Smart Italy

What Smart Italy does

Smart Italy (Smartitaly) is a Milan-based strategic communication and PR agency founded in 2011, organized around four integrated business units: Strategic Communication, Digital Media, Sustainability/ESG, and Creative Evolution. The firm serves large Italian enterprises and institutions across banking, insurance, energy, automotive, technology, transportation, retail, and pharmaceuticals, with a disclosed client roster including Samsung, Leonardo, Generali, Enel, Intesa Sanpaolo, Poste Italiane, Hyundai, Nexi, Snam, Sisal, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane, Conad, A2A, and BPER. Services span media relations, personal branding, financial communication, crisis management, employer branding, ESG strategy and sustainability reporting, digital content and social media management, SEO/analytics, media buying, influencer marketing, video production, and Web3-enabled creative work (VR/XR/Blockchain/NFT/AI). The agency also operates owned editorial properties, most notably the Vaielettrico.it electric-mobility portal launched in 2017 and a portfolio of specialized magazines covering AI, renewable energy, sustainable mobility, startups, and financial-sector innovation.

The business model is professional services: customized, quote-based engagements delivered by a team of approximately 20 professionals (journalists, technicians, creatives) led by co-founders Andrea Prandi (CEO) and Daniele Tonelli (CFO), with Sara Scatena as General Manager. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct-to-enterprise, augmented by an international partner network that supports cross-border projects. In 2021 the firm opened offices in Rome and Modena alongside Milan, rebranded, and reorganized into its four-unit structure; in 2024 it integrated AI into its strategic workflow. The company holds ISO 9001 certification and is privately held with no disclosed external funding.

Technology and AI deployment are service-applied rather than productized. Smart Italy uses third-party generative AI tools (Google Gemini, SearchGPT) for SEO and content workflows, AI chatbots for customer service automation, and emerging Web3 stacks for creative campaigns, but there is no evidence of proprietary models, training pipelines, data assets, or AI-native product offerings. The company's competitive position rests on talent, established media relationships, the enterprise client roster, ISO 9001 certification, and the Vaielettrico.it publishing asset rather than on defensible technology. The agency claims revenue doubled in the two years preceding its 2021 anniversary, but no revenue figure is disclosed, and the firm remains small relative to top-tier European communication holding companies.

Name

Smart Italy

Legal name

Smart Italy

Website

https://smartitaly.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Smart Italy is a Milan-based strategic communication and PR agency founded in 2011 that serves large Italian enterprises and institutions across four integrated units: Strategic Communication, Digital Media, ESG, and Creative Evolution. It combines media relations, ESG advisory, digital and Web3-enabled creative services, and editorial publishing for blue-chip clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communication Services: Professional communication consulting services including strategic planning, media relations, institutional relations, personal branding, financial communication, crisis management, employer branding, and territory relations. Services are highly specialized and customized to client needs.
2. Digital Media Services: Digital communication services including content strategy, social media management, SEO/analytics, media buying, influencer marketing, web design, video production, and AI/Web3 creativity services.
3. Sustainability/ESG Services: ESG strategy development, stakeholder engagement, risk analysis, sustainability reporting, and B-Corp certification support services.
4. Creative Evolution Services: Brand identity development, consumer PR, advertising campaigns, brand journalism, and evolution marketing services including video production.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Smart Italy (Smartitaly) is a strategic communication agency headquartered in Milan that provides integrated public relations, ESG strategy, personal branding, digital communications, and creative evolution services to large enterprises and institutions in Italy and internationally. The firm operates across five core service areas combining traditional media relations, financial and crisis communications, and emerging Web3-based creative campaigns, supported by proprietary digital assets such as the Vaielettrico.it electric mobility portal.

Product overview

Smart Italy is a strategic communication agency operating in Italy and internationally, structured around four core business units: Strategic Communication, Digital Media, Sustainability (ESG), and Creative Evolution. The agency provides integrated communication services including media relations, personal branding, crisis management, financial communication, digital media services (SEO, social media, content strategy, media buying, influencer marketing, web design, video production), ESG strategy and sustainability reporting, and creative services (brand identity, consumer PR, advertising, brand journalism). The company also extends into publishing with specialized magazines covering AI, renewable energy, sustainable mobility, startups, and financial innovation, and operates the Vaielettrico.it electric mobility portal. In 2024, they introduced AI into their strategic workflow and produce multimedia content including video productions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Communication Integrated strategic communication consultancy covering media relations, crisis management, and financial communication for enterprises and institutions in Italy and internationally.
• ESG Strategy Sustainability and ESG strategy advisory services helping organizations define and communicate their environmental, social, and governance positioning to stakeholders.
• Personal Branding Personal and employer branding services for executives, managers, and organizations seeking to build reputation and thought-leadership positioning.
• Digital Communications Digital media and communications services covering content strategy, social channels, and online reputation management for corporate and institutional clients.
• Creative Evolution Creative services leveraging Web3 technologies including VR, XR, Blockchain, and NFT to develop innovative brand storytelling and campaigns.
• Vaielettrico.it Proprietary editorial portal covering electric vehicles and electric mobility topics, serving as Smart Italy's owned-media asset and a content platform within the broader communications offering.

Named customers33 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SamsungcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Partnership began in 2016 to re-launch the Samsung brand in Italy. Smartitaly supported brand positioning and communication strategy for the technology giant's market presence in Italy.
• Mauro Tedeschini and Massimo Degli EspostiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with journalists Mauro Tedeschini and Massimo Degli Esposti to launch Vaielettrico.it, a reference portal for electric mobility in Italy.
• Order of Psychologists of LombardyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership organized the Milano Kids Festival as part of Green Week, involving Milan schools in social commitment activities.
• Milan SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Milan schools for Milano Kids Festival educational initiative.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Community Group: Italian independent communications and public affairs group serving corporate, institutional and consumer clients. A domestic independent peer most comparable to Smartitaly's enterprise/institutional positioning in the Italian market.
• SEC Newgate Italy: Global strategic communications group with Italian operations focused on public affairs, corporate communications and crisis. Comparable to Smartitaly on institutional and crisis-management services for Italian enterprise and public-sector clients.
• MSL Italy: Publicis-owned PR and strategic communications agency operating in Italy across corporate, consumer, healthcare and public affairs. Closest functional match to Smartitaly's integrated four-pillar model and enterprise client focus.
• Connexia: Italian integrated marketing, digital and communications agency with a similar four-pillar model (creative, digital, content, data) and enterprise client base. Closest Italian independent peer to Smartitaly on integrated digital + creative services.
• Alkemy: Italian-listed consulting and digital communication company combining creativity, technology and data for enterprise transformation. Comparable to Smartitaly on digital communications, ESG/ sustainability positioning, and serving mid-to-large Italian corporates.

Broad incumbents

• Weber Shandwick Italy: Interpublic-owned global PR network with Italian practice serving multinational and Italian enterprise clients. Overlaps with Smartitaly's strategic communication, ESG and digital services for large Italian corporates.
• BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe) Italy: Global communications network (WPP) with a substantial Italian practice offering integrated corporate, brand and public-affairs communications. Direct competitor for Smartitaly's enterprise clients (Leonardo, Generali, Enel-tier accounts) but operating at much larger scale.
• Havas PR Italy: Communications arm of Havas Group with Italian presence spanning PR, creative and digital. Comparable in combining creative, PR and digital — overlapping with Smartitaly's Creative Evolution and Digital Media units.
• Burson Italy: Major global communications firm (now combined with Cohn & Wolfe) with Italian operations focused on corporate reputation, public affairs and crisis. Comparable on enterprise and crisis management mandates that Smartitaly explicitly offers.
• Edelman Italy: Global PR firm with Italian operations serving large corporates and institutions on reputation, ESG and brand work. Comparable to Smartitaly's strategic communication and ESG positioning but with significantly deeper resources and global coordination.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smart-italy
• Instagraminstagram.com/smartitaly_communication
• Xx.com/smartitaly
• Facebookfacebook.com/smartitaly

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smart Italy