Venice – Marghera, March 30, 2026 | The Twin Transition goes far beyond technology; it is a strategic and human transformation for micro and small businesses in the Veneto region that makes digitalization and sustainability an opportunity accessible to all, especially for the smallest and most traditional businesses. This is demonstrated by the results of the “PID Veneto project,” an experimental program of collaboration and “cross-pollination” focused on innovation and learning for 175 Veneto-based SMEs. In fact, a significant increase in technological skills, a greater capacity for the creative use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and a 10–15% improvement in organizational skills have been observed.
The shared journey of research, training, and support for transformation was funded by the regional Chambers of Commerce and the Veneto Region, coordinated by Unioncamere del Veneto in collaboration with the Chambers’ Digital Enterprise Points and with scientific collaboration from the Universities of Padua, Venice, and Verona.
The topic was explored in depth during the closing event “Pathways of Change Between Digital and Sustainability: The Future of Veneto’s SMEs,” hosted at the M9 Museum in Mestre.
These programs were designed with an experiential approach, which allowed participants to rethink processes, business models, and competitive strategies. The collaborative and co-creation activities led to a genuine strategic and human transformation – said Antonio Santocono, President of Unioncamere del Veneto, in his opening remarks. Thanks to the PID Veneto project, a community has been created that involves various stakeholders, from Chambers of Commerce through the Digital Enterprise Points to universities, trainers, and above all, businesses. And the added value is having made the scientific expertise of our universities available to the entire Veneto region.
This project has been an invaluable experience for the Veneto university system – commented Tiziana Lippiello, Rector of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. It was a collaboration that allowed us to go beyond the traditional transfer of knowledge, instead initiating a process of co-creation with businesses, based on listening, experimentation, and practical application. It is in this continuous dialogue between research and practice that the project’s most authentic value was generated.
Project Results
Among the 175 participating companies is the metalworking firm that developed a digital solution to gather customer needs and provide a personalized proposal, the manufacturing company that improved document management through a single platform and the integration of functions and coordination, as well as the hospitality business that enhanced its digital guest experience and service personalization through AI, developing a “guide” that suggests high-value micro-experiences, and the young company in the real estate appraisal sector that uses AI to support decision-making.
Throughout the process, the companies moved from an initial phase of interest and operational expectations to a period of disorientation, and finally to a new awareness and transformation. This is confirmed by the data collected at the conclusion of the process: a significant increase in technological skills, a greater capacity for the creative use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and, in parallel, a 10–15% improvement in organizational skills, particularly in areas such as teamwork, networking, and conflict management.
Thanks to an approach that prioritized problem definition over the immediate search for a solution, while emphasizing peer discussion and the Design Thinking method, the process also highlighted how the initial phase of crisis and disorientation experienced by the participating companies gave way to a greater awareness of their own shortcomings and the complexity of the contexts they faced. Collaboration and the participatory approach created a safe learning environment among entrepreneurs, fostering positive “cross-pollination” between different sectors.
The State of Digitalization Among Veneto Businesses
As of June 2025, 54% of the businesses surveyed have adopted digital technologies, a figure that rises to 67.2% among exporters and 79.2% among those with more than 50 employees (source Veneto Congiuntura – Unioncamere del Veneto with scientific support from the University of Padua, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and the University of Verona, based on a sample of 2,000 Veneto-based companies with over 10 employees). 33% have adopted more than one digital technology. The main investments concern “core” manufacturing activities related to the production process (26.3% of companies invest in robotics and automation), alongside cybersecurity services (adopted by 21.9% of the sample) and cloud services (adopted by 20% of respondents). Current investments in Artificial Intelligence account for just 4.9% of companies, but 38.2% of companies identify it as a priority for the next 3 years. 39% of companies invest in environmental sustainability (“green” companies). Among “green” companies, 32% view digital transformation as integrated with environmental sustainability (twin transition), while 44% consider these two areas to be distinct and parallel, and 24% state that their company is not engaged in digital transformation. Companies that have invested in digital technologies for environmental sustainability have achieved results in terms of reducing environmental impacts, as well as improving products and services and reducing internal costs (source: Selfie4.0 surveys conducted by the Chambers of Commerce among 5,600 companies between July 2023 and May 2025). In companies with lower technology adoption rates, “economic” and “psychological” barriers still prevail, often preventing them from understanding the full potential and benefits of the investment, and it is on this target group that the PID Veneto project has focused.
The book “Travelers in Complexity”
During the event, the book “Travelers in Complexity” was presented—a collaborative exploration of business transformation that draws on the experience of the PID Veneto project, detailing the real-world transformations of some of the 175 participating companies that had the courage to take the plunge. At the same time, it serves as an “interpretive map” to navigate digital innovation and sustainability for organizations facing the challenges of the dual transition.
It is edited by Alessia Zoppelletto (Researcher in Business Organization, Department of Management at the University of Verona), Eleonora Di Maria (Full Professor of Economics and Business Management, “Marco Fanno” Department of Economics and Business at the University of Padua and President of SMACT) and Cinzia Colapinto (Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy at the Venice School of Management, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and IPAG Business School in France).
The book emphasizes that change arises from the intersection of technology, people, and context, through processes of discussion, sharing, and learning. The contributions collected in the book alternate between theoretical reflections, methodological tools, and concrete business cases; from this wealth of experience emerges a replicable operational framework and a transferable support ecosystem for the digitalization and sustainable transition of SMEs in the region, designed to accompany businesses on their transformation journeys and generate positive impacts on the local area. The book expresses a clear conviction: transformation is not a destination to be reached once and for all, but a continuous journey through complexity.
The PID Veneto project “Digital and Sustainable Transformation of Veneto SMEs”
PID Veneto brought together 175 companies, 3 universities, the 5 Chambers of Commerce of Veneto, and Unioncamere Veneto in a process of shared innovation and practical experimentation. The project is an integrated initiative combining research, training, and support for SMEs in Veneto implemented through two public calls for applications and four thematic tracks, which combined distance learning with in-person activities and focused on the themes of each track (digital marketing, Industry 4.0 and production processes, artificial intelligence in organizational contexts and supply chains); 4 interactive workshops for SMEs held at the premises of Chambers of Commerce and universities; the collaborative development of a specific business challenge for 25 selected companies (pilot firms) and a total of 70 working groups established. This was accompanied by an intensive research effort that mapped investment strategies in the digital and sustainable sectors of Veneto’s SMEs, as well as impacts and critical issues, through surveys and in-depth analysis of aggregated data, and analyzed the results among the participating companies in the proposed program using quantitative and qualitative analyses.
