Business · Companies · 6 hrs ago
Veneto firms urged to seek partners to compete and plan for growth
At a business event in Padua, leaders urged small Veneto firms to seek growth partners through investment, mergers or sales.
The region’s manufacturing companies have valuable expertise, but many are too small to compete with global giants.
The discussion focused on how firms can grow while protecting their know-how and prepare for changes in ownership or leadership.
In 2025, the Northeast accounted for 17% of Italy’s merger and acquisition deals, or 277 transactions.
Investment funds put eight billion euros into the region, up from three billion a decade earlier.
Investors often combine companies to build larger businesses, sometimes with former owners keeping a minority stake and reinvesting.
Advisers said owners should explore these options while their companies are healthy, and families should plan leadership transfers in advance.
Veneto business leaders were urged to seek partners while their companies are healthy to compete with global rivals and plan for growth.
The advice came at a meeting in Padua on buying, selling and combining businesses.
Speakers said many small firms have valuable manufacturing expertise but are too small to compete with global groups.
Italy’s Northeast accounted for 17% of the country’s mergers and acquisitions in 2025, or 277 deals.
Investment funds put €8 billion into the region, up from €3 billion ten years earlier.
- Who
- Entrepreneurs, managers, consultants and credit-sector representatives took part. Speakers included Alberto Baban, Andrea Cortellazzo and Paolo Gubitta.
- What
- The meeting discussed how Veneto firms could seek partners, attract capital and plan for growth or leadership transfers.
- When
- The event took place the day before the article was published on October 27, 2026.
- Where
- Padua, Italy.
- Why
- Speakers said small firms need partners and greater scale to compete with global rivals and sustain growth.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Northeast accounted for 17% of Italy’s mergers and acquisitions, with 277 deals.
Entrepreneurs, consultants and managers met in Padua to discuss buying, selling and combining businesses.
- Event
- Imprese venete al bivio. Comprare, vendere o aggregarsi
- Location
- Padua
- Northeast share of Italian M&A deals in 2025
- 17%
- Northeast M&A deals in 2025
- 277
- Investment funds
- €8 billion, compared with €3 billion ten years earlier
What people are saying
We are receiving a lot of attention because we own a great deal of know-how in a very competitive market
This must happen when the company is healthy. If a bit of a crisis begins, it is already too late for these discussions.
how to prepare families to handle the moment of leadership transfer competently