AI in Italy’s business scene: Anthropic is expanding in Europe with a new Milan office, planning to triple its international workforce to meet demand for Claude, with early Milan focus on sales, marketing, and support for clients like Generali, Unipol, Pirelli, Bending Spoons and Satispay. SME finance access: The EIB is piloting a service that uses independent credit ratings (via ESMA-registered agencies like Spain’s INBONIS) to help innovative startups and scaleups get easier bank financing, including for CleanTechEU Guarantee beneficiaries. Open innovation for food firms: Barilla opened applications for its 2026 Good Food Makers program, aiming to scale startup collaboration beyond pilots through its BITE innovation center. Hospitality rules that hit cashflow: Italy’s Supreme Court says restaurants and hotels can refuse tap water even if customers offer to pay, after a dispute over €7 mineral water. Healthcare startup ecosystem: Creative Destruction Lab launches CDL-Cleveland with University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve to validate early healthcare tech in real clinical settings. SME-ready housing angle (not Italy, but relevant): Spain’s Hipoges put 700+ homes up for sale to boost housing supply, targeting first-time buyers and investors.