Industry

Italian SMEs are narrowing the digital divide with Europe

The Webidoo Insight Lab index has risen from 38.91 to 42.11 points. The country ranks sixth for infrastructure, whilst artificial intelligence is used by 15.7 per cent of companies

by Gianluca Brazzioli

29 July 2026

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2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Italian small and medium-sized enterprises are catching up in the European digital race. Italia remains below the EU average, but has narrowed the gap by almost 40 per cent in the space of a year.

This is shown by the Sme-DigIX, the Webidoo Insight Lab index that measures the digital competitiveness of SMEs across the 27 countries of the European Union. Italia’s score rose from 38.91 to 42.11. Over the same period, the European average rose from 42.88 to 44.57. The gap has thus narrowed from 3.97 to 2.46 points.

ITALIA VENTESIMA NELL’UNIONE EUROPEA

Con 42,10 punti l’Italia resta sotto la media europea di 44,57

Denmark remains top

The index examines five areas: digital presence, e-commerce, infrastructure, innovation and skills. The results describe the environment in which businesses operate and their ability to turn technology into growth.

Denmark remains in the lead with 69.90 points. They are followed by Malta, on 61.93, and Belgium, on 61.33. The biggest increases came from Greece, which gained 5.86 points, Estonia, with 4.67, and the Czech Republic, with 4.37.

A two-speed country

The Italian figures mask two different realities. The country’s technological infrastructure ranks sixth in Europe. Innovation is also gaining momentum, with an increase of 18.59 points compared with the previous year.

Digital skills and e-commerce are progressing more slowly. These are the two weak points of a system that has built the networks but does not always manage to make the most of them.

“These days, it’s no longer enough simply to adopt digital tools,” says Giovanni Farese, managing director of Webidoo. Businesses must “integrate technology, skills and innovation into a coherent strategy”.

Data from Istat confirm this gap. By 2025, almost 80 per cent of Italian businesses with at least ten employees had reached a basic level of digitalisation. Fifty-six per cent were using business management software. However, only 14.7 per cent were selling online.

This lag is not limited to Italia. By 2025, 71 per cent of European SMEs had reached at least a basic level of digital intensity. Almost one in three businesses was still lagging behind.

The European Union’s target is to reach 90 per cent by 2030. The Commission had set out this target in 2021, and the Digital Decade programme formalised it at the end of 2022.

Artificial intelligence doubles

The most rapid change has been in the field of artificial intelligence. In 2025, 15.7 per cent of Italian SMEs were using it, compared with 7.7 per cent the previous year. This figure has risen by 102.54 per cent.

Growth was stronger than that recorded in Spain, France and Germany. The comparison, however, is based on a lower starting point. Italia remains below the European average of 18.9 per cent.

“Artificial intelligence is an extraordinary opportunity, but it only creates value when it is built on solid foundations,” says Farese.

The issue therefore comes down to skills. Simply buying software is not enough. You need people who can use it, well-organised data, and tools that can communicate with one another. Without these foundations, increased investment is unlikely to translate into greater productivity.

Infrastructure has enabled Italia to bridge the gap. The next stage of the race will be played out within companies.