In 2025, Italy surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest exporter, trailing only China, the United States, and Germany. Most of Italy's exports originate not from large multinational corporations but from a network of 27,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, each employing between 50 and 1,000 staff, distributed across 160 specialized districts. They are marked by exceptional diversification: Italy sells the most diverse range of products to the greatest number of countries. The French business journal Les Echos analyzes the reasons for this success, focusing on Renzi and Calenda's "Industry 4.0" plan, which was presented in 2016. Italy has transformed its industrial system by promoting digital investments and automation with special tax measures. Investment in machinery has risen by 59%, accounting for 7.3% of GDP and surpassing Germany and France. Economist Marco Fortis of the Edison Foundation notes that Italy is the sole European nation to have maintained its competitive position against China over the past decade.