In March 2025, Humane World Magazine published an article dedicated to Koesi, telling the story of the vision, mission, and evolution of the project founded by Elena Alberti and Tommaso Beriotto, now part of the Le Village by Crédit Agricole Triveneto ecosystem.
The piece traces the origins of the entrepreneurial idea and how the startup uses gamification to raise awareness among companies on sustainability topics.
According to the magazine, Elena explains that the name “Koesi” refers to the concept of cohesion and to the symbolic image of an oasis—a place where people and the environment coexist in balance. The project was born in 2019, during Elena’s Master’s thesis in Strategic Communication at IULM, developed in collaboration with IE Business School in Madrid. That work led to The Sustainability Business Game, which is now the best-known game in Koesi’s portfolio.
The article also highlights how part of the inspiration came from a cinematic reference: A Beautiful Mind and its explanation of game theory, which sparked the idea that cooperative choices can create benefits for all participants.
As described by Humane World Magazine, the format puts participants in front of a dilemma: pollute to gain an immediate profit, or collaborate to protect a shared natural resource. Decisions are kept secret, showing how individual behavior influences collective outcomes.
The magazine also recounts the evolution of the business idea: after its presentation at the CSR and Social Innovation Fair in 2020, the meeting with Alberto Chiappinotto from Electrolux Italy, and later Elena’s talk on the TEDx Cortina stage. That occasion marked the start of a collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo, which brought the format to branches across Eastern Europe.
Today, as reported in the article, Koesi offers four main games—The Sustainability Business Game (later evolved into The Lake Simulation), The Space Governance Simulator, ESG Financial Puzzle, and Sustainability Safari—as well as on-demand formats. Safari, in particular, turns participants into heads of state who must tackle the challenges of the 2030 Agenda.
The magazine notes that the Koesi team defines itself more as an enabler than a trainer: the game is the tool that unlocks potential, engages people, and fosters participation. Among the early challenges, the article mentions Koesi’s rapid growth and the need to build a stronger structure—steps that led to consolidation within Le Village and the gradual expansion of the team.
The magazine also focuses on Koesi’s international dimension: through partnerships—including the one with Intesa Sanpaolo—Koesi has brought its formats to Croatia, Albania, Slovenia, Hungary, and Serbia, collaborating with local institutions and chambers of commerce.
According to Elena, as quoted in the article, collaboration is essential for sustainability: we live in an interconnected system, and the game helps remind us that “cooperating benefits everyone.”
Overall, the Humane World Magazine article offers a comprehensive look at Koesi’s philosophy and growth—presenting Koesi as a project born from academic insight and developed into an innovative startup that uses play as a tool for transformation.
