If you know me, you know how much this topic matters to me. It’s not just a passing interest or a professional curiosity, it’s something I care about deeply. Maybe this is the first time I’m sitting down to actually write about it, and not just discuss it in a voice message, during a call, or over dinner with friends. But I feel it’s time to share something more.
Over the years, much has been said about the so-called “brain drain”, the narrative that young Italians leave to find better opportunities elsewhere. But that’s not what this is about. I want to talk about a different story. The internet is already full of great stories about Italian founders building within Italy and they deserve all the spotlight they get. But today I want to shine a light on a different, equally interesting path: the Italians who choose to build abroad.
This isn’t about going on exchange, working a corporate job in London, or launching a digital nomad lifestyle from Lisbon. This is about building something real. From scratch. From Berlin, Paris, San Francisco, or New York (we’ve seen this during our Innovation Trips with IAG angels to learn from more mature ecosystems). It’s about a generation of Italians who are not just exporting food, fashion, or design but exporting ideas, code, and vision. And once they land, they stay. And often, they reshape the world around them.
For years I’ve asked myself: why? Why is this happening? Why does it feel so natural (even necessary) for talented founders to leave Italy and build somewhere else? Why has this become the norm, not just for employees or researchers, but for the builders themselves?
There’s no single answer, but there are clear patterns. More mature ecosystems. Easier access to capital. A culture that tolerates failure (sometimes even celebrates it). In Italy, if you fail once or twice, some people will start saying maybe this path isn’t for you or you bring bad luck. Add to that the famous bureaucracy, the slow pace, the lack of real support networks, and it becomes clearer why many founders look elsewhere. Cities across Europe and beyond offer stronger investor communities, global connections, faster feedback loops. Why not go?
This isn’t to say that building in Italy is impossible or unworthy, quite the opposite. There are incredible founders who are proving every day that Italy can be fertile ground for innovation. I’ve always wondered why. Why take this route? I think I know the answer. It’s because building something from nothing is never just a career move, it’s a mission. And those who take on that mission in Italy, despite the odds, deserve all the admiration in the world.
Still, it’s impossible to ignore the growing number of success stories of Italian founders abroad. Eight Sleep. Kong. Aspire. TrueLayer. Pleo. Sysdig. Tether. And yes, even Anthropic (yes, I could count that one too). There are many more, too many to list here, and honestly, you probably know them better than I do. What do they all have in common? Why did it work out there, and why might it have been nearly impossible if they had stayed in Italy?
Maybe there is no formula. Or maybe the formula is simply being Italian. I know that sounds strange. But stay with me. Being Italian, in this context, isn’t about clichés or stereotypes. It’s not pizza, pasta, or hand gestures. It’s something deeper. A creative mindset, a sense of improvisation, a certain aesthetic sensibility that even shows up in digital products. It’s resilience. It’s the ability to make things happen in spite of obstacles because you’ve grown up in a place where obstacles are the default. That combination is powerful. And it travels well.
One of my favorite podcasts, Made IT, ends every episode with a question I love: “How has being Italian helped you overcome challenges?” Every answer is different, but there’s always a thread of pride, a reflection of something unique that Italians bring with them when they leave. It's never easy to talk about the country you left behind, but those stories always carry a quiet strength and a deep sense of identity.
So, what’s the takeaway here? This isn’t about convincing people to stay. In a global world, talent will always move. But maybe it’s time to stop calling it a loss. Maybe we should start seeing Italian founders abroad not as people who left but as bridges. Connectors. Because when they succeed, it’s not just a win for them. It’s a win for all of us. In a world where borders don’t stop ideas, Italian founders abroad aren’t fleeing, they’re building something bigger. And maybe, thanks to them, Italy will one day become a place where startups don’t just get started… but decide to stay.
Whether in Milan or San Francisco, Paris or London, being Italian is not a limitation, it’s a mindset. And wherever we choose to build, it’s something we carry with us, proudly.