GEC NEWS WIRELorenzo Fanara, Italian Ambassador to the UAE, talks about the country’s participation at Expand North Star this year.
What opportunities do you see for collaboration between Italian technology startups and companies in the UAE, especially in areas like AI, IoT, and digital transformation?
Hundreds of Italian companies have been operating in the UAE for decades in many sectors: energy, oil and gas, construction, furniture, food, fashion and so on, and we thank the Emirates for appreciating the high quality, style, elegance, sustainability and technology of products “made in Italy”.
I also see many opportunities for strong synergies and partnerships in the AI, IoT and digital transformation. UAE is becoming a global hub for innovation and technology, and this wonderful country has just demonstrated to the world its great expertise in technological innovation in many sectors.
Expand North Star is one of the most important networking events for global startups and investors. Italy is synonymous with innovation and creativity, so this event is the right place to promote Italian tech companies and startups.
We are delighted to present – during the Expand North Star exhibition – 24 exceptional Italian companies dedicated to innovation and excellence.
How is the Italian government supporting the growth of technology startups, and are there any specific initiatives aimed at fostering international partnerships, particularly with the UAE?
Italy is investing significant financial resources to increase the level of digitization of its economy, society and public administration.
This growth trend is expected to consolidate thanks to the massive investments planned for the digital transition by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan, which focuses on three strategic axes: digitalization and innovation, ecological transition and social inclusion.
In this context, Italy offers great and profitable investment opportunities in the data center industry, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Italy has also launched a new “Investor Visa for Italy” program, aimed at non-European citizens who wish to invest in strategic sectors for the Italian economy and society, while benefiting from very favorable visa programs and tax regimes.
One of the option to obtain an Investor Visa for Italy is to invest at least 250.000 Euro in an innovative Italian start-up company included in the following official list https://startup.registroimprese.it/isin/home.
This program is therefore particularly suitable for foreign citizens who wish to obtain an entry visa in order to change their place of residence and benefit from a favorable tax regime, as well as for foreign investors who wish to obtain the right to free access to the Schengen area and to stay in Italy at any time.
Can you share examples of Italian tech startups that have successfully entered the UAE market, and what lessons can other companies learn from their experience?
I prefer not to mention the names of specific companies, but I can generically confirm that, for example, an Italian start-up that attended the Global Start up accelerator program promoted by the Italian Trade Agency has established a branch in the UAE that exports from Italy a robotic arm for 3D printing. This Italian Start-up is finalizing profitable partnerships with local companies to produce automated and sustainable large-format 3D printing.
Other Italian start-ups operating in the sector of energy, water and waste management – which attended Wetex with our Italian Trade Agency – are enjoying strong local interest.
I think that the lesson that other companies – and also our Governments – can learn is to invest and give confidence and opportunities also to young, competent and talented entrepreneurs and new generations.
Italy has a strong tradition of innovation and research. How are Italian startups leveraging this to compete on the global stage, and how can they bring this expertise to the UAE?
The main theme of the Italian Pavilion at Expand North Star is “Sustainability is SustainabITALY”, confirming Italy’s commitment to technology innovators and start-ups as key components of the country’s transformation towards a greener and more ecological economy in various sectors.
We thank our Italian Trade Agency for focusing this year’s Italian participation on Expand North Star to the Green Economy. The UAE and Italy are both committed to sustainability and green initiatives.Thanks to the good business climate of the Emirates, I believe that in the UAE there are excellent opportunities for Italian start-ups to demonstrate – once again – their value, high technology, innovation and creativity.
