New Call: Innovative Machinery (Nuovo bando Macchinari Innovativi)
Supports southern Italian small and medium-sized enterprises with subsidized grants and soft loans for industrial machinery upgrades.
Eligibility · Italy — 5 regions
The Nuovo bando Macchinari Innovativi, administered by Italy's Ministero delle Imprese e del Made in Italy (MIMIT) through Invitalia, supports manufacturing investment programs in Italy's less-developed southern regions — Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Puglia, and Sicilia. The measure targets Industria 4.0 digital transformation using enabling technologies (Impresa 4.0 plan) and circular-economy production transitions, covering purchase of new machinery, plant, equipment, and related software and licenses. The programme was defined under the PON Imprese e Competitività 2014–2020 FESR framework, with total endowment of EUR 265 million split across two distinct sportelli (application windows) opened at least six months apart.
Eligible applicants are Italian micro, small, and medium enterprises (PMI) with at least two approved financial statements filed with the Chamber of Commerce, operating in manufacturing activities (NAICS equivalent sectors 31–33, with exclusions for steel, coal, shipbuilding, synthetic fibres, transport infrastructure, and energy generation). Professionals registered with recognised professional orders also qualify. Investment programs must total EUR 400,000–3,000,000; networks of up to six co-proponents may aggregate with a minimum EUR 200,000 per member. Aid totals 75% of eligible costs: micro and small firms receive a 35% capital grant plus 40% interest-free soft loan; medium firms receive 25% grant plus 50% soft loan. The soft loan is repaid over up to 7 years without interest, with no additional guarantee required.
Applications are submitted electronically via the Invitalia platform (agevolazionidgiai.invitalia.it), requiring a certified PEC email and national services card (CNS). The Primo sportello opened July 30, 2020 and closed the same day due to demand; a February 2021 ministerial decree added over EUR 93 million to fund further applications from the September 2020 merit ranking. Firms must complete investment within 12 months of the grant decree, with an optional 6-month extension available on request. Invitalia carries out all instructory assessment.
Capital subsidy plus zero-interest soft loan covering 75% of eligible costs for Italian southern-region SME investments of EUR 400,000–3,000,000 in Industria 4.0 machinery and circular-economy production equipment.
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