In 2024, the map of innovative startups in Italy shows a clear gap geographic: to North part dominate the young people under 35, While at the South are the women to lead more and more businesses. This is what emerges from the analysis conducted by Tagliacarne Study Center and Unioncamere, according to which in the North, 17,2% of startups are led by young people, with Piedmont in the lead (23,2%), exceeding the national average of 16,9%. In the Center, the percentage stands at 16,4%, while in the South it drops to 16,4%. However, the picture reverses if we look at female participation: in the South, women are in charge of 15,8% of startups, with Molise standing out with 27,5%. In the Center and the North, women lead 15,1% and 11,8% of startups, respectively.
The North Leads, But the South Grows Fast
If we look at the geographical distribution, the North part holds absolute record for young and female startups: over half of Italian startups led by under 35s (1.084 out of 2.049) and more than a third of female startups (745 out of 1.648) are located in the North. Lombardy alone hosts almost a third of Italian youth startups (568 out of 2.049) and about a quarter of female startups (382 out of 1.648). Milan, with 408 young startups (19,9% of the national total) and 281 female startups (17,1%), emerges as the undisputed capital, followed by Rome (206 young startups, 10,1% of the total) and Napoli (139 young people, 6,8%). However, within the North a dichotomy can be noted: the Northwest acts as a driving force, with 37,3% of young Italian startups, while the North-East records the lowest percentages for both categories.
Despite this northern dominance, it is at South which recorded the fastest growth. Young innovative startups increased by 66,5% from 2016 to 2024, but in the South the growth rate was even higher (+69,1%). The Valle d'Aosta has seen an extraordinary increase of 200%, while the Campania recorded an increase of 184,7%. At the provincial level, Lecco, Sondrio e Prato have seen impressive increases, with Lecco seeing a 500% increase.
A boom for female startups in the South
Il South It also stands out in the growing number of innovative female startups, with an increase of 175,5%, surpassing the Centre (+106,3%) and the North (+99,7%). The Molise is the region that has recorded the most spectacular growth, with an increase of 533,3%, followed by Campania (+337,7%) and from Puglia (+203,7%). At provincial level, Avellino has seen a dramatic increase, going from 2 to 22 female startups (+1000%), followed by Toast (+ 900%) and Como (+ 700%).
Tripoli (Unioncamere): “Only 6,6% exceeded one million in turnover”
Giuseppe Tripoli, Secretary General of Unioncamere, stressed the importance of stimulating the growth and innovation of these companies, which are vital to keeping Italy competitive at a European and global level. “The 12 startups currently in existence place Italy in fourth place in Europe, so there is still ample room for improvement. Starting with the participation of women, which still appears to be of little relevance and should therefore be further encouraged”. Tripoli also highlighted that “only 6,6% of startups have scaled up, that is, have exceeded one million euros in turnover or share capital between 2019 and 2023. The percentage is a little higher (12,6%) among startups with patents in strategic technologies. The new laws on innovative startups could encourage this process by concentrating, for example, incentives on companies with the greatest potential for growth and innovation and incentivizing investments in research and development”, he concluded.
