The industrialist and philanthropist died last night in Bologna Marino Golinelli. She was 101 years old. Pharmaceutical entrepreneur, founder of the colossus Alfasigma, in recent years he had dedicated himself to philanthropic initiatives, such as the construction of the Opificio Golinelli, a citadel of science dedicated above all to the youngest. In one of his latest interviews, granted in October to Courier of Bolognahe explained that he has always been convinced that the entrepreneur has a duty to return part of his fortunes to society.
The origins
Born in San Felice sul Panaro in the province of Modena on 11 October 1920, in 1943, after training in chemistry, he graduated in Pharmacy in Bologna. My parents were farmers, the entrepreneur said several times, they worked hard to get us four brothers to study. Less than 30 years old, on 24 January 1948, he set up his first company, under the Two Towers, taking over the small biochemical laboratory AL.FA.In the space of a few decades, he transformed it into an established company, Alfasigma, which today among the world leaders in pharmaceuticals and has 2,800 employees in 18 countries.
The first syrup
My training was anomalous, the same entrepreneur acknowledged in a recent interview, because up to fifteen I was nothing. Then, alone, I started reading chemistry texts: I was fascinated by Niels Bohr. But it was a professor at the university who opened his mind: He spoke to me of the universe. In that same University of Bologna where he graduated in Pharmacy at the age of 23. And that opens the way to entrepreneurship. At the beginning, the small workshop had only one employee and three small premises located in via Galliera. Just enough to start making a syrup.
The tuberculosis vaccine
That same employee goes around in the mists of the Bassa to sell the bottles. At the university he goes in search of professors. Collaborating with Gaetano Salvioli, he produces the Italian anti-tuberculous vaccine. Over the years the company changed several names, until it became the Alfasigma: today, over 1 billion in turnover.
The foundation
In 1979 he was named Cavaliere del Lavoro. In 1988 he gave birth to the Foundation that bears his name, inspired by the model of the great American philanthropic foundations, with the aim of promoting education and training, spreading culture, promoting the intellectual, responsible and ethical growth of young people, the citizens of the future in a global world. At the Opificio Golinelli, a 9,000 square meter citadel of knowledge on the outskirts of Bologna, Golinelli with his Foundation has been involved in education, training and culture for over 30 years with the aim of helping professional growth, creative research and entrepreneurial skills of young people.
Philanthropic investment
It is a philanthropic investment of tens of millions of euros. After all, Golinelli, who died very rich but not born rich, knew the value of money and also the absence: There are rich people who are born thinking they only have rights and instead would have more than many others the duty to give back, to help. Culture is an action towards others, not towards oneself. They are his words, which he was the first to put into practice. I have to return something of what I got. He went away like this, repeating these words always and everywhere.