La French Tech Milan and Italy as a partner for a more sustainable future
Greentech and sustainability, is the central theme of the event “French & Italian Tech: Italy and France united for a sustainable future”, organized by French Tech Milan last week.
Europe’s carbon neutral targets call for changes in all sectors. And today, Green tech is undoubtedly one of the answers to technological challenges and to the sustainable transformation of economies. It is in this perspective that French Tech Milan organized on July 5 at the National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci, an event bringing together the ecosystem of innovative French and Italian start-ups with the aim of promoting exchanges and enhance the ecosystems of the sector, of the two countries. The collaboration of France and Italy in favor of strategic and digital development, and the green economy in particular, has become even more assertive since the signing of the Quirinal Treaty signed by the two countries on 26 November last.
“There can be no innovation without attention to the environment”, said Paola Trecarichi, president of French Tech Milan, in the introduction to the round tables. For more than three hours, the fundamental themes for a sustainable future were retained: Greentech and energy efficiency, sustainable food and the fight against waste and digital sustainability.
France – Italy: a united but different startup ecosystem
The dynamic of economic relations between France and Italy is also organized around an ecosystem made up of 35,000 innovative French and Italian start-ups, although there are differences between the two countries.
L’Italian technology has more than 14,000 innovative startups, 75% of which operate in digital and 16% in the manufacturing industry. The year 2021 marked a record in terms of investments, exceeding one billion euros (1,252 billion) for the first time.
The French technology meanwhile, is considered one of the most important on the international scene. It has more than 20,000 startups, 5,000 business Angels and with 21 unicorns to its credit (including 11 new ones in 2021). And 11.7 billion euros were invested in 2021, 100% more than in 2020 and 15 times the value recorded in 2015. French startups mainly operate in the fashion, e-commerce and , digital payments and real estate. Growth such that France will see 100 unicorns by 2032.
If France has investments more than eight times greater than those of Italian Tech, it is also “because there are a lot more government policies that fund and incentivize the startup ecosystem”says Paola Trecarichi.
Nevertheless “France is particularly interested in Italy in terms of Green Tech, the country establishing itself as a European leader in the circular economy, with 79.3% of waste recycled”adds the president of French Tech Milan.
French Tech in Italy
Created in 2016, the French Tech Milano is one of the first official French Tech communities (today there are 63 in some fifty countries), created to promote and develop the ecosystem of French Tech companies at local and international level and to strengthen the links with innovation players in Italy. To date, the French Tech ecosystem in Italy brings together nearly 100 French Tech nuggets as well as all the players in Franco-Italian economic relations in the field of Innovation, whether FinTech, AgriTech, Retailtech, Healthtech, or even Cleantech.