From Monday 16 February the new rules for the support of innovative start-ups come alive, for which the Ministry of Economic Development, through the program Smart&Start managed by Invitalia, has made 250 million euros available.
There are many innovations: "First of all, the disbursement of resources, which, for the first time, will take place throughout the country", writes the ministry. Secondly the value of the support, which covers through a zero-interest loan of up to 80% for projects with a value between 100 and 1.500.000 euros, which can be presented both by individuals who have not yet started business activities, and by innovative companies with less than 48 months of life.
To date, moreover, 20% of the funding can become a non-repayable fund in the presence of programs carried out in Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily and in the Territory of the L'Aquila crater. A preferential lane has also been introduced for applications which see the intervention of a qualified investor for at least 30% of the value of the project.
Smart&Start "is however characterized as the first of a series of interventions on which the Mise is working, together with other important institutional players - continues the note -, to create a national platform for venture capital that enhances the integration between tools available throughout the life cycle of a company: from seed capital, to start-up capital, up to second-round and private equity”.
A little over a month later, “the terms will open for access to another innovative tool, aimed at financing large strategic research and development projects. With 150 million and 250 million euros available for programs between 5 and 40 million euros, respectively in the sectors of the Digital Agenda and Enabling Technologies of Horizon 2020, the two Dm already available on the Mise website will address large, medium and small companies that intend to present innovative initiatives but very close to the market".
