There are many economic aid made available to businesses In the 2023 in the form of grants. These are concessions intended for businessesincluding new ones, young people and women, but also initiatives for southern Italy and for self-entrepreneurship.
Non-repayable grants are so called because they do not provide for the obligation to repay the disbursed capital and interest. not only that: the institution that disburses the loans does not ask for guarantees and there are no income requirements. In order to participate in the tender, however, it is necessary to be in possession of others requirements. Currently, most of the incentives are provided thanks to the resources put in place by Pnrr during 2022 and also valid for subsequent years.
Doing business in Italy is not easy, both for the amount of bureaucracy to deal with and for the level of taxation. Precisely for this reason it is good to check the tenders for non-repayable loans: let’s see which ones are active in 2023.
Zero-interest new businesses for young people and women
«ON – Beyond New zero-interest businesses» is the incentive for young people and women who want to become entrepreneurs. The concessions are valid throughout Italy and provide for a mix of zero-interest financing and non-repayable grants for business projects with expenses of up to 3 million euros, which can cover up to 90% of the total eligible expenses.
Specifically, the incentives are aimed at companies made up mainly of young people aged between 18 and 35 or women. The submission of the application, the business plan and the documentation takes place exclusively online, through the IT platform of Invitalia.
Cultura Crea 2.0 for the cultural-tourism sector
“Culture Create 2.0” is the renewed and enhanced version of «Cultura Crea». The incentive it supports the birth and growth of businesses and non-profit initiatives in the tourism-cultural sector. Loans are active in the regions of Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Puglia and Sicily. The application is only submitted online.
According to data updated to January 2023, these incentives financed 455 projects, with 90 million euros of investments activated and concessions granted for 76 million euros.
I’m staying in the South 2023
I stay in the South is the incentive that supports the birth and development of new entrepreneurial and freelance activities of under 56 residents in Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, in the areas of the seismic crater of Central Italy (Lazio, Marche Umbria) and in the smaller marine, lagoon and lake islands of the Centre-North. It is aimed at those between the ages of 18 and 55.
The available funds amount to 1 billion and 250 million euros. Also in this case, the application is made on the Invitalia platform.
Fund for small and medium-sized creative enterprises
Il Fund for small and medium-sized creative enterprises has the objective of promoting the creation, development and consolidation of companies operating in the creative sector, through the granting of contributions, facilitating access to credit and the promotion of innovative financing instruments, as well as other development initiatives of the sector.
The Fund supports micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, with registered and operational headquarters located throughout the national territory, operating in the creative sector, in the process of being set up or already established at the date of submission of the subsidy application, through the granting of subsidies under one of the following three lines of action:
- investment programs implemented by individual creative enterprises;
- investment programs carried out by creative enterprises with a perspective of collaboration with other creative enterprises or enterprises also not operating in the creative sector;
- investments in risk capital of creative enterprises, for the exclusive benefit of those that constitute innovative start-ups and innovative SMEs.
The Fund is also aimed at micro, small and medium-sized enterprises operating in any sector, subject to the exclusions deriving from the applicable state aid legislation, which intend to acquire specialist support in the creative sector. All information can be found on the website Ministry of Business and Made in Italy (ex Mise).
Women’s Business Fund
Il Women’s Business Fund it is the national incentive that supports the creation and consolidation of businesses led by women, promoted by the Ministry of Economic Development. Investment programs are financed in the sectors of industry, handicrafts, transformation of agricultural products, services, commerce and tourism.
The Fund makes 200 million euros available to women’s businesses, new or already established. The incentives finance investment programs for the start-up or development of women’s businesses to be implemented in 24 months. Applications must be submitted to Invitalia.
Development contracts: easier investments for companies
With the Development Agreement Invitalia supports large investments in the industrial, agro-industrial, tourism and environmental protection sectors.
The minimum investment required is 20 million euros, which is reduced to 7.5 million euros for projects for the transformation of agricultural products and for tourism projects located in internal areas of the country, or which involve the recovery of abandoned structures . A Fast Track procedure is envisaged for the Development Agreement in favor of large strategic projects with a significant impact on the production system.
As part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), through the instrument of Development Contracts, various interventions are envisaged aimed at supporting the competitiveness of the national production system.
Innovation Agreements
Businesses of any size, with at least two approved financial statements, which are in business can benefit from the concessions industrial, agro-industrial, craft activities or services to industry and research activities.
Proposing companies can also present projects jointly, up to a maximum of five co-proposing subjects. Research organizations and, limited to projects pertaining to the lines of intervention “Food systems”, “Bio-innovation systems in the bioeconomy of the Union” and “Circular systems” may also be co-proposers of a joint project. Research and development projects must envisage expenses and eligible costs of no less than 5 million euros, have a duration of no more than 36 months and be started after the submission of the application for subsidies to the Ministry of Economic Development.
Smart&Start Italia incentives for innovative start-ups
Smart&Start Italia it is the incentive that supports the birth and growth of innovative startups. It finances projects between 100,000 euros and 1.5 million euros. Innovative startups established for no more than 60 months and registered in the special section of the business register can apply for funding. The application can only be submitted online on the platform Invitalia.
In addition to the funding, technical-management tutoring is provided for innovative startups that have been established for less than 12 months.
Artificial intelligence, blockchain and internet of things
Il development fund of artificial intelligence, blockchain and internet of things technologies and applications was established by the 2019 budget law (Article 1, paragraph 226), with a total budget of 45 million euros. The criteria and methods for using the resources were defined with the interministerial decree of 6 December 2021.
The terms and conditions for the presentation of applications for subsidies were established by directorial decree of 24 June 2022, as well as the criteria for granting and disbursing subsidies. Eligible subjects are companies of any size, established as a company and which carry out industrial activities of production of goods and services, agro-industrial, artisan, transport, business services which carry out the aforementioned activities, as well as centers of research with legal personality.
