Intesa Sanpaolo strengthens support for Italian SME exports with €30 billion
4 November 2026
Intesa Sanpaolo, Confindustria, SACE, SIMEST and ICE have launched a new joint initiative to support the internationalisation and export growth of Italian SMEs through an integrated system of financial, insurance, advisory and promotional solutions.
Intesa Sanpaolo is making €30 billion in new credit available over the next three years, while the project also includes agreements with banking institutions in France, India and Brazil to strengthen operational and financial support for companies in international markets.
Among the initiative’s main objectives is helping businesses to:
- diversify their markets
- manage risks more effectively
- build an increasingly strong and competitive presence within global value chains
The programme has been launched against a backdrop of profound geopolitical and trade changes and aims to enhance the competitiveness of Italy’s productive system through structured collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders.
“Our companies are extraordinary, but today they are facing a new, growing level of complexity that risks undermining their competitiveness and, more generally, the growth of our country. International development is a key to the success of Made in Italy, which is why public and private stakeholders must work together to maintain the excellence of our industry worldwide”
Stefano Barrese, Head of Intesa Sanpaolo’s Banca dei Territori Division
Over the past three years, Intesa Sanpaolo has provided more than €19 billion to support international business activities and managed over 1,000 internationalisation projects.
The Banca dei Territori Division supports all stages of international development for its 90,000 SME clients, leveraging a network of more than 300 dedicated specialists and the Group’s presence in 40 countries, complemented by local partners across more than 140 strategic markets.
A closer look at SME support measures
The initiative is built around five key pillars:
- €30 billion in new credit over the next three years to support exports, foreign direct investments and productive projects in Italy aimed at international growth
- Partnerships with leading banking institutions in France, India and Brazil, with expansion to additional markets planned by 2027
- Access to new international clients and partners through collaboration with ICE and via Connecting Markets, Intesa Sanpaolo’s platform that enables SMEs to identify new customers, suppliers and industrial partners in more than 170 countries
- Support for foreign direct investments through the integration of Intesa Sanpaolo’s financial solutions with SIMEST instruments
- New solutions to boost exports of machinery and capital goods, a sector accounting for 18% of Italian exports, through synergies with SACE and SIMEST
Intesa Sanpaolo also organises international business missions for SMEs, offering opportunities to meet clients, technology partners, investors and local institutions. In recent years, companies have taken part in missions to China, the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Particularly significant are the missions to Silicon Valley, organised in collaboration with INNOVIT, the innovation hub of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, aimed at facilitating access to US technology and financial ecosystems.
An analysis presented by Gregorio De Felice, Chief Economist at Intesa Sanpaolo, (available in Italian only) outlines the outlook for the Italian economy and highlights the role of SME international expansion as a driver of growth.
Last updated 4 November 2026 at 18:40:23
