The Covid-19 pandemic had a strong impact on the global economy. In particular, the export and the internationalization processes mostly suffered from the containment measures against the health crisis that prevented the personnel of the Italian companies of being physically present in the foreign markets and – with specific regard to China – does not appear to improve in the short term.
In this vein, the platform “Business Matching” was created as product of the collaboration between the Gruppo Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and the Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (MAECI), making it accessible through the CDP and SIMEST website or the export and internationalization online desk of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The platform represents a digital tool for the generation of new business opportunities between the Italian SMEs and the foreign companies localized in geographically distant countries – including Chinese foreign enterprises – which operate in markets rather complex, overcoming the physical barriers and the limitation imposed by the pandemic.
Specifically, it will use an algorithm of “matchmaking” through which combinations between Italian and foreign companies will be created on the basis of the features and the requirements submitted during the registration phase with the main purpose of establishing new potential partnerships and projects abroad for the Italian companies and, vice versa, within the Italian territory for the foreign companies.
Furthermore, besides the matchmaking service, the platform will provide the opportunity to schedule B2B meetings on virtual rooms with companies notified by the same as similar, participate to online events about countries of interest and the relevant markets, and, lastly, acquire information, experiences and interviews with experts thanks to the support of an editorial team in charge.
At present and for the following weeks, the platform is made available to SMEs for the purpose of profiling, content creation and database enrichment in order to grant an efficient operation afterwards.
Furthermore, it should be noted that for the moment information about foreign operators located in China, Japan and India will be available but, starting next year, thanks to a coordination activity between the developers and the MISE, SACE, SIMEST and ICE, the operation will be expanded over the South-East Asia and gradually over other countries with the aim of encouraging an increasingly rapid recovery process of the business collaborations at international level.
Asia Desk – Studio Legale Zunarelli
