Milan, Italy— On the final day of Governor DeSantis' trade mission to Italy, significant strides were made in strengthening ties between Florida and Italian industries. The delegation engaged in various activities including a Life Science Innovation Seminar and meetings with port partners.
The day commenced with a breakfast in Milan, bringing together Florida delegates and Italian businesses interested in opportunities within Florida. Following this, the University of South Florida entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tampa General Hospital and MMI, Inc., an Italian-founded micro instruments robotics company based in Florida. This partnership aims to advance research on microsurgery using robotics technology.
Governor DeSantis, along with other leaders from Florida, met with executives from Leonardo Helicopters at their Milan facility. The company is constructing a $65 million facility in Northwest Florida and has expressed interest in further investments. Under Governor DeSantis' guidance, entities such as FloridaCommerce, Space Florida, and the Florida Department of Transportation have collaborated with local partners to support Leonardo Helicopters' project development in Santa Rosa County.
"Under the Governor’s decisive leadership, Florida continues to prioritize investments that bring job creators to Florida," stated J. Alex Kelly, Secretary of Commerce for Florida. "Job creators like Leonardo Helicopters support rural communities, serve our military, law enforcement and first responders and generate economic growth."
Additionally, delegates participated in discussions about life sciences and explored collaborative prospects related to ports, transportation, and logistics. They also toured Politecnico di Milano, Italy's largest scientific-technological university.