In a landmark move that underscores Italy's growing importance in the global tech landscape, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced plans to invest more than €1.2 billion over the next five years to expand its cloud infrastructure and services in the country’s AWS Europe (Milan) Region.
The Italian government's endorsement of AWS's investment plan marks a milestone in the country's digital transformation journey. This investment is expected to contribute €880 million to Italy's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and support an estimated 5,500 jobs through 2029. These jobs will span various sectors, including construction, facility maintenance, engineering, telecommunications, and the broader local economy.
Accelerating Italy’s digital agenda
AWS’s expanded presence in Italy aligns with the government’s cloud-first digital agenda. The investment will enable more Italian organisations to leverage AWS's comprehensive portfolio of advanced cloud technologies, including cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), data analytics, and Internet of Things (IoT) services.
"Amazon Web Services' investment reinforces Italy's role as a European hub for innovation,” said Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso. “Today, we take another step towards digital sovereignty, allowing our businesses to manage part of their data within national borders. We are working to create the infrastructure to support the digital and green revolution, the Government is committed to this cause."
The impact of this investment extends beyond the tech sector. According to research commissioned by AWS, if Italy maintains its current pace of digital adoption (28%), it could add €329 billion to the Italian economy by 2030 - an increase of €78 billion from previous predictions.
The President of the Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana, added: "Lombardy confirms its position as one of the leading regions in Europe in terms of attracting investments, thanks also to the presence of a cutting-edge ecosystem from a technological and innovation point of view. AWS’s decision has great significance for us, also for the economic and employment impact it represents."
AWS’s long-term commitment to Italy
Beyond infrastructure development, AWS is actively contributing to Italy’s digital skills landscape. AWS has trained more than 100,000 people in Italy in cloud skills since 2017, as part of its broader initiative that has trained over 900,000 people across the EU. Additionally, we launched our ‘AI Ready’ programme in November 2023, aiming to provide free AI training to two million people worldwide by 2025.
The €1.2 billion planned investment in Italy builds upon AWS’s initial planned investment of €2 billion to launch the AWS Europe (Milan) Region in 2022. We’ve expanded our presence with offices in Milan and Rome, a research centre in Asti, two Direct Connect Locations, and 16 Edge Locations across Milan, Rome, and Palermo. In 2020, AWS launched the AWS Europe (Milan) Region, to better serve Italian customers.
Sustainable commitments
In Italy alone, AWS has invested in 27 renewable energy projects, including the largest active agrovoltaic park in the country, located in Mazara del Vallo, Sicily. AWS is also committed to minimising its environmental impact through energy-efficient technologies.
Recent Accenture survey data shows that the shift to AWS-designed chips like Trainium and Inferentia can reduce carbon emissions by up to 81% for AI workloads compared to standard cloud instances. Furthermore, AWS data centres in Europe are three times more energy-efficient and can reduce carbon emissions by up to 99% compared to on-premises data centres.
As Italy continues to embrace digital technologies, this investment will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the country’s digital future and reinforcing its position as a key player in Europe’s tech landscape.
