Another half a billion euros for Italian SMEs engaged in female entrepreneurship, in Industry 4.0 and in the fight against climate change. This is the support renewed by Unicredit and the European Investment Bank (EIB), according to an agreement that provides resources for 250 million euros each made available by the EIB and the Italian bank, thus increasing up to 500 million euros the overall ceiling. The subject of the loans will be both new and ongoing projects, as long as they have not yet been completed, with a maximum duration of 12 years or 20 years (for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects). The interventions are intended for companies active in all production sectors: agriculture, handicrafts, industry, commerce, tourism and services; pure financial and/or real estate investment projects are excluded from the scope of the agreement.
Of the total of 500 million, a good 400 million will be directed to female entrepreneurship and innovation. A first 200 million line of credit from the EIB concerns projects by SMEs located throughout Italy, with up to 25% of the total destined for companies managed or controlled by women. It is one of the first transactions of its kind completed in Europe by the EU bank, the main one in terms of loan size. A part of the total, up to 40%, will instead concern projects by innovative SMEs or aimed at innovation (Industry 4.0). According to preliminary estimates, with this loan approximately 25 jobs will be supported and supported around 500 businesses controlled or run by women. Unicredit, which is responsible for selecting projects and managing loans to companies, can cover 100% of the investment up to 12,5 million euros with EIB funds. Such projects can have an individual cost of up to €25 million.
The second line of credit, on the other hand, dedicated to climate change, sees 50 million made available by the EIB plus 50 million by Unicredit, for a total of 100 million and is intended for projects by SMEs and local authorities that have environmental purpose and fight against climate change. Investments are eligible in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors, with a maximum duration that for these purposes reaches 20 years, depending on the economic life of the financed investments. Also in this case the loan granted by Unicredit with EIB funds can reach up to 12,5 million euros per loan. Such projects can have an individual cost of up to €25 million. In the last five years, the EIB resources that Unicredit has allocated to SMEs in Italy they amount to about five billion, for over 4.100 funded projects.
