Smart&Start Italia
The incentive for the start and development of innovative start-ups
WHAT IT IS
Smart&Start Italia is the incentive managed by Invitalia and promoted by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy that supports the creation and growth of innovative start-ups with high technological content in all the Italian Regions.
The goal is to stimulate a new entrepreneurial culture connected to the digital economy, valorise the results of scientific and technological research and encourage the return of “brains” from abroad.
WHO IT IS FOR
The incentive targets:
- innovative start-ups of small size, established for no more than 60 months and enrolled in the special section of the Companies Register;
- teams of natural persons who want to set up an innovative start-up in Italy, even if resident abroad, or foreign citizens in possession of a “start-up Visa”;
- foreign companies that want to set up at an office in Italy.
The requirements that qualify an enterprise as an “innovative start-up” are indicated in art. 25 of Italian Decree-Law no. 179/2012. To learn more about the requirements, consult the site startup.registroimprese.it.
WHAT IT FINANCES
Smart&Start Italia finances business plans having a financial entity between € 100,000 and € 1.5 million, to be used for the purchase of investment goods and services, to support personnel expenses and corporate function costs.
The entrepreneurial project must possess at least one of the following characteristics:
- have significant technological and innovative content;
- be oriented towards the development of products, services or solutions in the field of the digital economy, artificial intelligence, blockchain and the Internet of Things;
- focus on the economic valorisation of the results of public and private research.
THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS
Interest-free financing of 80% of the eligible expenses. The percentage can rise to 90% if the start-up is comprised entirely of women and/or people under the age of 36, or if the start-up includes a PhD engaged abroad. The start-ups with headquarters in Central-South Italy benefit from a non-repayable contribution of 30%.
Incentive or tool status
Active
