The mission

Confindustria Veneto Est is examining the Irish model

In Dublin, one of Europe’s most dynamic hubs at the crossroads of major players, start-ups, universities, innovative companies and international talent

2 July 2026

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3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

A study visit to Dublin, one of Europe’s most dynamic hubs at the intersection of major players, start-ups and universities, renowned for attracting innovative businesses and international talent, and for the technologies that are redefining the way business is conducted. From 29 June to 1 July, Confindustria Veneto Est led a delegation of 24 entrepreneurs and managers to some of the main European headquarters of major digital tech companies – Google, Workday and Salesforce – with the aim of observing at first hand how artificial intelligence, collaboration tools, digital platforms and new business intelligence solutions are redefining processes, relationships with customers and suppliers, skills and industrial models.

The

project

Confindustria Veneto Est’s new project is called “Innovation Roadmap”; it is designed to help businesses explore national and international ecosystems with a strong focus on innovation, as well as organisations and supply chains where deep-tech is already being put into practice.

The aim is to accelerate the development of high-value solutions and the adoption of artificial intelligence in manufacturing, to promote new models of collaboration between businesses, universities and institutions, to invest in high-tech services, and to attract global players and talent: in short, the pathways to revitalising the Veneto region’s production model.

The Irish mission was organised in collaboration with Giulio Buciuni, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Trinity College Dublin.

Objectives

“With the Innovation Roadmap,” says Gianmarco Russo, Director-General of Confindustria Veneto Est, “we aim to offer businesses concrete opportunities to engage with international ecosystems in which digital innovation, AI and new organisational models are already an integral part of growth strategies. The study visit to Dublin, in particular, enabled entrepreneurs and managers to observe at first hand how major global organisations are transforming processes, skills and ways of working, providing useful insights for businesses and institutions in the Veneto region to adapt to our own business contexts.”

Dublin is of interest to Veneto-based businesses ‘not because it represents a model to be copied, but because it illustrates with great clarity some of the conditions of contemporary competitiveness,’ emphasises Giulio Buciuni. “In a relatively small area, there is a concentration of international universities, global talent, major technology hubs, advanced managerial functions and high-value digital skills. For the Veneto region, the lesson is not to become like Dublin, but to understand how to strengthen its own industrial model at a time when simply producing well and exporting is no longer enough.”

The programme

The programme kicked off on 29 June at Trinity College Dublin. Taking the Irish case as a starting point – and the global talent it attracts (executive students, alumni, founders and international professionals) – the discussion centred on what makes a region attractive to innovative businesses, high-value functions and global talent, and what lessons can be applied to the Veneto region. The second day included a visit to Google’s headquarters, a key example for understanding how large digital platforms organise commercial, technological and customer support functions for European clients from Ireland, with a focus on the impact of AI on businesses, the use of the cloud for data, processes and innovation, and how this supports digitalisation, customer acquisition and international growth, including for SMEs.

The tour continued at the headquarters of Workday, one of the world’s leading providers of cloud-based applications for human resources, finance, business data, productivity and work organisation. The final stop was at Salesforce, a global leader in customer relationship management and cloud platforms, which is of particular interest to businesses in the Veneto region. The

Confindustria Veneto Est’s study visit to Dublin also provided an opportunity for a comprehensive economic and cultural mission, in collaboration with Venicepromex, the Padua Chamber of Commerce and the Teatro Stabile del Veneto, to mark *Mirandolina*, the TSV’s co-production with the Abbey Theatre – the National Theatre of Ireland – featuring a reading from the play that brought the evening of 29 June to life.

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