The 2024 Call for Digitalization and Business Efficiency, promoted by the Piedmont Region, represents an important opportunity for local businesses. The objective of the call is to support companies in the digital transition and in the optimization of production processes through non-repayable contributions and subsidized funding. This guide offers all the information you need to participate in the call and maximize your chances of success
.
Purpose of the Call
The call is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-cap companies active in Piedmont, with the aim of financing digitalization projects and improvement of production efficiency. Incentives can cover up to 100% of eligible expenses, helping to make companies more
competitive and sustainable.
Types of Concessions
The call provides for two main types of concessions:
- For SMEs:
- 70% of zero-interest financing.
- 30% of the financing on bank funds.
- Non-repayable contribution based on available funds.
- For mid-cap companies:
- 70% of zero-interest financing.
- 30% of the financing on bank funds.
Requirements for Participation
Companies must meet the following requirements to participate in the call:
- Be registered in the Companies Register and have at least one closed and approved financial statements.
- Have headquarters or local unit active in Piedmont.
- Do not be identified as businesses in difficulty.
- Do not carry out economic activities excluded from the ban (e.g. illegal activities, tobacco, gambling houses).
- Do not have bankruptcy proceedings in progress.
- Don’t be trust companies or have trustees.
- Ensure the transparency of corporate ownership.
- Not having received unreimbursed state aid.
Amount of Concessions
The concessions can cover up to 100% of the eligible costs, with a maximum of 3 million euros per project. SMEs can benefit from additional awards for possession of legality or environmental sustainability certifications, gender equality and the relevance of women/youth participation in the
share capital.
Eligible Projects
Projects must fall into one of the following categories:
- