Veleria San Giorgio Partners with Ánako APS in the Development of Kanguro, a Key Solution in the +Vicino da Lontano Social Design Project, Awarded by the ADI Compasso d’Oro 2026 “Golden Compass.”
Milan, May 22, 2026
Veleria San Giorgio is pleased to announce its contribution to the development of Kanguro, a life-saving jacket for mothers with infants created in collaboration with Ánako APS as part of the +Vicino da Lontano social design project, which has been honored with the ADI Compasso d’Oro 2026.
The world’s first life jacket designed to keep mother and baby together.
This recognition, awarded to the +Vicino da Lontano project, confirms the value of a design research approach capable of uniting universities, designers, students, businesses, and technical expertise to address real needs in emergency, migration, and vulnerability contexts.
Within this project, Kanguro stands out as one of the most emblematic and tangible solutions: a device designed to tackle a frequently overlooked problem—the lack of appropriate life jackets for mothers with infants during sea crossings.
Intended to combine safety with humanity, Kanguro demonstrates how design can contribute to protecting lives in emergency and vulnerable situations. Born from a co-design process involving university students and faculty, the project was further developed by Ánako APS and Veleria San Giorgio, transforming the concept into a concrete device.
The development process included prototyping and functional testing in controlled environments, with technical support from Veleria San Giorgio, a company specialized in maritime safety. This approach enabled the creation of an operational solution aimed at enhancing the protection of mother and child even in the most critical sea conditions.
Kanguro is designed to keep the mother and infant in a high, stable, and protected position during flotation, increasing safety during emergencies. The project embodies a blend of human care, social responsibility, and technical expertise, showcasing how design can serve as a tangible tool for protection.
Exhibited at the ADI Design Museum in Milan as part of the XXIX ADI Compasso d’Oro 2026 exhibition, Kanguro stands out for its technical and human innovation, providing a concrete response to a pressing and often overlooked need.
The ADI Compasso d’Oro Award 2026 granted to +Vicino da Lontano underscores the value of a collaborative design and applied research model capable of uniting Italian technical expertise, international collaboration, and social responsibility.
For Veleria San Giorgio, participating in the development of Kanguro means leveraging its experience to serve a project with a strong humanitarian purpose—helping to transform social design into a concrete, feasible response focused on safeguarding lives.
