Intesa Sanpaolo promotes and supports Italian SMEs in Silicon Valley
4 September 2025
Intesa Sanpaolo promotes and supports 12 SMEs, champions of Made in Italy, in Silicon Valley to back their new growth strategies during this phase of global transformation.
Among the main objectives of the mission to San Francisco:
- training
- access to capital
- meetings with potential investors
also through training sessions with local universities, mentoring activities, and networking with leading U.S. companies at the forefront of innovation.
Among the main focus areas:
- innovation in production processes
- internationalization and opening toward the U.S. market
- added value that the connection between Italian and U.S. SMEs can generate in terms of business
- AI, as a phenomenon already revolutionizing several production sectors.
The initiative confirms Intesa Sanpaolo as a leading banking partner for Italian SMEs seeking to develop industrial and strategic relationships abroad and in the U.S..
The mission was carried out in collaboration with INNOVIT (Italian Innovation and Culture Hub) in San Francisco - an institutional initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation through the Italian Trade Agency (ITA).
“Today we confirm and strengthen our role in accompanying the Italian small and medium-sized enterprise system, translating SMEs' plans towards new development goals and international trajectories into action. Silicon Valley is a unique environment in which to develop industrial and strategic relationships in the US, thanks to the collaboration with INNOVIT and a unique ecosystem of partners"
Stefano Barrese, Head of Intesa Sanpaolo's Banca dei Territori Division
With an average of 150 employees and €40 million in annual revenue, the 12 participating SMEs stood out for the innovative potential of their projects and for their alignment with the specific investment objectives of the Silicon Valley ecosystem.
The companies were selected together with INNOVIT from among more than 650 that took part in the five editions of Imprese Vincenti, Intesa Sanpaolo’s program that highlights the best Italian SMEs operating in strategic sectors for the country’s economy.
Initiatives for the development of Italian SMEs abroad
Below are some of the recent international missions and activities designed to support the development of Italian companies abroad and enhance their competitiveness, organized by the Banca dei Territori Division in collaboration with the Group’s structures and international network:
An international mission to the United Arab Emirates dedicated to the Banca dei Territori's corporate clients, which involved 15 SMEs in the Food-Agritech and Home System sectors from all over Italy with a strong vocation for foreign trade and international development. On the occasion, the agreements signed by Intesa Sanpaolo with Simest, Sace and ITA in favour of the international strengthening of Italian companies were announced.
- Seminar on SME Development in the USA - January 2025
Digital seminar “USA: Challenges and Opportunities” for SMEs interested in expanding their business in the US, dedicated to 800 client companies.
- Seminar on SME Development in the United Arab Emirates - October 2024
Digital seminar “Doing business with the United Arab Emirates” dedicated to SMEs and realised in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Embassy of the Emirates in Rome.
- Mission to Silicon Valley dedicated to startups – September 2024
Initiative in collaboration with INNOVIT and the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, involving 12 innovative Italian startups selected from participants in Up2Stars, Intesa Sanpaolo’s program aimed at promoting Italian startups operating in strategic sectors for the country’s economy, such as digital, bioeconomy, health, aerospace, water, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and mobility.
