Voices from the USAID Finance and Investment Network: Roncucci & Partners
Roncucci & Partners, an Italian-based business consulting and development firm with over 20 years of experience, recently partnered with USAID for the first time. Working alongside the INVEST initiative, Roncucci & Partners is supporting USAID’s efforts to help Italian small and medium-sized businesses reorganize, retool, and revamp their production of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies as the country copes with the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this interview, Roncucci & Partners CEO Giovanni Roncucci describes the COVID response work, the importance of providing technical assistance to manufacturers, and the value that local partners bring to USAID.
By Maxfield Hubych, INVEST Activity Associate
Describing the history of Roncucci & Partners, Founding Partner Giovanni Roncucci says, “I managed several technical assistance projects for European Union programs, especially in Eastern Europe. I lived in Russia, Poland, and Romania, and then, I decided to come back to Italy and use the experience I’d gained from all over the world to start my own company. We focus on business reorganization, business development, and internationalization. We work alongside Italian companies, guiding them in the growth process both in Italy and abroad. I like to say that we bring the ‘Made in Italy’ brand in to the world, trying to strengthen the competitiveness of the companies that are relying on us.”
After 20 years of providing business consulting and development services, Roncucci & Partners is working with USAID for the first time. A new member of the USAID Finance and Investment Network, the firm is part of a coordinated effort implemented by INVEST to strengthen Italy’s domestic COVID-19 response. USAID is working closely with the private sector to bolster the Italian manufacturing sector’s capacity for responding to the Covid-19 crisis and providing local entrepreneurs such as Roncucci with the chance “to do something concrete for the benefit of our people, our citizens, our colleagues, and our families.”
Roncucci & Partners is helping 25 Italian small and medium-sized enterprises reorganize, retool, and revamp their production of personal protective equipment (PPE) and COVID-19 medical supplies. The firm will work to preserve Italian manufacturing know-how while preparing each beneficiary company for global competition and, ultimately, investment for growth.
As a local partner, Roncucci & Partners understands the unique business culture and investment landscape of Italy, which is key for selecting and working with beneficiary companies. Likewise, implementing the work with a good grasp of Italy’s unique landscape promises more efficient and sustainable results. This activity can’t be carried through by USAID alone: with no USAID Mission in Italy, local partners such as Roncucci & Partners are instrumental in providing the local expertise required for successful implementation.
Check out the below interview to learn more about USAID’s COVID-response work in Italy and how Roncucci & Partners is contributing to the success of the work.
