{"id":3527,"date":"2026-05-28T19:05:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T19:05:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/business.cornell.edu\/centers\/?page_id=3527"},"modified":"2026-05-28T19:12:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T19:12:58","slug":"family-businesses-in-italy-trek","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/business.cornell.edu\/centers\/smith\/students\/family-businesses-in-italy-trek\/","title":{"rendered":"Family businesses in Italy trek"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<\/head>

For those interested in learning about family businesses, Italy is an important destination. There are estimated to be around 784,000 family businesses in the country, comprising over 85% of the total business landscape and providing around 70% of employment. What distinguishes Italian family businesses is their remarkable longevity: among the world’s 100 oldest businesses, 15 are Italian. Notably, five of these – including Fonderie Pontificie Marinelli (founded in 1000), Barone Ricasoli (1141), Barovier & Toso (1295), Torrini (1369), and Marchesi Antinori (1385) – rank among the top ten oldest family businesses still in operation today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through our visits, we seek to peek behind the scenes at business operations and speak with family members to understand the values and beliefs underpinning the foundation of these companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program is open to graduate students across Cornell. It is a 1.5 credit course. Information on the 2026 trek can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2025 companies visited<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The companies that are visited vary year by year to diversify the experience for students. In 2025, students visited Rome and Naples, and the following companies were visited:<\/p>\n\n\n\n