Ecological and digital transition SIMEST – Fund 394

The measure incentivises the creation of investments for digital innovation and/or for the ecological transition, as well as for strengthening the company's capital, to the benefit of competitiveness on international markets.

• Beneficiaries
  Companies with an export turnover equal to at least 10% of the latest balance sheet; or as an alternative
• Productive SMEs, with an export turnover equal to at least 3% of the latest balance sheet, and being part of a production chain of at least 3 client companies (with supply contracts stipulated for at least 12 months from the submission of the Application);

What it finances

In line with the Purposes, the eligible and financeable expenses are respectively:

1. expenses for the Digital Transition, also in Italy:
   1. to. digital integration and development of business processes;
   2. b. creation/modernization of organizational and management models from a digital perspective;
   3. c. investments in technological equipment, computer programs and digital content;
   4. d. digital consultancy (ie digital manager);
   5. e. disaster recovery e business continuity;
   6. f. blockchain (exclusively for the notarization of company production and management processes);
   7. g. investment and training expenses related to industry 4.0 (e.g. cyber security, big data and data analysis, cloud and fog computing, simulation and cyber-physical systems, visualization systems, virtual reality and augmented reality, advanced and collaborative robotics, additive manufacturing, internet of things and machines);
2. expenses for Ecological Transition:
   1. to. expenditure on investments for environmental and social sustainability, also in Italy (e.g. energy and water efficiency, mitigation of climate impacts, etc.);
   2. b. expenses for obtaining and maintaining environmental certifications related to the investments covered by the financing;
   3. 3. expenses for investments aimed at strengthening one's capital solidity, also in Italy, eligible within the percentage limits referred to in paragraph 2.1 of the circular. These investments must be included in the balance sheet assets;
   4. 4. professional consultancy fees for checks on compliance with national environmental legislation;
   5. 5. expenses for consultancy aimed at the presentation and management of the request for Facilitative Intervention for a value up to a maximum of 5% of the approved amount and in any case not exceeding €100,000.

The aforementioned expenses must be incurred, invoiced and paid after the date of receipt of the CUP and in any case refer to activities carried out in the Construction Period.

Without prejudice to the particular hypotheses provided below, the Company requesting the Intervention must allocate at least 50% of the approved amount to digital and/or ecological investments, and the remaining part, up to 50%, can be allocated to further investments aimed at strengthening capital ("Further Investments").

Without prejudice to the above, the portion allocated to Further Investments is increased to:

• to. 70% of the approved amount provided that the Company provides evidence, during the reporting phase, of:
  • the. an increase in energy costs of at least 100%, as resulting from the comparison of the budgets relating to the last two financial years preceding the submission of the application;
  • ii. an export turnover of at least 20% at the time of submitting the Application.
    • b. 80% of the approved amount for Companies with Interests in the Western Balkans;
    • c. 90% of the amount approved for companies with local units or operational headquarters located in the territories affected by the flood events that occurred starting from 1 May 2023 identified in Annex I of Legislative Decree 61/2023.

Facilitation

The benefit consists of a subsidized rate loan and a 10% non-repayable fund, the latter is granted only if the following requirements are met:

Non-repayable contribution of 10% up to a maximum of 100,000 euros for:

• SMEs (also Micro Enterprises), with operational headquarters in the regions of Southern Italy (Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily) established for at least 6 (six) months;
• SMEs (also Micro Enterprises), in possession of environmental/sustainability certifications (ISO 45001, ISO 14001, SA8000);
• SMEs (also Micro Enterprises), youth enterprises (ie enterprises made up of 60% (sixty) of young people between 18 (eighteen) and 35 (thirty-five) years old or for joint-stock companies, enterprises in which the participation shares are held for the 60% (sixty) young people between 18 (eighteen) and 35 (thirty-five) years old);
• SMEs (also Micro Enterprises), female (ie enterprise made up of 60% (sixty) by women or for joint-stock companies, enterprise in which 60% (sixty) of the shares are held by women);
• SMEs (also Micro Enterprises), with a share of export turnover resulting from the VAT declarations of the last two financial years equal to 20% (twenty) of the total turnover;
• SME (also Micro Enterprise), innovative (ie enterprise registered as innovative SME at the special section of the chamber of commerce);
• Enterprises, including non-SMEs or Micro Enterprises, in possession of certifications
  • environmental/sustainability (ISO 45001, ISO 14001, SA8000) and which by the date of the first Disbursement can provide evidence of:
    • having issued a Sustainable Procurement Policy (SPP) containing ESG principles7;
    • adherence of at least 5 suppliers of the Applicant Company, with supply contracts stipulated at least 12 months after submission of the Application, to one or more ESG principles contained in the SPP;
    • implementation process of the aforementioned Policy;
    • corrective plans in the event of non-compliance of one or more suppliers (for example termination of the relationship with the aforementioned supplier or warning and time to adapt);
    • tools and methods for monitoring suppliers with reference to compliance with the aforementioned Policy
    • companies (even non-SMEs or Micro Enterprises), with direct interests in the Western Balkans;
    • companies (including non-SMEs or Micro Enterprises), with local unit or operational headquarters located in the territories affected by the flood events verified starting from 1 May 2023 identified in Annex I of Legislative Decree 61/2023

The minimum amount of the projects must be 10,000 euros.

The maximum amount of the Subsidy that can be requested is equal to the lesser of:

• 35% of the average revenues resulting from the last two financial statements (item A1 of the income statement);
• or the amounts indicated below:
  – Micro Enterprise €500,000
  – SMEs and innovative SMEs €2,500,000
  – Other businesses €5,000,000

Duration:

The overall duration of the Financing is 6 (six) years starting from the date of signing of the Contract, of which:

• Grace period: 2 (two) years
• Repayment Period: 4 (four) years

The guarantees required are determined according to the Company's Scoring class (without guarantee for scoring 1 and 2)

Dispensing:

In 3 tranches divided as follows: 25% as an advance and subject to the signing of a suitable guarantee; 25% as a deposit; final balance to report expenses.

Presentation

Starting from July 27th and until funds last.

Photo by Unseen Studio on Unsplash