Leo arrived at 5:45 p.m. and immediately dove in.
"They said yes," he said. Everyone cheered.
Introductions were quick. Then they all circled the table.
"Let's model this. We need a complete proposal for tomorrow."
They stayed through the night. The table was covered in graphs, compliance checklists, napkin sketches of chamber modifications, and ERP flow diagrams.
By 6:00 a.m., bleary-eyed but driven, they piled into Jacopo's car and drove to Turin.
11:00 a.m. Friday, ProtoForma Srl HQ
The conference room was sleek. A wide LED screen displayed the company's logo. Five executives sat at the oval table: the CTO, the Production Director, the Head of Quality Assurance, the CEO, and a representative from their board.
Giulia opened.
"We know this is a big ask. You're a 3D printing powerhouse, but aerospace? It's a different world. We've designed a scalable way to enter it."
Jacopo took over.
"Your DMLS process meets general industry standards. But to qualify for aerospace parts, you'll need to meet NADCAP guidelines. These include chamber temperature homogeneity, powder recycling tracking, and real-time parameter monitoring."
The Quality Assurance director interrupted. "We don't have in-situ monitoring. That's a 100,000-euro investment."
"You don't need full in-situ yet," Jacopo replied. "Use process validation with test coupons per batch, and partner with a certified lab until you scale."
The CEO nodded. "And post-processing?"
Elisa answered. "You currently outsource surface finishing. For aerospace, you'll need surface roughness < Ra 3.2 microns on load-bearing components. We propose you install a vibratory finishing module for your metal parts and control thermal treatments in-house."
"That's... doable," the CTO said.
Logistics questions followed. Could they manage delivery timelines? Could they scale quickly?
Leo stepped in.
"We'll provide a hybrid sourcing model. ProtoForma produces initial parts, but we maintain a network of backup suppliers in Cologne, Stuttgart, Hamburg, and Frankfurt. Even if you hit delays, delivery won't suffer."
Then came the hardest question from the board rep:
"Why should we do this? We have no guarantee Vitesse-Procure will choose us. We risk a lot, and gain what?"
The room fell quiet.
Leo looked down, then up. He remembered Luca's words: you don't need certainty, you need vision.
He stood.
"Because this opens a new market. You'll be the first mid-size 3D printing firm in Europe ready for aerospace validation with this process. Even if Vitesse says no, others will follow. Airbus. Leonardo. Dassault. You get to the front of the line."
He paused.
"Yes, it's risky. But the future always is. You already invested in being future-forward. This is just one more step. One that pays dividends in positioning, prestige, and long-term contracts. We don't offer certainty. We offer possibility."
Silence.
Then the CEO smiled.
"We'll discuss it internally. You'll have an answer by Monday."
Outside the building, the group gathered on the sidewalk. Leo took a deep breath.
"You were all brilliant. I owe you more than words."
"We didn't do it for the money," Elisa said, smiling.
"Still," Leo said. "We deserve to rest. I found a hostel nearby. Let's sleep and tomorrow we explore Turin. My treat."
Giulia looked surprised. "Really? You sure?"
"I have 90 euros to my name. But tonight, that's enough."
The hostel was modest, clean. A five-person room with wooden bunk beds and soft white sheets.
They didn't eat. They didn't shower. They just collapsed onto their beds, fully clothed.
And they slept like children. Not because they were exhausted.
But because they had given everything they had.
They awoke the next day, Saturday, with the light of Turin brushing their faces.
And for the first time in weeks, the future didn't feel uncertain. It felt earned.