With the 2017 Budget Law, the Government launched a series of measures in favor of innovative startups. These are various tax rebates designed to further strengthen a sector which now has 6.400 companies registered in the special section of the Business Register.
1. 30% INVESTMENT BONUS
The package of interventions is articulated on two fronts: on the one hand, the measures to encourage investment by external lenders, on the other, a series of subsidies which aim to make this reality grow from within, encouraging the creation of new companies. Let's start with the first ones.
First of all, from this year those who invest in innovative startups up to one million euros will be able to count on an Irpef deduction equal to 30% of the amount paid. This facilitation is not new, but it is considerably enhanced, considering that previously the bonus was 19% (it rose to 25% only for startups with a social vocation) and the maximum value of the investment on which to apply the deduction was 500 thousand euros .
However, to be entitled to the benefit you must keep the shares for at least three years, one more than the rules valid until last year. In the event of the sale of the shares before the established term, the law provides for the forfeiture of the benefit and the recovery of the unpaid tax, to which legal interest will apply.
The Ires deduction for companies investing in startups also increases to 30% (previously it was 20%). Also in this case the investment must be maintained for at least three years, but the maximum eligible ceiling remains at 1 million 800 thousand euros.
2. SPONSOR COMPANIES
An absolute novelty introduced by the last maneuver concerns the sponsor companies, which will be able to absorb the losses recorded by the startups in the first three years of their existence in their financial statements. However, there are two requirements to be met: the sponsoring companies must be listed and have a shareholding (even indirectly) in the capital of the startup of at least 20% in their portfolio.
3. CONCESSIONS FOR THOSE WHO CREATE AN INNOVATIVE STARTUP
Innovative startups are currently exempt from paying the annual fee due to the Chambers of Commerce, as well as the secretarial fees and stamp duty usually due for the obligations to be carried out at the Business Register. The maneuver provides for a further facilitation: the exemption from stamp duty and secretarial fees relating to the deed of incorporation, which can be signed not only with a digital signature but also with an authenticated advanced electronic signature.
A favorable tax and contribution regime is then introduced for incentive plans based on the assignment of shares, quotas or similar securities to directors, employees, collaborators and suppliers of innovative start-up companies and certified incubators. The income deriving from the attribution of these financial instruments or rights will not contribute to the formation of the taxable base, both for tax and social security purposes. In this way, direct participation in business risk is facilitated, for example through the assignment of stock options to employees or collaborators of a start-up company.
There is also a regulation for the collection of risk capital by innovative start-up companies through online portals, launching an innovative method of widespread capital collection (crowdfunding). As regards access to credit, start-ups will be able to take advantage of the central guarantee fund for small and medium-sized enterprises free of charge and in a simplified way, also through the provision of favorable conditions in terms of coverage and maximum guaranteed amount.
4. INAIL INVESTMENTS
Finally, the budget law provides for forms of investment by Inail in favor of innovative start-up companies. In particular, it is envisaged that the Institute may subscribe units of closed-end mutual investment funds dedicated to the activation of innovative start-ups or set up and participate - also with public and private, Italian and foreign subjects - in start-ups of corporate type.
