Background information

The ministerial decree of 7 May 2022 sets out the provisions of the intervention aimed at facilitating the acquisition of managerial consultancy aimed at supporting the processes of technological and digital transformation of SMEs and business networks, in implementation of Article 1, paragraphs 228, 230 and 231 of Law No.145/2018 (Budget Law 2019).

Content of measure

The Voucher for innovation consultancy is the intervention that, in line with the 'Impresa 4.0' national plan, supports the technological and digital transformation processes of SMEs and business networks throughout Italy through the introduction of managerial figures capable of implementing the enabling technologies envisaged by the Impresa 4.0 national plan, as well as modernising the company's managerial and organisational structures, including access to financial and capital markets. Eligibility criteria are:

• micro, small or medium-sized enterprise in accordance with current legislation; respect the 'de minimis' criterion;
• registered office and/or local unit active in the national territory and registered in the business register of the territorially competent Chamber of Commerce;
• paid social security contributions;
• not subject to bankruptcy proceedings and not in a state of bankruptcy, liquidation, even voluntary, controlled administration, arrangement with creditors or any other equivalent situation pursuant to current legislation;
• not having received and subsequently not repaid or deposited in a blocked account aid on which a recovery order is pending, following a previous decision by the European Commission which declares the aid illegal and incompatible with the common market.

The voucher value amounts to:

• 50% of the costs up to €40,000 for micro enterprises;
• 30% of the costs up to €25,000 for SMEs;
• 50% of the costs  up to €80,000 for business networks.

The budget allocated for the implementation of the measure is €75 million divided for each of the years 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Use of measure

In total 3,615 applications were presented for the 2019 call. Small business presented 3,063 applications, medium-sized companies presented 537 applications, and business networks presented 15. The total amount of the projects presented was above €205.4 million, a sum higher than the total amount allocated for the period 2019-2021.

Out of the 3,615 applications, 1,831 were awarded while 1,784  were considered eligible but there was no funding available. With the decree of 15 January 2020 the Minister of Economic Development allocated financial cover, amounting to €46 million, for these too.

The procedure for accessing benefits opened again on 26 October 2023 and closed on 23 November 2023, as stipulated by the directorial decree of 16 October 2023. Subsequently, three lists of eligible beneficiaries were published. The third list was established by a directorial decree on 11 July 2024, whilst the second list was announced on 28 March 2024. Both lists were compiled based on the chronological order of applications, available financial resources, and the application of reserved quotas within the scheme.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Applies to all businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Unknown

Views and reactions

Unknown

Sources

• 07 May 2019: Voucher for innovation consulting (www.mise.gov.it)
• 13 December 2019: Innovation manager, 3,615 applications submitted by SMEs and business networks (www.punto-informatico.it)
• 15 January 2020: Innovation manager: decree signed for an additional 46 million euros (fedabo.com)
• 11 July 2024: Voucher for innovation consultancy – Second counter (www.mimit.gov.it)