Over the past ten years, theItaly has experienced a contraction of its own entrepreneurial fabric, but there is a sector and challenge this trend: the foreign-led businesses. According to the data Unioncamere-InfoRooms, updated to 31 December 2024, over a third of foreign companies have over ten years of activity, supporting the growth of the movement. By the end of 2024, the number of these businesses had reached about 670.000 reality, with an increase of 140.000 units compared to 2014, equal to a percentage growth of more than 27% in the decade.
Data that tells of a phenomenon that is taking hold more and more foot, compared to one 5,6% contraction of native Italian companies, which went from 5,5 million in 2014 to the current 5,2 million. A sign of how theforeign entrepreneurship is taking root in our country, not just surviving, but thriving.
Foreign companies: trade and crafts at the forefront
In the long-term foreign business landscape, the commercial sector emerges as the most important, with 92.604 activities, representing 37,5% of the total. This is followed by construction with 54.240 companies (22%) and the sector of catering and accommodation, with a good 8,3%, equal to 20.393 activities. Furthermore, the presence of foreign companies in the manufacturing (17.086 companies) and in business services (11.673).
One aspect that deserves particular attention is the strong influence of foreign companies in the artisanal sector. Almost 30% of these decades-old businesses are in the artisanal sector, confirming the deep roots of foreign entrepreneurs in local production traditions.
An interesting fact that emerges from the analysis concerns thefemale entrepreneurship. Well over 54.500 of the longest-running foreign companies are led by women, equal to 22,1% of the total.
Where foreign entrepreneurship is growing, Lombardy in the lead
The phenomenon of foreign entrepreneurship is spread throughout the national territory, but some regions stand out for their high concentration. In Lombardy is at the top of the list, with 44.069 foreign companies with over ten years of experience, equal to 17,9% of the total. They are followed by Lazio (27.834) Toscana (23.102) Campania (21.097) and Emilia Romagna (20.523)
The origins of entrepreneurs
If you analyze the Origins of foreign-led entrepreneurs, a emerges geographical variety that tells a storyglobal phenomenon. Individual businesses over ten years old are mainly led by entrepreneurs from countries such as Morocco (15,6%), Romania (10,5%) and China (9,3%). They are followed by Albania (7,1%), Bangladesh (5,7%), Switzerland (5,2%) and Senegal (4,8%).
The data demonstrate that foreign entrepreneurship is no longer an isolated or transitory phenomenon, but a structural and dynamic element which contributes fundamentally to the diversification and resilience of the Italian business system.
