In 2023, Italy’s agri-foodtech startup industry showed significant growth, with 340 active startups receiving investments of 167 million euros, marking a 9.8 percent increase over the previous year. This sector is an integral part of the Italian agri-food market, the third largest in the European Union, which includes more than 740,000 farms and 330,000 food businesses, contributing significantly to the national economy with more than 65 billion euros. Most startups are concentrated in northern Italy, with Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Veneto and Lazio as the main hubs. The growth trend of startups began in 2018, with a significant increase from 2021. About 69% of startups operate with teams of 1-5 employees, and the average age of the founders is 35.6 years. In addition, 32% of startups were founded by women, significantly higher than the national average for female entrepreneurs.
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