Intesa Sanpaolo: "Winning Companies" sixth edition with a focus on innovation, internationalization, and protection

Intesa Sanpaolo is giving a voice to Italy's best SMEs with the sixth edition of "Imprese Vincenti," the program that the Banca dei Territori Division dedicates to Italy's entrepreneurial excellence. Among the initiative's key innovations are a special focus on innovation in production processes, a strong push towards internationalization , and, thanks to the collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo Assicurazioni, the value of protecting people and processes : no longer just a defensive tool, but a strategic business choice and an essential competitive asset for resilience and business continuity.

To leverage the experience gained over the six years of the project, the activities of the Community of Winning Enterprises will be strengthened: a structured network of national champions, created during the final forum of the last edition, which will implement systematic operations and promote Made in Italy.

Collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo's International Banking Division has been confirmed, inviting selected foreign companies to participate in a dedicated event. Social and third sector enterprises, as well as SMEs in the agri-food sector , will also be represented. A 15-stage national tour will begin this fall, covering the entire country and involving the 140 Winning Companies from the sixth edition, as well as 10 selected foreign companies. A final meeting is planned to gather testimonials from various companies and provide an overall assessment of the project.

Since the program's launch in 2019, over 650 deserving companies , among the 14,000 applicants, have received recognition and accelerated their growth. With the bank's support, approximately 150 of these winning companies have entered the ELITE-Euronext Group circuit.

Anna Roscio , Executive Director of Sales & Marketing for Enterprises at Banca dei Territori di Intesa Sanpaolo : "Italy boasts a network of SMEs that are a true economic engine for the communities in which they operate, as well as representing Made in Italy abroad. With Imprese Vincenti, we have discovered and promoted over 650 of them, selecting them as role models for the entire manufacturing sector thanks to their quality, innovation, speed, and ability to adapt to change, a skill that few other industrial systems can match. We are committed to supporting them in seizing further opportunities for stable and inclusive growth, leveraging their network and investing in digitalization, sustainability, and internationalization."

Characteristics of Successful Companies – Between 2019 and 2024, compared to the national average, Successful Companies recorded a 7% increase in turnover and an 8% increase in investments . Their success factors include innovation and research to foster competitiveness, a focus on digital and sustainability objectives, a focus on foreign markets, and investment in people.

Selection Procedure – For the sixth edition, 140 companies (plus 10 foreign SMEs) will be selected for their achievements in GDP contribution and social impact, innovation and research, digital and ecological transition, internationalization, generational transition, and investments in business continuity in the event of a crisis. Applications are open until September 20, 2025, at https://www.intesasanpaolo.com/it/business/landing/imprese-vincenti.html .

The Partner Ecosystem – The Imprese Vincenti partner team includes Bain & Company , ELITE-Euronext Group and Gambero Rosso , Cerved and Microsoft Italia , Coldiretti , NATIVA and Circularity , along with Digit'Ed, Tinexta and AICCON . The specialist functions of Intesa Sanpaolo, the International Banks Division , the Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center and Intesa Sanpaolo Assicurazioni are also involved.