Why Invest

Emilia-Romagna is a region open to new foreign investments, whose development model has been able to combine economic competitiveness with a high level of social cohesion and an enviable quality of life. With a world-class business and innovation ecosystem, top level supply and value chains, a business-oriented public administration granting support and incentives to investors, excellent locations and an international mindset: Emilia-Romagna is just the perfect place to invest in! 

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Population

4.5 milion
Inhabitants

GOVERNANCE
1 Region, 1 Metropolitan city (Bologna), 330 municipalities with 8 main cities (Ferrara, Forlì-Cesena, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Ravenna, Reggio Emilia, Rimini).

A region of wellbeing

BEAUTY: 
plenty of UNESCO sites, such as the porticoes of Bologna, awarded as new world heritage site in 2021, Ferrara and its Po River Delta Park, Ravenna, Modena, and the Apennines

INCLUSION:
social exclusion rate lower than in Italy and Europe

QUALITY OF LIFE: 
employment and GDP per capita higher than in Italy and Europe; top quality health system and services; strong cultural offer

See Lifestyle and Heritage for more information

A well connected region

TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURES:
a strategic position connecting Northern Europe and the Mediterranean area

DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURES:
top smart cities, broadband connection and Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) higher than the national average; the Municipality of Bologna received the Digital Agenda Award 2021 in Italy

See Logistics for more information

A region of knowledge and research

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION:
1st region in Italy for innovation (Regional Innovation Scoreboard 2023, Itif 2022)

EDUCATION:
7 universities with 166,000 students; 491 courses and 248 master degrees

TALENTS:
a regional law and specific services for attraction and retention of talents and investments

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM:
a unique High Technology Network of over 90 research labs and innovation centres integrated with Technopoles and “Clust-ER” Associations made up of private and public bodies that share skills, ideas and resources

DATA VALLEY:
with world top supercomputers and data centres, including LEONARDO, the 6th most powerful computer in the world (Top500, Jun 23)

See Innovation Ecosystem, University and Training and Data Valley for more information

A sustainable region

REGIONAL PACT FOR WORK AND CLIMATE 2020: a shared overall strategy up to 2030 for regional sustainable development

About 6,500 companies in the regional green economy

See Sustainability and Green Economy for more information

A region of excellences

GLOBAL LEADER in industrial machinery (e.g. packaging) and ceramics, boasting world leading motor and food valleys, a growing health and wellness sectors, and home of successful creative brands

See Key Sectors: Overview for more information

A competitive and international region

ECONOMY:
a strong manufacturing sector that employs 25.2% of the total employees in Emilia-Romagna, while the Italian average is 18.6% and the European one is 16.1%

INTERNATIONALISATION:
1st Italian region for export per capita

ATTRACTIVENESS:
Open region with high levels of inward and outward internationalisation and with strong incentives for new investments

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Facts and Figures

Competitiveness and Internationalization
Research, Innovation, Education
Employment, Inclusion, Governance, Quality of Life