Open Innovation in Italy and the Role of Startups 2026 Update

Free Content Report Digital Transformation Academy Startup Thinking Digital Transformation Open Innovation April 2026 34 pages pdf

What you will learn

The report outlines the evolution of the innovation ecosystem and its key players, providing an in-depth analysis of the adoption of open innovation approaches among SMEs and large and very large enterprises in Italy by 2025. It also examines the types of actions taken, with a particular focus on the adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the innovation process. Finally, it illustrates the extent of collaborations with startups and the types of relationships established.

Table of Contents

1
The innovation ecosystem in Italy
2
Open Innovation in Italy
3
Artificial Intelligence in the Innovation Process
4
Open Innovation: governance and impact
5
The role of startups in Open Innovation

Index of Graphs

1
External Players Driving Digital Innovation
2
Internal Players Driving Digital Innovation
3
Adoption of Open Innovation approaches among Large and Very Large Enterprises
4
Adoption of Open Innovation in Italy over the past eight years among Large and Very Large Enterprises

You will know how to answer these key questions

How is the ecosystem of innovation drivers evolving for Italian companies?
What is the current level of Open Innovation adoption in Italy? How does it vary based on company size?
How is Artificial Intelligence reshaping the way companies approach innovation?
What is Top Management's perception of and commitment to Open Innovation adoption?
What role do startups play for established companies?

The methodology used in this Report

To address the research objectives, we chose to combine various research methods, including:
– an online survey involving 186 CIOs, Innovation Managers, and R&D Managers from Italian and multinational companies, as well as public administrations;
– an online survey involving 500 CEOs and C-level executives from Italian SMEs;
– an online survey involving 177 founders and C-level executives from Italian high-tech startups;
– over 80 in-person interviews with CIOs and Innovation Managers from several major companies and public administrations, as well as with CEOs and founders of leading Italian startups.

Authors