From Milan to the territories, and back. After five editions hosted in the Lombard capital, in 2026 the DigIT Export Day embarked on a new path, evolving into Promos Italia's first national roadshow. Three stops — Ferrara, Cosenza, and Milan — over 170 companies involved, more than 30 presentations, and around a hundred one-to-one meetings, all oriented towards a single objective: supporting Italian SMEs in leveraging digital tools as a strategic driver for growth in international markets.
In an increasingly complex international landscape, marked by geopolitical tensions, shifting trade balances, and the rapid spread of artificial intelligence, exporting no longer means simply identifying new markets — it means equipping businesses with the right tools to understand and reach them. This is the founding rationale of the DigIT Export Day: an initiative designed to bring expertise, real-world case studies, and direct dialogue to local business communities, reinforcing Promos Italia's role as the chamber of commerce system's reference point for internationalisation.
The roadshow launched on 14 April in Ferrara, the first leg of a journey dedicated to the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence, international marketplaces, and new digital communication formats. The presentations by Ambra Danesin, Raffaella Condina, and Rudy Bandiera illustrated how emerging technologies are reshaping the way companies approach export, offering increasingly accessible tools for promoting and selling abroad. The event brought together 44 companies, with approximately half continuing the conversation in individual meetings with Promos Italia experts.
The roadshow then moved on to Cosenza on 18 May, where Federico Fubini, Franco Moscetti, Nicola Mattina, and Daniele Rutigliano helped companies navigate the new geopolitical landscape and understand how digital tools, artificial intelligence, and social media can turn the challenges of international markets into growth opportunities. The event engaged 55 companies, roughly a third of which went on to receive personalised consultations.
On 11 June the roadshow reached Milan for its closing stage, which served as the synthesis of the entire journey: a content-rich day alternating scenario analysis, data, innovation, and business testimonials. Federico Fubini offered a reading of the new international geopolitical dynamics, while Federico Della Bella presented data on AI adoption among local businesses. Substantial time was devoted to the evolution of artificial intelligence and emerging digital communication paradigms, through the contributions of Nicola Mattina, Lucia Cenetiempo, and Greta Lomaestro. Nadine Methner and Giulia Giacomini shared ING Italia's approach to supporting SMEs along their international growth journeys, while Enrico Casati, co-founder of Velasca, recounted the experience of a company that has successfully turned digital into a lever for expansion in foreign markets. The Milan stage engaged 71 companies and saw over 50 one-to-one meetings with experts.
Alongside the plenary sessions, one of the format's defining features was the opportunity for direct engagement with companies. Across the three stops, approximately one hundred individual meetings were held, during which businesses were able to assess their online presence, explore digital export strategies, and receive tailored operational guidance. This activity reflects one of the cornerstones of Promos Italia's approach: pairing knowledge-sharing with concrete, company-specific support.
A further thread running through the entire roadshow was the narrative of a transformation already underway. Data from the survey presented in Milan show that 21% of companies consider digital tools decisive for entering new markets, and that artificial intelligence is increasingly embedded in internationalisation processes — from marketplace management to multilingual content production, market analysis, and the identification of new buyers. At the same time, a significant untapped potential remains: only 5% of companies invested more than €50,000 in digital tools during 2025.
This marks the close of the first national edition of the DigIT Export Day — and, more importantly, the consolidation of a model that has proven its worth: bringing expertise, tools, and qualified advisory services directly to local territories, creating meaningful opportunities for dialogue between companies, specialists, and institutions. An experience that strengthens Promos Italia's role in supporting the international competitiveness of Italian SMEs, and that lays the groundwork for future editions of the roadshow — with the ambition of accompanying a growing number of businesses towards international growth that is increasingly digital, informed, and sustainable.