Invest in Tuscany has received important recognition at the 2026 fDi Investment Impact Awards, organized by fDi Intelligence (Financial Times), further consolidating Tuscany’s position among Europe’s most attractive regions for high-impact foreign direct investments.
The President of the Tuscany Region, Eugenio Giani, underlined that these results confirm the region’s capacity to attract international investment while ensuring institutional quality, sustainability, and strong integration between industry, research and education. He emphasized that the recognition reflects a structured regional strategy implemented in recent years to strengthen Tuscany’s competitive positioning at both national and European level.
The office, part of the Tuscany Region’s Directorate for Territorial Competitiveness, received two notable awards: Eli Lilly’s expansion project in Sesto Fiorentino ranked first in the Operational Mid-Sized Projects category, while Metinvest Adria’s announced investment in Piombino, placed fifth in the Announced Mega Projects category. Each category included ten selected projects at European level.
These results demonstrate how foreign investment can act as a catalyst for economic growth, creating opportunities for universities, research centers, SMEs, and local industrial districts. Projects such as those by Eli Lilly and Metinvest show how targeted investments can strengthen regional value chains, generating long-term benefits in terms of employment and innovation.
Eli Lilly’s site in Sesto Fiorentino, active in Tuscany since 1959, is a biotechnology hub specializing in recombinant insulin production and advanced therapies for diabetes and obesity. The company recently announced an additional €750 million investment for 2024 – 2025, bringing its total investment in Italy over the past two decades to €1.4 billion. The initiative has been developed in collaboration with local institutions, universities, and municipalities to expand production facilities while fostering stronger integration between education, research and industry.
Metinvest Adria’s initiative in Piombino foresees a total investment of €2.3 billion to transform the industrial area, shifting from a traditional steel cycle to a green, digital, and high-tech production model. The project promotes environmental sustainability, circular economy principles, and the revitalization of Piombino as a strategic hub for the Italian steel industry.
Between 2019 and 2025, Tuscany attracted 303 foreign investment projects, totaling €12.4 billion and generating over 15,600 jobs. These figures position the region among the most competitive in Italy for foreign investment, contributing significantly to the country’s overall share of EU inflows.
Through initiatives like these, Invest in Tuscany continues to enhance the region’s economic attractiveness, supporting investors and promoting Tuscany as a strategic destination for sustainable, high-impact investments.
