The biggest investment in Microsoft's history in Italy: Ambizione Italia - #Digital Restart

Microsoft launches a $1.5 billion five-year plan to drive digital transformation in our country. In the project also the first Italian Data Center.

The digital transformation in Italy has its watershed date: Microsoft presented today, 8 May 2020, an unprecedented investment plan for Italy that aims to decisively accelerate digital transformation over the next five years: Ambizione Italia #DigitalRestart.

This is a decisive turning point in terms of Cloud services offering, the creation of digital training and reskilling programs, the promotion of local partnerships for innovation of Italian companies and a new alliance for sustainability.

Among the crucial phases of this transition, the Redmond company also announces its intention to create Microsoft's first Regional Data Center in Milan, Italy.

A decisive push towards our digital transformation that will allow companies to access local Cloud services (also taking advantage of the renewed partnership with Poste Italiane) and to bridge the still strong digital skills gap with the most competitive countries with digital training programs also oriented to the development of smart working dynamics, which in this historical period have demonstrated their essentiality.

The restart of our companies will be supported with access to AI Hub laboratories (in particular for the Made in Italy sectors - retail, fashion and design -, manufacturing, financial services, healthcare and infrastructure), as well as channels directly addressed to SMEs.

Microsoft's intervention will also support a new Alliance for Sustainability aimed at establishing an open innovation ecosystem on green issues to face the most urgent climate and environmental challenges, allowing Italy a sustainable future, still far away today.

These Measures will strengthen Microsoft's presence in our country, which is already very important and decisive (over 10,000 partners and 350,000 Microsoft professionals to date).

The new  Regional Data Center

Microsoft's first Regional Data Center will be located in Milan and will help all companies access a range of enterprise-class local cloud services, ensuring maximum security:

• Microsoft Azure (to allow the use of calculation, networking, database, analysis, AI and IoT tools);
• Microsoft 365, which gives access to multiple integrated and integrable features;
• Dynamics 365 e Power Platform, apps that offer endless smart solutions for companies and ensure the evolution of internal processes and customer satisfaction.

The keyword for the Regional Data Center will be security: Microsoft has over 90 certifications and invests a billion dollars every year in cybersecurity to protect Cloud services at every level.

“I am proud to announce our $1.5 billion investment plan for Italy. This plan will help professionals innovate and grow their business, explore new business opportunities and address some of the country's biggest challenges, while offering the highest guarantees of security and compliance. Focusing on Cloud Computing, AI and digital training programs is a great opportunity to accelerate innovation in the national ecosystem. Our mission is to help Italian people and organizations realize their potential". (Jean-Philippe Courtois, executive vice president and president, Microsoft Global Sales, Marketing and Operations).

“Ambizione Italia #DigitalRestart” to narrow Italian #digitalskillgap.

Microsoft's investment is strongly focused on training resources within the first 3 years of the five-year plan. The goal, already declared in 2018 at the birth of Ambizione Italia, remains to extend digital skills through Microsoft Learn and the LinkedIn platform to align the Italian offer to the demands of the world of work.

"Microsoft is committed to expanding training activities on digital skills and artificial intelligence for schools of all levels, in collaboration with Fondazione Mondo Digitale, and will continue to offer training initiatives and specific certification activities through the Partner Academy Program, thanks to the support of the Microsoft Partner ecosystem" says the Microsoft blog.

Advisory Board for Ambizione Italia #DigitalRestart

Microsoft ha previsto anche un Advisory Board per Ambizione Italia #DigitalRestart che supporterà le aziende individuando le priorità nazionali di volta in volta e incentivando produttività ed efficienza di PMI e start up. Nel programma è inserita un’Alleanza per lo Smartworking con specifiche iniziative rivolte alle piccole e media realtà che, attraverso i servizi cloud, raggiungeranno 500.000 PMI e startup in tre anni, facendo leva sulla grande famiglia di Partner Partner Microsoft italiani.
Questo programma può rappresentare veremente “l’anno zero” della trasformazione digitale italiana.

Microsoft has also planned an Advisory Board for Ambizione Italia #DigitalRestart that will support companies by identifying national priorities from time to time and boosting the productivity and efficiency of SMEs and start-ups. The program includes an Alliance for Smartworking with specific initiatives aimed at small and medium enterprises that, through cloud services, will reach 500,000 SMBs and startups in three years, leveraging the large family of Italian Microsoft Partners.
This program can truly represent "year zero" of the Italian digital transformation.

For Agic Technology, historic Microsoft partner, it is a source of great pride to be part of this great family and contribute to the relaunch of the country.

Danilo Stancato