Who is Simone Massaro?

Simone Massaro is an Italian engineer and entrepreneur born in Catania, Sicily. He studied Computer Engineering at the University of Catania, worked for over a decade on industrial software in Boston, founded BaxEnergy in 2011 and currently serves as Managing Director at Yokogawa (Energy & Sustainability) and PXiSE Solutions.

What companies has Simone Massaro founded?

Simone Massaro founded BaxEnergy in 2011, developing one of the first platforms for large-scale renewable energy monitoring and control, which today supports over 120 GW in more than 20 countries. Between 2013 and 2017 he founded further ventures, including Wisnam, Rimlight Studios, Free Mind Foundry and IntelliSync, spanning AI, cybersecurity and international research collaboration.

Simone Massaro: Biography, Career & Vision

Q: What is Simone Massaro's role at Yokogawa?

Simone Massaro currently serves as Managing Director at Yokogawa (Energy & Sustainability) and at PXiSE Solutions. In these roles he contributes to global industrial decarbonization strategies, building on his work on advanced green hydrogen applications and on large-scale renewable energy platforms such as BaxEnergy, the company he founded in 2011.

Q: What is Simone Massaro's connection to OPC UA?

Simone Massaro contributed to the evolution of OPC UA, now a global standard for industrial communication, while working on industrial software in the 2000s. In 2008 he joined the Technical Steering Committee of the OPC Foundation, as well as Microsoft's ISV Advisory Board, helping shape industrial technology at a global level.

Q: Why does Simone Massaro support emerging artists?

Simone Massaro supports emerging artists because, at that stage, the work is still raw and unconstrained: engaging early means experiencing art in its most honest form, before external expectations define it. His art collection is a personal journey built on tension and transformation rather than trends, technical perfection or decoration.

I am Simone

Massaro

I am a Sicilian engineer, entrepreneur, investor, and technology pioneer with nearly three decades of experience across software and industrial automation with projects in more than 25 countries.

My career spans industrial software, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, cyber security and venture building—from developing SCADA software in Boston to founding BaxEnergy in 2010, establishing Free Mind Foundry in 2017, and building AI infrastructures through Eternal Tech.

Today, my work focuses on artificial intelligence and the infrastructures that will shape how knowledge, memory, and intelligence are created, managed, and preserved.

Alongside technology, I have developed a strong commitment to art, culture, and human capital. I support artists, entrepreneurs, and emerging talent through investment, mentorship, and philanthropic initiatives, with a particular interest in creating the conditions for independent ideas and capabilities to develop.

My work sits at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, AI, and culture, with a long-term focus on building institutions, companies, and ecosystems capable of generating lasting impact.

I'm
Simone
Massaro

Heritage & Vision

What drives me is a clear conviction: sustainability is not a constraint—it is the most powerful catalyst for meaningful innovation.

Every venture I’ve built has been guided by this belief. From renewable energy platforms to digital infrastructures, my work focuses on creating systems that generate long-term impact, where technology, responsibility, and scalability converge.

Art & Culture

I don’t approach art as decoration or acquisition. I approach it as something that interrupts you.

I’m not interested in technical perfection or trends. I look for tension—works that hold opposing forces together: strength and fragility, beauty and effort, balance and instability. If a piece doesn’t move something, it doesn’t belong in my collection.

What I’ve built is not a display, but a personal journey. Each work represents a moment—an instinct, an encounter, sometimes even a mistake. Some decisions are immediate; others unfold over time. And then there are the works I didn’t acquire—the ones that stay with you anyway.

I’m drawn to art that explores movement—not just physical, but emotional and conceptual. Art, to me, is about transition and transformation. Not immediate clarity, but what evolves every time you return to it.

This is also why I support emerging artists. At that stage, the work is still raw and unconstrained. Engaging there means experiencing art in its most honest form—before external expectations define it.

Art is not what you hang on a wall. It’s what stays with you.

Family Roots

“I learned early that courage and precision are not just values in flight—they are values in life.”

I was born in Catania with aviation in my blood, the son of an Italian Air Force captain whose example profoundly shaped who I am. My earliest years unfolded in the orbit of military environments, where discipline, risk, and responsibility were lived realities.

From him, I inherited precision, courage, and the belief that serving others—through engineering, leadership, or creativity—is not simply a virtue, but a vocation.

My childhood was marked by early independence. Following my father’s illness and passing, I found myself navigating life on my own at a young age. Those years forged a dual mindset: structured rigor on one side, and exposure to early technological communities on the other—where curiosity, experimentation, and unconventional thinking thrived.

