Florida Delegation Strengthens Ties with Italian Industry on Final Day of Trade Mission, Showcasing Life Sciences, Port Partnerships, and Business Cooperation

Milan, Italy- Today, on the fifth and final day of Governor DeSantis' trade mission to Italy, Governor DeSantis and the Florida delegation participated in the Life Science Innovation Seminar, met with port partners, and expanded cooperation with Italian companies doing business in Florida.

The day began with breakfast in Milan, which brought together Florida delegates and Italian businesses interested in Florida. Shortly following the breakfast, the University of South Florida signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Tampa General Hospital and MMI, Inc. - a leading micro instruments robotics company founded in Pisa, Italy and based in Florida - to lead new research on microsurgery using advanced robotics, improving healthcare for Floridians.

Governor DeSantis and Florida leaders met with executive leadership from Leonardo Helicopters and toured their Milan facility. Leonardo Helicopters is building a $65 million facility in Northwest Florida and is interested in future investments. At Governor DeSantis' direction, FloridaCommerce, Space Florida, and the Florida Department of Transportation have supported local partners and Leonardo Helicopters in developing their project in Santa Rosa County.

"Under the Governor's decisive leadership, Florida continues to prioritize investments that bring job creators to Florida." said Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. "Job creators like Leonardo Helicopters support rural communities, serve our military, law enforcement and first responders and generate economic growth."

Throughout the day, delegates also participated in a roundtable on life sciences, explored collaborative opportunities in ports, transportation, and logistics, and toured Politecnico di Milano, Italy's largest scientific-technological university.

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