A strong link between the educational system and companies is needed, said Italian Ambassador to Slovenia Paolo Trichilo.

The participants analysed ways of renewing the desire for entrepreneurship after the economic crisis, austerity measures and climate change had a devastating impact on many firms.

At the same time, the dominant entrepreneurial forms such as start-ups and other fast-growing nascent companies, only partially leverage employees' talent.

"Slovenia wants better cooperation between education, science and companies," said Maja Makovec Brenčič, the Slovenian minister of education, science and sport.

She said the education system needed to be able to promote individual talent from daycare onwards, while talented individuals needed to be offered career paths.

Riccardo Illy, the boss of Trieste-based coffee producer Illy, noted that knowledge was required but incentive was needed as well.

Stojan Petrič, the former boss of industrial conglomerate Kolektor, meanwhile stressed that employees were the key to success.

"A good team is needed, you cannot steer the boat alone," he said.

Similarly, Marko Pleško from the startup Cosylab said people were what mattered. "Parents, mentors, teachers, colleagues, bosses, friends, even enemies - they have all helped me a lot."

The Italian Business Forum has been organised in Ljubljana since 2013.