My Journey

If I were to describe my journey in more human terms, I would borrow from mythology rather than business language. I see myself as a contemporary Odysseus, not in search of a destination, but in pursuit of a continuous return. I have crossed industries, continents, and technological frontiers, only to come back to where it all began, carrying with me a clear purpose: to demonstrate that global excellence does not need to be imported, it can be created, cultivated, and exported from Italy, from Sicily, to the world.

Early Years

University Years

2000s

2008

2011

2013–2017

Recent Years

Early Years

I first encountered programming manuals at a young age and began exploring computational thinking, quickly transforming curiosity into tangible outcomes. I competed in national scientific contests, earning multiple awards in chemistry and physics, and developed early simulation software focused on planetary motion and optical systems—my first proof that ideas, when pursued with rigor, can generate both knowledge and independence.

Heritage & Vision — Sustainability as a Catalyst for Innovation

FOUNDATION

"I build companies to expand what is possible, and to give back more than I take."

I am Dr. Simone Massaro, an engineer, entrepreneur, mentor, and philanthropist born in Catania, Sicily. Guided by a constant drive to create and grow, I have spent the past two decades building ventures at the intersection of technology, artificial intelligence, and innovation.

This approach has shaped every venture I have built, from BaxEnergy and Free Mind Foundry to Eternal Tech. My work has evolved across different industries and disciplines, but remains rooted in the same ambition: developing technologies, companies, and ecosystems that expand what is possible.

Alongside entrepreneurship and technology, I invest in art, culture, mentorship, and philanthropy—supporting people, ideas, and initiatives that can create lasting value beyond the individual ventures themselves.

Family Roots — Born in Catania

ORIGIN

"I learned early that courage and precision are not just values in flight—they are values in life."

I was born in Catania, Sicily, with aviation in my blood, the son of an Italian Air Force captain whose example profoundly shaped who I am. My earliest years unfolded in the orbit of the Italian Air Force, where discipline, risk and responsibility were lived realities.

From my father, I inherited precision, courage and the belief that serving others is not simply a virtue, but a vocation, whether through engineering, leadership or creativity.

My childhood was marked by early independence. Following my father's illness and passing, I found myself navigating life on my own at a young age. Those years forged a dual mindset. On one side was structured rigor. On the other was exposure to early technological communities, where curiosity, experimentation and unconventional thinking thrived.

My Journey — From Sicily to the World

"My journey started in Catania and took me to Boston and beyond. If I were to describe it in simple terms, I would borrow from mythology rather than business language. I see myself as a contemporary Ulysses, not in search of a destination, but in pursuit of a continuous return. I have crossed industries, continents and technological frontiers, only to come back to where it all began. I carry with me a clear purpose: to demonstrate that global excellence does not need to be imported. It can be created, cultivated and exported from Italy, from Sicily, to the world."

Simone Massaro's career timeline

Recent Years – Focus on the Energy Transition

In recent years, my focus has shifted toward the energy transition. I have worked on advanced green hydrogen applications and contributed to global industrial decarbonization strategies. BaxEnergy, IntelliSync and WiSNAM are now fully part of the Yokogawa Group and are no longer under my ownership.

2024–2025 – Joining the Yokogawa Group

In 2024, BaxEnergy was acquired by Yokogawa, at a time when its platform supported over 120 GW of renewable energy operations in more than 40 countries. In 2025, two more of my startups, IntelliSync and WiSNAM, joined the Yokogawa Group as well. During this phase, I served as Managing Director at Yokogawa (Energy & Sustainability) and PXiSE Solutions in San Diego, California.

2013–2017 – Expansion into AI, Cybersecurity and Gaming

Between 2013 and 2017, I expanded across multiple domains. I designed large-scale renewable energy control rooms, entered the gaming industry by publishing the video game Zheros with over one million distributed copies on Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation, and contributed to biomedical innovations, working on components of the first total artificial heart produced by CARMAT. I also founded and acquired ventures spanning AI, cybersecurity, energy and international research collaboration, including:

Free Mind Foundry, an international innovation campus in Acireale, Sicily, founded in 2017;
IntelliSync, founded in 2017 to help industrial organizations build secure, connected and intelligent ecosystems;
WiSNAM, acquired and transformed in 2017 to integrate photovoltaic, wind, storage and hybrid systems into unified, grid-ready architectures;
Rimlight Studios, a video game studio founded in 2014 that developed Zheros for PC and consoles.

