Youth-led businesses grow in Reggio Emilia and Parma

Data from the Emilia Chamber of Commerce indicates a rise in youth-led businesses (under 35) across the provinces of Reggio Emilia and Parma as of late June 2026.

In Reggio Emilia, youth enterprises grew by 1.9%, reaching 3,728 units and accounting for 7.9% of the local economic fabric. This growth significantly outpaced the overall provincial business growth of 0.2%. The most substantial expansion occurred in business services, which rose by 10.8%. Other growing sectors included accommodation and catering (+4.4%) and personal services (+2.6%). Conversely, agriculture (-6.7%), manufacturing (-2.9%), and commerce (-2.0%) saw declines.

In Parma, youth-led businesses increased by 0.7% to a total of 2,650 units, representing 6.9% of the local economy. This trend contrasts with the general local business stability, which saw a slight decrease of 0.2%. Similar to Reggio Emilia, business services in Parma saw the highest growth at 9.2%. However, other sectors faced challenges, with manufacturing seeing a 6.9% decline, followed by construction (-3.9%) and commerce (-1.4%).