Smart&Start Italia
Open continuously
No deadline — apply whenever you are ready.
Zero-interest, unsecured loan covering 80% of eligible expenses, rising to 90% for all-female founding teams, founders under 36, or teams including a PhD holder who has worked in research abroad for at least three years. In the Mezzogiorno regions (Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia) and the central Italy earthquake area an additional 30% is a non-repayable grant, so only 70% of the loan is repaid. Repaid over 10 years starting 12 months after final disbursement.
You must co-fund 20%.
Invitalia S.p.A.
public · national
Deadline: rolling
This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.
Major bid — written case, budget, possibly partners.
You fund 20% yourself.
Who can apply
- Stage: pre_seed, seed, series_a
- R&D activity required
- Locally registered entity required
Reserved for companies registered as 'startup innovative' in the special section of the business register (or that commit to registering).
How to apply
- Register as a startup innovativa in the Registro delle Imprese special section
- Prepare the business plan on Invitalia's template
- Submit the application online through Invitalia's portal (a sportello, first come first served)
- Technical assessment and interview with Invitalia
- Signature of the contract and disbursement against documented expenditure
What you will need
- Piano d'impresa
- Preventivi di spesa
- Visura camerale
- Documenti dei soci
Source. https://www.invitalia.it/incentivi-e-strumenti/smartstart-italia/agevolazioni — checked 2026-08-14
"un finanziamento a tasso zero, senza bisogno di alcuna garanzia, che copre l'80% delle spese ammissibili"