Ferdinando & Luigi Innocenti (F&LI) Foundation proudly hosted an official Launch Event in London on Thursday 27^th February, joined by young people involved in developing the charity, partners such as BBC Children in Need and Big Change, and over 100 inspirational third sector and business leaders from across the UK.

F&LI Foundation will support young people to discover new passions, have fun, find purpose in life and experience the joy of leading their own personal growth. Founded by Lorenzo Innocenti to further the legacy of his father Luigi, grandfather Ferdinando and the pioneering Innocenti company, F&LI Foundation prioritises youth-led support for people aged 11-25 from across the UK who have experienced disadvantage.

Sparking Joy

The event combined the innovative Innocenti history with our long-term vision of Sparking Joy, allowing young people to be clearer about their purpose, motivated to engage in the world and excited about continuing their personal growth. Speakers were invited to bring personal items which Spark Joy in their own lives and share the reasons with other attendees.

Opening the event alongside his mother Liliana, wife of Luigi Innocenti, Chair and Co-Founder Lorenzo Innocenti said: “Ferdinando & Luigi Innocenti Foundation believes all young people deserve to have fun and experience joy. My father Luigi and grandfather Ferdinando devoted themselves to improving society with their ideas and vision. F&LI Foundation aims to inspire young people to lead lives full of passion, fun, purpose, growth and fulfilment. We look forward to working with our partners to learn what achieves impact over the years.”

Lilliana Innocenti added: “My son Lorenzo has turned this dream into a reality. This is the result of two years of exceptional work from the F&LI Foundation team who dedicated their heart and soul towards bringing joy into the lives of young talent. We are ready to start our adventure.”

Partnerships Announced

The first partnerships announced at the event included BBC Children in Need and Big Change. Fozia Irfan, Director of Impact and Influence at BBC Children in Need, said: "I am so impressed by what Ferdinando & Luigi Innocenti Foundation are doing. They are giving the most disadvantaged young people the same opportunities, the same experiences of joy, that they deserve.”

Essie North, CEO, Big Change, added: “Young people want to be part of the solution, but too often, are not given access to funding or networks to make their bold ideas a reality. Together with the Ferdinando Luigi Innocenti Foundation we are giving meaningful investment to extraordinary young leaders, allowing them to develop their own ideas with the peer cohort and networks to help them really change the system.”

These initial projects will allocate funds directly to young people to enable them to lead and develop new ways to discover their passions and find purpose in life. F&LI Foundation also released funding to Agent Academy, a North West not-for-profit providing young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with the skills to succeed in digital, creative and technology careers.    

Thinking Big

Anne Longfield CBE, Chair of the Commission on Young Lives, also delivered a keynote address highlighting the need to inspire joy and autonomy in young people.

Baroness Longfield said: "I am blown away by the vision, energy and ambition of Ferdinando & Luigi Innocenti Foundation, not just for young people but for society. I believe every young person is talented, but opportunities to ignite that talent are limited. I believe we can change that, and F&LI Foundation can make that possible. They are thinking big for young people.”

Ferdinando & Luigi Innocenti Foundation CEO Andrea Cooper said: “The Ferdinando & Luigi Innocenti Foundation will bring a freshness to the youth sector by giving power to young people to lead their own projects. We are passionate about enabling young people to experience the deep joy of discovering new passions and finding purpose in life.”