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 change across 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 promote 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 November 26.
“There can be no innovation without attention to the environment”asserted Paola Trecarichi, President of French Tech Milan, as an introduction to the round tables. For more than three hours, the fundamental themes for a sustainable future were discussed: 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 Tech 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 for the first time the billion euros (1.252 billion).
The French Tech 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 is aiming for 100 unicorns by 2032.
If France has investments more than eight times higher 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 economywith 79.3% recycled waste”adds the president of French Tech Milan.
The French Tech in Italy
Created in 2016, the French Tech Milan is one of the first official French Tech communities (today there are 63 in around fifty countries), created to promote and develop the ecosystem of French Tech companies at local and international level and to strengthen 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.