• 10 small and medium-sized foreign companies operating throughout Central and Eastern Europe and Egypt have been selected

• Synergy between International Banks and Banca dei Territori Divisions to develop an international supply chain capable of attracting investment to Italy and increasing the value of Made in Italy worldwide

• Partnerships with Bain & Company, ELITE-Euronext Group, Gambero Rosso, Cerved and Microsoft Italia, NATIVA, Circularity and Coldiretti, as well as Digit'Ed, Tinexta and AICCON

Milan, 9 June 2026 - Ten prominent international businesses participated in the fifteenth event of Imprese Vincenti ("Winning Companies"), Intesa Sanpaolo's programme dedicated to the promotion of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, which concluded the roadshow of this sixth edition with an event entirely dedicated to the best companies from the economic and cultural contexts of Central and Eastern Europe and Egypt.

These businesses stood out through their ability to innovate, grow, and contribute to the development and integration of geographically dispersed supply chains, not only as exporters, but also as strategic nodes within value chains, playing a key role in nearshore trends and the ESG transition.

To accelerate the development of an international supply chain capable of both attracting foreign investment to Italy and further increasing the value of "Made in Italy" worldwide, Intesa Sanpaolo has strengthened synergies between the International Banking Division and the Banca dei Territori Division, led by Paola Papanicolaou and Stefano Barrese respectively. In this context, the Group reaffirmed its commitment to support the growth of Italian and international companies, in order to increase their competitiveness and foster greater integration between production supply chains.

"Imprese Vincenti" International

Held at Intesa Sanpaolo's Gioia 22 skyscraper in Milan, the event presented 10 "Winning Companies" from 8 countries in which Intesa Sanpaolo operates through its network of International Banks.

Albania was represented by Italcostruzioni, a company specializing in precision mechanical machining with a strong export orientation. Aircash of Croatia is an innovative fintech company that has revolutionized the delivery of digital payment services. Egypt was represented by Salcef, active in the development of sustainable mobility solutions and large infrastructure projects, while Romania's Record  was recognized for its excellence in production in technical footwear for outdoor activities, competing in international markets with high added value. From Serbia, Diopta stood out for developing a scalable business model in the optical sector based on operational efficiency and reliability, while Agroitaly represents an agro-industrial business that evolves towards high value-added crops. Incom of Slovenia is a leading food industry company distinguished by a strong internationalization strategy and continuous product innovation. Minit Slovakia has created a highly scalable business model that enabled its transformation from a family bakery to a European network. Most recently, Hungary was represented by Prolan, an IT company that develops solutions for rail automation and energy management with a strong focus on R&D-driven innovation, and Catone, which has established a logistics and production center for the agri-food sector in Budapest, with a strong emphasis on innovation and quality.

These companies operate in diverse but strategically important sectors for European economies: from food and beverages to high technology, from advanced manufacturing to infrastructure and agri-food, all united by their ability to create value through innovation, sustainability, and international integration.

Paola Papanicolaou, Head of Intesa Sanpaolo's International Banking Division: "Today's event reflects a geoeconomic trend that has now become structural: the growing integration between Italy, Central and Eastern Europe and Egypt along increasingly interconnected industrial, trade and financial routes. In a world where value chains are becoming shorter, more regionalized and increasingly focused on sustainability, the role of a Group like ours is also to build industrial connections, not just financial ones. For Intesa Sanpaolo, the collaboration between the various Divisions and our international presence represent a strategic lever for supporting businesses in the markets with the highest potential, strengthening competitiveness, investment capacity and their presence within Italian and European supply chains. Among the many prominent companies we have come across, ten selected "Imprese Vincenti" embody this journey: businesses firmly rooted in their local territories, but already capable of operating within a wider industrial geography. Supporting their growth means contributing to a more integrated, international and competitive manufacturing ecosystem."

Stefano Barrese, Director of the Banca dei Territori Division at Intesa Sanpaolo: "The synergy between our Divisions enables our Group to maintain a continuous dialogue with the communities and territories in which it operates, generating unique value for the real economy and the business community, the needs, potential and strengths that we observe every day. Through the "Imprese Vincenti" program, over the years we have built a very effective relationship with 800 companies, including international ones, creating a true community with high added value thanks to the support of our partners. Since 2020, we have provided SMEs with more than €138 billion in financing, including €13 billion for extraordinary financial transactions and €15 billion for sustainability-related projects. These outstanding Italian companies with a strong orientation towards growth will remain at the heart of the strategy of the Banca dei Territori Division and of the synergies envisaged under the new business plan presented by our Executive Director Carlo Messina, because the growth of businesses is also our growth."

As part of the programme, these companies will receive support from Intesa Sanpaolo and project partners during every stage of their business lifecycle, encouraging investments in intangible assets (intellectual property, R&D, supply chain development and training) and in key pillars of growth: international expansion, sustainability, defence, innovation, digital transition and exceptional finance.

