Leonardo Committee - Degree prize "SIMEST S.P.A"

Premio SIMEST degree prize (Comitato Leonardo)

The winner of the best Master’s thesis on the topic ‘How Italian companies compete and grow in international markets’ will receive a one-off prize of 3,000 EUR. The prize is awarded by the Comitato Leonardo in collaboration with SIMEST S.p.A., a state-owned organisation (part of the CDP Group) that supports Italian companies in their expansion abroad. The winners will be honoured at the annual ‘Premi Leonardo’ ceremony, which is traditionally attended by the President of the Italian Republic. From the 2024 edition onwards, the prize will change from a cash prize to a paid internship at a partner company, for which you will receive academic credits; therefore, the format of the current round may differ.

Who can apply

• Degree: You must have completed a Master’s degree (laurea specialistica or magistrale). A three-year Bachelor’s degree (laurea triennale) is not sufficient.
• Field of study: You studied economics or engineering.
• Thesis topic: Your dissertation focuses on the international competitiveness of Italian companies, financial instruments for overseas expansion, or the global promotion of ‘Made in Italy’.
• Grades: You passed your degree with a final mark of at least 105 out of 110.
• Timing: You will have completed your degree by the application deadline and after the cut-off date set for this year’s intake.
• Nationality and university: Applicants of all nationalities and from all universities are welcome to apply.
• Previous winners: You have not yet won this prize in a previous edition.

How to apply

You should send an application form, together with your dissertation and a summary of several pages, to the Comitato Leonardo office. The deadline for applications is around the end of October. A panel comprising members of the Comitato Leonardo and SIMEST will assess the dissertations in terms of originality, analysis and practical strategic proposals.

How realistic are your chances?

As this is a single, prestigious award linked to a narrowly defined topic, only applicants who meet the requirements exactly should apply. You must have a Master’s thesis that specifically addresses Italian companies and international markets, a mark of at least 105/110, and a degree in economics or engineering. This significantly narrows the field of applicants. However, as only one winner is selected each year and the prize is widely recognised at Italian universities, there is genuine competition amongst the strong candidates. A clearly relevant, well-reasoned Master’s thesis featuring concrete case studies stands out in particular.