Participation in trade fairs
Among its various responsibilities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation supports the internationalisation of businesses, including startups and innovative SMEs.
In this area, the Ministry works in close coordination with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA – Italian Trade Agency), MIMIT and MEF.
Studies carried out periodically by the Italian Trade Agency, in cooperation with ISTAT, show that participation in trade fairs by companies supported by the Agency is associated with increased exports. The organisation of national pavilions and collective exhibition services makes it easier, especially for small enterprises, to access foreign markets by reducing the costs and barriers associated with internationalisation.
Together with the Italian Trade Agency, Italian startups and innovative SMEs are supported in attending the leading global events dedicated to innovation. These include major generalist trade fairs such as Gitex, Slush and Web Summit, as well as events focused on specific verticals: fintech (Singapore Fintech Forum), artificial intelligence (World AI Cannes Festival, AI Summit London), cybersecurity (RSA in San Francisco) and biotech (Bio-Europe, Bio US, etc.).
In addition to ensuring a national pavilion at these trade fairs, the Ministry and the Italian Trade Agency work jointly — in coordination between Italy and the relevant offices abroad — to organise panels and side events designed to strengthen Italy’s presence at these events. These may take place within the exhibition areas or at Italy’s diplomatic missions, making use of the prestige and representational value of their premises.
Over the years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has worked to broaden Italy’s participation in technology events, ensuring the country’s presence at major international exhibitions such as SPIE Photonics and the RSA Conference in San Francisco.
In agreement with the Italian Trade Agency, the criteria for selecting startups and innovative SMEs participating in events organised by ICE for startups have also been revised, moving beyond the purely chronological criterion of application submission and introducing preferential criteria, such as having already secured venture capital funding, holding patents and other relevant elements.
BUSINESS FORUMS and bilateral business events
In addition to ensuring participation in major trade fairs, the Italian Trade Agency, under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organises further events and programmes in support of Italian startups and innovative SMEs interested in foreign markets.
Particular mention should be made of the Global Startup Program. Now in its sixth edition, the programme run by the Italian Trade Agency offers participants each year the opportunity to take part in an acceleration path abroad through a network of partner accelerators, which host the selected innovative startups for four weeks. Every autumn, the Global Startup Program reaches leading destinations within the international innovation ecosystem, including Paris, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles and Singapore.
In developing these tools, and in ensuring their widest possible dissemination among interested startups and businesses, cooperation between Office IV of the DGCE and associations representing startups, innovators and venture capital is essential.
In the life sciences sector, the Montalcini Biotech Tour includes participation in the leading global biotech events, together with side initiatives aimed at fostering networking opportunities and relations with potential investors.
The Italian Innovation and Culture Hub in San Francisco, INNOVIT, also offers annual internationalisation and soft-landing programmes for startups and SMEs operating in strategic sectors or areas of national relevance.
Office IV of the DGCE also coordinates the work of sectoral Working Groups dedicated to the Biotech and Cybersecurity sectors, bringing together representatives from business, institutions and research.
For further information, please refer to the dedicated pages.
Drafted and last updated: January 2026