The National Recovery and Resilience Plan has made available 800 million euros in subsidised funding and 400 million in non-repayable grants for Italian SMEs oriented towards foreign markets through the 394/81 Fund managed by SIMEST.
The instruments available to companies are:
- Digital and ecological transition of SMEs with an international vocation Subsidised funding for investments aimed at encouraging the digital transition of SMEs, promoting their sustainable growth, and strengthening their competitiveness in foreign markets. It is possible to request a maximum amount of EUR 300,000.
- Development of electronic commerce of SMEs in foreign countries (E-commerce) Subsidised funding to create an e-commerce platform for marketing goods or services produced in Italy or under the Italian brand name in foreign countries. The instrument is intended to realise a digital investment project, create a new platform of one’s own, improve an existing platform, or access a third-party space (e.g., marketplace). The maximum amount that can be requested is €300,000 for an own platform and €200,000 for a third-party platform.
- Participation of SMEs in international fairs and exhibitions, including in Italy, and system missions Facilitated financing to support participation, including in Italy, in a single event, even virtual, of an international nature and with an ecological or digital profile, including a fair, exhibition, business mission or system mission, for the promotion of goods and or services produced in Italy or under the Italian brand name. The maximum amount that can be requested is 150,000 euros.
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For all measures, companies may apply for a non-repayable loan of up to 25%. The percentage rises to 40% if the company is based in southern Italy. SMEs based in southern Italy also benefit from a reserve of 40% of total resources (Southern Reserve).
Since 28 October, the SIMEST portal has been operational, through which companies can submit funding applications.
The deadline for the receipt of applications is 3 December 2021.
On the SIMEST website, all the information on how to submit the financing request is available: SACE – SIMEST Subsidised Funding PNRR NextGenerationEU.
