Road to Riyadh, a project for Italian SMEs in view of Expo 2030

"When I presented myself at the Saudi embassy to say that I was going to walk the Fourth Void, the driest desert in the world, for 1,200 km solo, everyone called me crazy, yet I did it. It is difficult to explain and convey something that is not yet there or has not happened, but it is a matter of vision and as soon as the 2030 Expo was assigned to Riyadh, I immediately realised that I would like to give life to another visionary project such as crossing the desert, but this time in support of Italian companies, especially the smallest ones, which will be able to find great opportunities for development in Saudi Arabia'.

Max Calderan is an explorer and entrepreneur, an expert on Saudi Arabia, who made history when, on 2 February 2020, he crossed 1,200 km of undefeated sand, never crossed on foot or by car by anyone before him, Saudi Arabia's Rub Al Khali on his own, creating the Calderan Line, which is added to the maps of the Arabian Peninsula and formalised by Google Maps as an ''Historical Landmark''.

Today he has devised, together with the integrated communication agency Action Agency, and with Deloitte's consultancy for innovation, a new project that takes Expo Riyadh 2030 as its starting point, but which goes much further, with the aim of facilitating the entry of Italian companies into Saudi Arabia, starting from a vision and a business model in which 'knowledge of Saudi Arabia's culture, geopolitics and relational dynamics becomes the founding asset for the success of the projects,' explains Calderan.

The first step in this visionary project - which aims to create a 'Green Line' in the desert on the occasion of the expo, primarily involving Italian companies - was the Road to Riyadh event held in Milan, the first stage in the approach of Italian companies to Expo 2030, as well as an opportunity to present the multidisciplinary consultancy project designed to guide Italian companies in this market.

A market that is being opened up to Western countries and Europe in particular, as Francesco Iervolino, Partner in the Deloitte Central Mediterranean network, explains. "The Saudi government has made significant investments that go well beyond oil,' says Iervolino. 'For example, for the implementation of artificial intelligence alone, a $100 billion fund has been earmarked to support investments over the next few years, and another $40 million has been allocated to companies that want to make projects between now and 2030. The investments made in innovative projects have propelled the country up 20 positions in the Global Innovation Index in just four years.