On May 14, an exclusive event titled Scaling Into Europe – Why Italy Matters for Irish Companies was held at the Italian Cultural Institute of Dublin. Organized by the Italian Trade Agency in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Ireland, the event aimed to create a networking platform for Irish companies already investing in Italy, as well as for those interested in exploring future investment opportunities in the country, with the support of Italian institutions.
The event brought together around 50 entrepreneurs, professionals, and business decision-makers. Through testimonials and in-depth discussions, it provided practical insights for companies interested in expanding into Italy and gaining a better understanding of the country’s economic and business environment, while also highlighting the national support tools available to international investors.
The evening was opened by Michela Magrì, followed by speeches from Nicola Faganello and Giovanni Sacchi.
The program continued with a presentation by Edoardo Berionni, who shared data on the attractiveness of the Italian economy, followed by two thematic panels. The first featured Andy Kinsella, CEO of Aer Soléir, an Irish company active in Italy with investments in the renewable energy sector, and David Stafford, CFO of Siren, a cybersecurity company with offices in Galway and Trento. The second panel, following a presentation by Ilaria Rossi of LinkedIn on Italy’s talent pool and the high level of qualification of its human capital, focused on sectors offering significant opportunities for bilateral collaboration — including renewable energy, cleantech, and life sciences. Speakers included Giulia Conti of Novartis and David Aitken of Italian Exhibition Group.
The evening concluded with remarks by Aster Thackery on the role of the Italian Trade Agency in supporting Irish businesses, followed by an Italian-style networking aperitivo.
