Gio Montez Wins Pre-Seed Award from Lazio Innova Spa
Rome, May 2022 — The artist and entrepreneur Gio Montez has been awarded the Pre-Seed Grant for Innovation by the Regione Lazio, presented personally by President Nicola Zingaretti. The prestigious award recognises Montez’s pioneering contribution to technological innovation in the arts, particularly his invention of the Art Coefficient Index and the foundation of ARTup S.r.l., a startup focused on revolutionising the art market through blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT).
The Art Coefficient is a groundbreaking valuation model developed by Montez to scientifically measure and track the performance of artists in both the primary and secondary markets. Inspired by financial indexes and underpinned by data-driven analysis, this system promises a more transparent, democratic, and reliable approach to understanding the value of contemporary art.
With the support of ARTup S.r.l., Gio Montez is leading a multi-disciplinary research program that integrates cutting-edge technology into the art ecosystem—offering solutions for digital authentication, ownership tracking, and intellectual property protection. The Pre-Seed funding enables ARTup to continue developing this disruptive infrastructure at the intersection of creative industries and industry 5.0.
Presented during a regional ceremony celebrating innovation and entrepreneurship in Lazio, the award highlights how artists like Montez are driving cultural transformation through technology. The Regione Lazio acknowledged the strategic importance of Montez’s work, not only for the future of art and cultural heritage, but also for positioning Italy at the forefront of global innovation in the creative economy.
As Gio Montez stated during the event:
“Art has always been a language of transformation. Today, technology allows us to make that language more inclusive, measurable, and future-oriented.”
The Pre-Seed Award affirms that true innovation arises where vision meets action—and where creativity dares to lead change.