Italy's ministry for economic development (MiSE) has announced that a total of over EUR 1 billion in loans has been awarded to innovative startups under its SME Guarantee Fund programme since it was launched back in 2013. The initiative has awarded grants of up to EUR 2.5 million covering 80 percent of the value of the project to some 2,858 startups, including EUR 66 million in the second quarter of 2019 alone.

Italy's ministry for economic development (MiSE) has announced that a total of EUR 200 million in grants will be awarded to innovative startups under the new “Smart&Start” initiative. The program will be run by state investment body Invitalia and its scope will be nationwide for the first time. Grants for up to 80 percent of the value of the project – ranging from EUR 100,000 to EUR 1,500,000 – will be available to new ventures or startups set up less than 48 months ago. The first edition of the Smart&Start initiative, which was only open to startups in southern Italian regions, saw around 370 grants handed out within the space of a year.