Over a thousand attendees, including entrepreneurs, representatives of public institutions, and figures from the business and academic worlds, brought the event to life Porto Carlo Riva in Rapallo to mark the 55th Conference of Confindustria’s Young Entrepreneurs. Two days of discussion focusing on the challenges facing the country and the economy – human capital, demographics, innovation, artificial intelligence, energy and competitiveness – summarised in the title chosen for the 2026 edition: “People – Our promise for the future“.

Overlooking the sea on the Ligurian Riviera, the tensile structure erected in the marina hosted one of the main events of the Young Entrepreneurs Scheme. An opportunity to discuss Italy’s future, focusing on people – who are seen as the true driving force behind economic and social growth – in a context marked by profound technological, demographic and geopolitical changes.

The promise of the future at the heart of the conference

The theme chosen for the 2026 edition ran through the entire programme of events. People not as a slogan, but as a vision, based on the conviction that the country’s competitiveness depends on its ability to nurture talent, skills and entrepreneurial spirit.

It was from this perspective that the key issues concerning the country’s industrial future were addressed: business growth, innovation, artificial intelligence, energy, demographics and employment. These are different issues, but they are all linked by the same fundamental question: how can we create the right conditions to enable young people and businesses to start investing in their future in Italy once again?

Young people as a priority for the country

The proceedings were opened by the President of the Young Entrepreneurs of Confindustria, Maria Anghileri, who built his talk around a question as simple as it is evocative: “To whom do our days belong?”.

A thought that turned into a a call to put young people, work and business back at the centre. “The promise that links Italy’s present to its future has been weakened at its very core: its young people and its businesses,” said Anghileri, emphasising that the country risks losing its human capital at the very moment when it most needs energy, skills and innovation.

The Chair of the Young Entrepreneurs’ Association described the people as “the world’s rare earths”, a resource that “cannot be bought on the market”, which takes years to develop but can be lost quickly through brain drain and a lack of opportunities.

In his speech, he called on politicians to start investing in the country’s future once again. “We need a concrete commitment from all political parties to carry out the reforms needed to kick-start growth in Italy,” he said, identifying young people, women and businesses as priorities. This call was accompanied by a stark assessment of the situation in Italy: “I think it is clear by now that the country is not moving forward. That young people are angry. They are stuck. It is not moving forward because we are not growing.”.

Proposals for retaining talent and skills

A significant part of the report was devoted to proposals to make Italy more attractive to the younger generation. Among these, the measure described by Anghileri as a first step towards a “competitive salary” an exemption for young people A sliding-scale income tax for five years aimed at those under 35 with incomes of up to 50,000 euros.

“It’s a concrete proposal: up to a thousand euros extra a month in the first year of work for those under 35. A thousand euros that can change your life,” explained the President of the Young Entrepreneurs’ Association, emphasising how the measure could influence people’s ability to build a life for themselves, choose to stay in Italy and invest in their future.

The report also put forward a number of other proposals relating to youth entrepreneurship, including a “Entrepreneurship Grant” designed to support the launch of new innovative businesses and the creation of a Unic Portalor to make it easier for start-ups to access incentives and support schemes. A great deal of attention has also been paid to artificial intelligence, which is regarded as one of the key drivers of productivity and competitiveness in the coming years.

The relationship with politics

The Rapallo Conference has always been one of the key forums for dialogue between young entrepreneurs and national politicians. The 2026 edition featured appearances by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, the Minister for Enterprise and ‘Made in Italy’, Adolfo Urso, the Secretary of the Democratic Party, Elly Schlein and the leader of Italia Viva, Matteo Renzi. This dialogue has made it possible to bring to the attention of the institutions the concerns and proposals put forward by entrepreneurs under 40 on the issues of growth, employment, innovation and competitiveness.

Competitiveness, innovation and growth

Topics explored in conference panel which focused on some of the key challenges facing the Italian and European manufacturing sectors. These ranged from the need to encourage businesses to scale up, to the application of artificial intelligence in production processes; from the role of design and skills as strategic drivers of development, to the energy transition and the construction of new critical infrastructure.

There was also a focus on the international growth of businesses, high value-added start-ups and the demographic challenge, which was addressed as an economic as well as a social issue. A common thread ran through the entire event: without people, skills and human capital, there can be no sustainable development.

Orsini: “Confindustria will continue to carry out its work independently”

The proceedings were brought to a close by the President of Confindustria, Emanuele Orsini, who reiterated the Association’s role in public and political debate.

“Confindustria must do its job: point out what isn’t working, put forward constructive ideas, and talk to all the political parties,” he said, emphasising that independence is a fundamental aspect of Confindustria’s work and how the aim remains to contribute to the country’s growth through dialogue with all political forces.

And addressing the latter in particular, Orsini called on them to act responsibly and to have the courage to make bold decisions: “The political parties must show courage, and we entrepreneurs must show responsibility and trust,” he remarked, referring to the themes of his recent report at the 2026 General Meeting and calling for divisions to be overcome so that attention can be focused on Italy’s economic and industrial priorities.

The President of Confindustria, Emanuele Orsini, is speaking at the 55th Confindustria Young Entrepreneurs’ Conference in Rapallo.

The President of Confindustria also raised the issue of the European competitiveness, reiterating the need to strengthen the EU project and equip it with the appropriate tools to tackle global challenges. This message resonated with many of the points raised during the conference, ranging from industrial policy to energy, from innovation to Europe’s ability to compete with the world’s major economies.

And so a shared message comes from Rapallo. Investing in people means investing in the country’s competitiveness. For Young Entrepreneurs, the promise of a better future lies in the ability to offer real opportunities to those who are currently studying, working, innovating and choosing to start a business in Italy.