Ten strategic sectors chosen for Opportunitaly tell the story of Made in Italy. A competitive ecosystem full of opportunities for business growth.
The Italian aerospace sector is the 7th largest globally, a strategic industry with 18 billion euros and 60.000 employees. Its production spans over 55% military and civil aircraft, and Airbus and Boeing supplies; 30% satellites and space modules for international missions; and 15% drone development, unmanned aircraft, and integrated security systems.
Source: “Il Sole 24 Ore”
Reference data time frame: 2024
7th
largest globally
60.000
employees
Italy ranks 9th globally for agri-food product exports, making it a primary industry with a value of 48.389 million euros. Specifically, Italy is the 1st exporting country for pasta, the 2nd for wine, olive oil and coffee exports.
Source: TDM data
Reference data time frame: 2024
48 BN €
value of export
2nd in EU
by size of sector
Italy is the 6th largest country in the world for exports of cycles and motorcycles, generating 3,779 million euros in 2024. Automotive exports, on the other hand, generated €23,830 million and contribute, together with body components, equipment, and engines, to ranking the Italian automotive industry in the top 15 of the world's top exporting countries.
Source: "Osservatorio Economico" MAECI on ISTAT data
Reference data time frame: 2024
6th in the world
for exports
The Made in Italy culture and entertainment industry excels, year after year. Its music sector is the third strongest in Europe, while the gaming sector, with a turnover of 2.3 billion euros, is the fifth strongest in the EU. The latter is joined by the software sector, driving the entire cultural industry with 16,000 additional jobs.
Source: “Io Sono Cultura" by Symbola in partnership with Unioncamere and Deloitte
Reference data time frame: 2024
3rd
in the music sector
The furniture sector is the second most important in Europe in terms of number of companies and turnover. With around 66,000 active companies and a turnover of 53 billion euros, the Italian furniture industry is the second largest on the continent. Globally, the Italian sector contributes almost 10% of the world’s furniture exports.
Source: "Osservatorio Economico" MAECI on ISTAT data
Reference data time frame: 2024
2nd in the World
for the furniture industry
6.9% of world fashion exports come from Italy, which is the 1st European country for exports and the 2nd largest in the world. Made in Italy’s supremacy of excellence extends beyond the general level to sub-sectors such as textiles, footwear, and leather goods.
Source: "Osservatorio Economico" MAECI on TDM data.
Reference data time frame: 2024
1st in EU
for exports
The Italian Health and Wellness sector is the largest in Europe for the biomedical industry and the 2nd largest for the pharmaceutical industry. This has enabled the sector to attract the attention of foreign countries, with 49 billion euros in exports out of a total turnover of 52 billion. The figures for research and development are also positive: investment in the sector in Italy was almost 2 billion euros in 2022.
Source: “Il Sole 24 Ore”
Reference data time frame: 2024
49 BN €
value of export
In terms of annual robot installations, Italy ranks 6th worldwide and 2nd in Europe, with a 16% share of total installations in the EU. Today, the country is home to the largest machinery and equipment manufacturing industrial base in Europe, offering a favourable environment for innovation, export and growth.
2nd in EU
for exports
In 2024, the Italian nautical industry registered a 7.5% increase in exports compared to the previous year, reaching a value of 4.299 million euro. Approximately 52% of exports in this sector are super yachts, for which Italy is the leader with around 600 orders under construction.
Source: “Boat International”
Reference data time frame: 2024
4.29 BN €
value of export
About 60% of Italian LCT exports are concentrated in just two categories: clean energy production and environmental impact reduction. In Italy, the focus on renewable energies is increasing, so much so that in 2024 these met about 41% of domestic demand.
Source: Terna
Reference data time frame: 2024
60%
Italian LCT exports
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