2010 – Founding BaxEnergy

In 2010, I founded BaxEnergy, which developed one of the first platforms for large-scale renewable energy monitoring and control software, and in 2011 I opened its research and development center in Catania. By June 2024 the BaxEnergy platform supported over 120 GW of renewable energy operations in more than 40 countries. That year BaxEnergy was acquired by Yokogawa, and in 2025 two more of my startups, IntelliSync and WiSNAM, joined the Yokogawa Group as well.

2008 – Microsoft ISV Advisory Board and OPC Foundation

In 2008, I joined Microsoft's ISV Advisory Board and the Technical Steering Committee of the OPC Foundation, formalizing my role in shaping industrial technology at a global level.

2000s – Industrial Software, SCADA and OPC UA

The 2000s were the foundational period of my career. I specialized in Microsoft-based technologies, and the software I created contributed to mission-critical infrastructures across aerospace, defense, energy and telecommunications. I worked on some of the first 3D SCADA systems and 64-bit industrial platforms, and developed software used, among others, for NASA's Space Shuttle launch platform, for monitoring the rides of Disney theme parks and for the automation of Heathrow Terminal 5. I also contributed to the evolution of OPC UA, now a global standard for industrial communication.

University Years – From the University of Catania to Boston

I studied Computer Engineering at the University of Catania, but my path accelerated early. Before graduating, I was recruited by leading American technology companies and moved to Boston, where I spent over a decade working on industrial software systems and contributed to creating the first 3D SCADA and the first 64-bit industrial automation software in the world.

Early Years – First Code and Science Awards

My path to technology began with programming manuals, which I encountered at a young age. I explored computational thinking and quickly turned curiosity into tangible outcomes. I competed in national scientific contests and earned multiple awards in chemistry and physics. I also developed early simulation software for planetary motion and optical systems. It was my first proof that ideas, when pursued with rigor, can generate both knowledge and independence.

This journey continues through the projects I build, what others say about my work, and my commitment to entrepreneurial philanthropy.

Explore Projects Read What They Say Discover Entrepreneurial Philanthropy

Frequently asked questions
about Simone Massaro's career

How did Simone Massaro's career develop?

Simone Massaro was born in Catania, Sicily, and studied Computer Engineering at the University of Catania. He then worked for over a decade on industrial software in Boston. In 2010 he founded BaxEnergy, which Yokogawa acquired in 2024, and he went on to launch ventures in AI, cybersecurity and innovation. In the same here Simone Massaro became a Managing Director within Yokogawa (Energy & Sustainability Divison) and PXiSE Solutions.

Which role did Simone Massaro had at Yokogawa?

Simone Massaro has been a Managing Director of BaxEnergy, now a Yokogawa company part of the Energy & Sustainability division, as well as Managing Director of PXiSE Solutions in San Diego. Yokogawa announced the acquisition of BaxEnergy, the company he founded in 2010, on 5 June 2024, and IntelliSync and WiSNAM were also acquired the following year in 2025. In his roles he contributed to global industrial decarbonization strategies, building on his work on green hydrogen applications and large-scale renewable energy platforms.

What is Simone Massaro's connection to OPC UA?

Simone Massaro contributed to the development of OPC UA, now a global standard for industrial communication, while working on industrial software in the 2000s. In 2008 he joined the Technical Steering Committee of the OPC Foundation, as well as Microsoft’s ISV Advisory Board, helping shape industrial technology at a global level.

Why does OPC UA matter for industrial automation?

OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) matters because it lets machines, control systems and software from different vendors exchange data securely and in a standard way. Being platform-independent, it connects the factory floor to enterprise systems and the cloud, and it is one of the foundations of Industry 4.0. Simone Massaro contributed to its evolution and served on the OPC Foundation’s Technical Steering Committee.

Why does Simone Massaro support emerging artists?

Some of the most meaningful discoveries happen before an artist becomes widely recognised. Over time, collecting artworks has made me increasingly interested in that moment: when an artist is still developing their language, experimenting and finding their direction. This is particularly true for artists from Sicily, whose work often carries something of the place they come from — its memory, mythology, landscape, beauty and contradictions — even when their styles are completely different.

For me, collecting living artists is not simply about acquiring their work. It means meeting them, visiting their studios, asking questions and understanding the human process behind what I see on the canvas. Supporting an emerging artist means giving attention before the market has made that choice obvious. In a world where images are becoming almost infinite, I believe attention may be one of the rarest forms of patronage: looking close to home, looking carefully, and looking early.

SM

I am Simone

Massaro