Back to blog
#13 - Insane tariffs, strategic fundraising, and clients who mean business
Mar 20, 2025
Edoardo Arbizzi
🌍 Global Outlook
Trump Launches Tariff War: “Make America Wealthy Again”
Donald Trump has officially launched a new phase of the trade war, announcing tariffs on over 60 countries from the White House Rose Garden. “Today is Liberation Day,” he declared, unveiling what he called INSANE tariffs:
The administration justified the move as a necessary response to the “unfair practices” of foreign tariffs on U.S. goods, emphasizing that reciprocity will be a cornerstone of this new trade policy. But the White House’s tone is uncompromising: “No negotiation,” “National emergency,” “A new American era.” These declarations have sparked fears of an unprecedented global trade war.
The outlook is particularly concerning for Italy, identified as one of the most vulnerable countries in this tariff escalation. According to some estimates, the reciprocity rule could lead to tariffs as high as 60% on Italian products, threatening entire manufacturing and export sectors. Europe is set to be the hardest hit economically by the new tariffs.
Italy’s Response:
Italy is watching the trade crisis unfold with growing concern. The biggest worry? Wine exports, worth around €2 billion annually to the U.S. According to sources close to the Prime Minister’s office, there's hope that the new tariffs won’t target strategic sectors of Made in Italy, but no official reassurances have come from Washington. Rome, in line with Brussels, hopes for a diplomatic resolution—but is also preparing support measures for Italian businesses should the situation deteriorate further.
🖼️ Meme of the Day
When you're drowning in requests, delayed suppliers, and yet another “urgent” task, finally management steps in to help… oh wait…
"We need to save 4% vs. last year."
Welcome to the wild world of procurement. 👀
🤖 Tech in Procurement
This section usually focuses on digital transformation in procurement and innovative ideas from major players.
But this time, we're talking about someone thinking about procurement for SMEs—starting from the ground up: the Compri team 😊
Yeah, we know it sounds like we're plugging ourselves in a supposedly neutral procurement newsletter—but since we’re among the first to apply AI to procurement, let us proudly announce our €1.6M pre-seed funding round, led by Italian Founders Fund and DFF Ventures (Dutch Founders Fund).
In just a few months, we went from idea to a product already managing over €500M in spend—and now it’s time to level up. We’re excited to grow with the backing of international investors who share our underdog mentality and the drive to deliver the best technology out there.
Special thanks to all the Procurement Executives and C-levels who have supported us since day one.
Now it’s game time—we’ll soon be sharing real-world AI use cases from our clients 😉
🎙️ Podcast
In the latest episode of Compri Bene, we sat down with Luigi Russo, Head of Procurement at STM, one of Compri’s earliest clients. From the Bologna region to the global stage, STM is a market leader in gearmotors, now generating €150 million in annual revenue.
🎯 Three key takeaways:
🧩 Procurement = strategy – “We don’t know how to sell ourselves,” says Luigi. Yet every euro saved in procurement goes straight to the bottom line. The real issue? Too much operational work, not enough strategic focus.
📊 Data that drives results – STM now sends monthly vendor ratings to suppliers. A simple move that strengthens relationships, increases accountability, and improves quality.
🤖 Digitize to breathe – With lean teams, digitalization becomes a matter of survival. The goal? Less waste, more analysis, and buyers focused on strategy—not invoice checks.
Join compri,
10X your procurement team.
compri uses AI to make your procurement experience easier, faster and smarter. Get in touch to know more