From 2013 to 2021, graduates leaving Italy increased by almost 42 percent. Despite the fact that young Italian researchers are the second most rewarded by the European Research Council (with Erc Starting Grants), their country fails to retain them and is the only one to have a negative balance between grants obtained by nationality (thus also abroad) and grants received for research conducted at home (a figure in continuity with what was already observed in 2022). To understand the reasons for this flight of talent, the Life Sciences Community of The European House - Ambrosetti conducted a fact-finding survey with protagonists of Italian researchers who won Erc grants in the area of Life Sciences in the last five years, both moved abroad and remained in Italy. The results show that 86 percent of researchers who remained in Italy complain about low salaries and uncompetitiveness with abroad countries, while 80 percent lack meritocracy. Abroad, on the other hand, international ecosystems are attractive mainly because of the presence of funding (84 percent) and the high quality of scientific research (72 percent), flanked by ease of access and progression in academic careers (56 percent). All Italian researchers abroad say they are satisfied with their choice, and 8 out of 10 consider it unlikely that they will return to Italy.