilities. AI can dramatically improve the speed and quality of analysis, while blockchain offers greater transparency, traceability and trust in commercial relationships. Together, these technologies have the potential to make sponsorship planning more efficient, measurable and accessible than ever before.
How has sponsorship changed for StageUp in recent years, and what predictions can you make about how it’s going to change in future?
The rapid evolution of technology has reinforced our belief that research and innovation must go hand in hand. Rather than adapting to change, we have sought to anticipate it by investing in digital platforms that transform decades of research into practical decision-making tools.
One example is Football Sponsor 360, our AI-powered platform built on certified research databases. It enables brands, agencies and rights holders to assess the commercial value of more than 2,000 Serie A sponsorship assets before entering negotiations, with plans to expand into additional sports and European markets.
We also partner with ChainOn, an innovative technology company that has developed a digital ecosystem for sponsorship, ESG partnerships, and donations. By integrating artificial intelligence, blockchain and proprietary technologies, ChainOn creates transparent and secure environments where sponsorship opportunities can be managed, negotiated and activated more efficiently.
Looking ahead, I believe technology will become increasingly embedded in every stage of the sponsorship lifecycle. AI will continue to enhance predictive analysis and strategic planning, while trusted digital infrastructures will make transactions and performance measurement more transparent.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
The future of sponsorship is not simply about having more data, it is about having better data, interpreted through experience and supported by technology. The opportunity for our industry is to replace subjective evaluation with transparent, evidence-based decision making.
Whatever direction the market takes, our mission will remain the same: helping organizations make sponsorship decisions with greater confidence through better research, better technology, and better data.
Joining ESA is an important step for us in that direction: it connects our Italian research base with a European community that shares the same ambition to make sponsorship more transparent and accountable.
