The Greater Seattle area, and more broadly the State of Washington, represent an exceptional growth opportunity for Italian companies interested in expanding, exporting, and investing in the U.S. market. With a Gross Domestic Product nearly half that of Italy’s, but with a population of just eight million people, the region stands out for its dynamic and rapidly expanding economy.
The local economic fabric is characterized by the presence of global giants such as Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, Costco Wholesale, and Starbucks, which lead a list of twelve “Fortune 500” companies headquartered in Seattle. Alongside these, there is a vibrant ecosystem of emerging startups specializing in cutting-edge technologies, offering further significant opportunities for the “Sistema Italia”.
In this context, Consul General Massimo Carnelos, who travelled to Seattle on 4, 5 and 6 September for his first consular mission outside San Francisco, held a series of institutional meetings to discuss the potential of bilateral economic relations. These included a fruitful dialogue with the Deputy Mayor of the City of Seattle, Greg Wong, and with representatives of Greater Seattle Partners, Brian Surratt and Victoria DePalma.
During the meetings, numerous high-potential sectors for increased cooperation were identified, including: aerospace, software development, maritime, robotics, artificial intelligence, agritech, forestry, and energy.
A further boost to this momentum in bilateral relations will come from new direct flights between Seattle and Rome, operated by Alaska Airlines and, potentially, by other carriers in the near future. This increased connectivity is a key factor in facilitating trade and investment between Italy and the State of Washington.
During the visit, the Consul General also met with and thanked representatives of the Italian community in Seattle for their warm hospitality and for the important work they do in promoting relations between the two territories. Special thanks were extended to Honorary Consul Elisabetta Valentini, Davide Viganò, the private foundation Serena Corp., the Dante Alighieri Society of Washington State, the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association, Paola Croci, Joe Fugere, and all other fellow Italians active in the region.
