Leveraging collaboration between academic research and SMEs to support digital transformation in the agri-food Italian industry: the case of Santomiele

This case study presents the story of Santomiele, a company that has built up an international business by enhancing a product closely linked to its local area. Located in southern Italy, the company processes and markets dried figs. The case focuses on the company's digital transformation. Digitalisation is the company's response to a critical problem in its supply chain. Digital transformation allows the company to achieve process innovation while also providing the opportunity to achieve product innovation and to enter new business sectors. The university plays a key role in the digital transformation of Santomiele. This case offers the opportunity to critically analyse the role of digitalization in the innovation of mature, low-tech, and non-digital businesses. In particular, the case highlights how digital technologies can help these types of business to both create higher margins in existing markets and catch opportunities to enter new markets. At the same time, the case shows how university-SME collaboration can succeed to help SMEs achieving digital transformation.