Intesa Sanpaolo International Banking Division

The division operates in 12 countries through 11 commercial banks and serves 7.4 million customers. It is present in Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Egypt.

Imprese Vincenti: The numbers behind excellence

As of 2019, approximately 18,000 small and medium-sized enterprises have applied to participate, including 4,000 this year alone. Among them, the 150 companies selected for Imprese Vincenti 2026 – including 10 international companies – were selected because they had launched projects or achieved significant results in generating economic value and social impact through innovation and research,  digital and ecological transition, exports and internationalization, generational legacy and business scaling, as well as employee training and well-being initiatives. All of this is combined with a careful management of industrial and environmental risks, enabling these businesses to remain resilient and sustainable in the long run. Together, these companies employ approximately 150,000 people and generate around €35 billion in revenue.

To benefit from the experience gained over the years, this year's edition will contribute to the activities of the  Imprese Vincenti Community, a structured network of national champions that will promote systemic initiatives and support the promotion of Made in Italy worldwide, also through the Imprese Vincenti Observatory, which will be developed in collaboration with the European House Ambrosetti. In 2025, twelve of these companies participated in Intesa Sanpaolo's mission to the United States, organized in Silicon Valley.

Opportunities in Eastern European markets: data from Intesa Sanpaolo's Research Department

International geopolitical tensions and conflict in the Middle East have contributed to reshaping the geography of opportunities in global markets. A recent survey conducted among Intesa Sanpaolo professionals who support companies in their internationalization processes shows that in 2026 Eastern European markets will offer the best growth opportunities for Italian exports.

These are economies with strong growth prospects in the period 2027–2028 as well: Central and Eastern Europe (CEE; Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) and Southeast Europe (SEE; Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania and Serbia) are expected to show average annual GDP growth above 2.5%, supported by consumption, investment and continuous productive modernization. Therefore, these areas represent one of the main poles of development for Italian companies, both in terms of trade and productive and commercial investments.

The economic ties between Italy and CEE and SEE countries are already very important. In 2024, the stock of Italian foreign direct investment in the area reached 46.5 billion euros, increasing compared to the previous year. Of this amount, €21.4 billion has been invested in CEE countries and €25.1 billion in SEE countries. In the same year, investments from these economies in Italy exceeded 11 billion euros.

The direct presence of Italian companies in the region is particularly important. Over 3,500 companies controlled by Italian groups operate in CEE and SEE countries (about a quarter of the Italian total), employing around 338,000 people and generating a turnover exceeding 52 billion euros. More than half of these employees work in manufacturing, especially in fashion, mechanics, transportation equipment, rubber and plastics, and the metal industry. In services, there is also a strong presence of financial and insurance activities.

Trade relations are also constantly strengthening. In 2025, Italian exports to CEE and SEE countries increased to €66.3 billion, compared to €48.4 billion in 2019 (+37%). At the same time, imports increased from 42 billion euros to 59 billion euros (+40%). Italy's trade balance reached 7.3 billion euros, highlighting the strengthening of the competitive position of Italian companies in these markets.

Partner ecosystem  – The Imprese Vincenti partner team consists of Bain & Company, ELITE–Euronext Group and Gambero Rosso, Cerved and Microsoft Italy, Coldiretti, NATIVA and Circularity, along with Digit'Ed, Tinexta and AICCON. Intesa Sanpaolo's specialist divisions are also involved, including the International Banking Division, the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Centre and Intesa Sanpaolo Assicurazioni.

 

Media Relations

Intesa Sanpaolo

Media relations and associations

Media Bank of the Territories and Local Media

stampa@intesasanpaolo.com

 

Bain & Company – orsola.randi@bain.com

ELITE-Euronext Group – Italypressoffice@euronext.com

Gambero Rosso – segreteria.presidenza@gamberorosso.it

Cerved – media@cerved.com

Microsoft Italia–Chiara Mizzi,chiaram@microsoft.com-Roberta Bertolotti,roberb@microsoft.com-Martina Nava,Burson Cohn & Wolfe-martina.nava@bcw-global.com

NATIVE – Francesco Carra, media@nativalab.com

Circularity – camilla.colucci@circularity.com - Be Media press office - circularity@bemedia.it

Coldiretti - relazioniesterne@coldiretti.it – 06/4682487

Digit'Ed - comunicazione@digited.it

Tinexta - alessandra.ruzzu@tinexta.com

AICCON - Rossella De Nunzio - rossella.denunzio@unibo.it

 

Intesa Sanpaolo

Intesa Sanpaolo, with €430 billion in loans and more than €1.4 trillion in customer financial assets at the end of March 2026, is the largest banking group in Italy, with a significant international presence.

It is a European leader in wealth management and operates an integrated Wealth Management, Protection and Advisory platform, built on fully owned product factories and distribution networks working under full strategic control.

With a world-class position in social impact, Intesa Sanpaolo is also committed to decarbonisation and supporting customers in the sustainable transition.

The Bank's network of museums, Galerie d'Italia, hosts its artistic heritage and cultural projects of recognized value.

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