Things
The Fund for small and medium-sized creative enterprises was established by article 1, paragraphs 109 et seq., of law 30 December 2020, n. 178 (containing "State budget forecast for the financial year 2021 and multi-year budget for the three-year period 2021-2023"), with an allocation of 40 million euros for the years 2021 and 2022, in order to promote the birth, development and consolidation of companies operating in the creative sector, through the granting of contributions, facilitating access to credit and promoting innovative financing tools, as well as other initiatives for the development of the sector. The Fund is established in the forecast of the Ministry of Economic Development, which avails itself, as managing body, of the National Agency for Attracting Investments and Business Development SpA – Invitalia.
Who is it aimed at?
The Fund is aimed at supporting micro, small and medium-sized businesses, with registered and operational headquarters located throughout the national territory, operating in the creative sector, in the process of being established or already established on the date of submission of the application for assistance, through the granting of concessions within one of the following three lines of action: investment programs carried out by individual creative businesses; investment programs carried out by creative businesses with the prospect of collaboration with other creative businesses or businesses even not operating in the creative sector; investments in the risk capital of creative businesses, for the exclusive benefit of those that constitute innovative start-ups and innovative SMEs. The Fund is also aimed at micro, small and medium-sized companies operating in any sector, subject to the exclusions deriving from the applicable state aid legislation, which intend to acquire specialist support in the creative sector.
What does it predict
The benefits are granted for investment programs aimed at promoting new entrepreneurship, the development and consolidation of creative businesses (Chapter II), or for interventions that involve the collaboration of businesses in the creative sector with businesses in other productive sectors, in particularly traditional ones, as well as with universities and research bodies for the acquisition of specialist services offered by the creative companies themselves or to encourage innovation processes (Chapter III). It is also envisaged that the Fund works to consolidate and encourage the development of the sector's ecosystem through analysis, study, promotion and valorisation activities (Chapter V). Initiatives aimed at promoting the birth, development and consolidation of creative businesses must: be carried out within 24 months from the date of signature of the concession provision; provide for eligible expenses not exceeding 500,000.00 euros, net of VAT; , for businesses established no more than 5 years ago at the time of submitting the application for relief, the start-up or development of the creative enterprise or, for businesses established for more than 5 years at the time of submitting the aforementioned application, the expansion or diversification of its offer of products and services and of its reference market or the introduction of innovations and streamlining of the production process. The specialist services covered by the interventions which involve the collaboration of companies in the creative sector with companies from other production sectors must: be provided by micro, small and medium-sized creative companies; be the subject of a contract signed after the submission of the application for assistance and within 3 months from the date of the provision granting the benefits; have as its object the following strategic areas: o marketing and brand development actions; o design and industrial design; o increase in the identity value of the company profile; o technological innovations in the areas of conservation, fruition and marketing of products of particular artisanal, artistic and creative value.
