Investing $900+ million to accelerate Italy’s digital transformation

Also launching today “Italia in Digitale”, a new program focusing on SMBs

Qui la versione in italiano.

Sundar Pichai, Google CEO: “Google is proud to be a partner in Italy's economic recovery. We're investing more than $900M over 5 years to help transform Italian businesses large and small, including the launch of two Google Cloud regions in partnership with TIM.”

Today Google announces Italia in Digitale, a new plan to accelerate the country’s economic recovery by offering a series of tools, training and partnerships to support businesses and job seekers.

This new project builds on the success of past initiatives like Crescere in Digitale and Google Digital Training, that in the last few years helped 500,000 people get the right digital skills to grow their careers or businesses. With its new pledge, Google is now committed to help more than 700,000 SMBs and individuals digitize, aiming to bring the total number to more than 1 million by the end of 2021.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, announced today that Google will invest in Italy more than $900 million in 5 years to accelerate the country’s digital transformation, including the launch of the two Cloud regions announced in partnership with TIM, as well as a new initiative for Italian SMBs.

During the pandemic, Google worked around the clock with governments from all over the world, including Italy, to help face this crisis. Among all, in Italy a partnership with the Ministry of Health provided critical information about COVID-19 on Search, Maps and YouTube, and a partnership with the Ministry of Education allowed millions of Italian students and teachers to use free distance learning tools when the schools were closed. Moreover, Google distributed advertising credits and grants to Italian small businesses, government agencies and NGOs.

While parts of the economy have been able to continue thanks to advances in remote work, online shopping, home entertainment and telemedicine, small businesses have been disproportionately affected by the crisis, with tourism, retail and food services suffering most as people were isolated at home. According to a new McKinsey research, 60 million of jobs are now at risk in Europe.

That’s why today Google announces Italia in Digitale, a new plan to accelerate the country’s economic recovery by offering a series of tools, training and partnerships to support businesses and job seekers. This new project builds on the success of past initiatives like Crescere in Digitale and Google Digital Training, that in the last few years helped 500,000 people get the right digital skills to grow their careers or businesses. With its new pledge, Google is now committed to help more than 700,000 SMBs and individuals digitize, aiming to bring the total number to more than 1 million by the end of 2021.

Also today, Google.org is committing a grant of €1M to Unioncamere to support underserved SMBs in their digital transformation. Thanks to this support, the Chambers of Commerce will provide specific training and coaching to SMBs and individuals, focusing on sectors and professionals most heavily hit by COVID-19, to help people keep their jobs or find a new one.

Fabio Vaccarono, Managing Director, Google Italy: “Google has invested in Italy for several years to provide free digital skills training and accelerate the country's digital transformation. Building on this strategy, we're announcing Italia in Digitale, new tools and investments to help people and small businesses learn new skills, transform their operating models, and recover from the crisis. Technology was important before the pandemic and it is even more essential today. Digitalization must now be a top priority for everyone to bring back growth to Italy."

For more information about Italia in Digitale please visit g.co/italiaindigitale. Stay tuned for updates on free digital skills training and tools in the coming weeks.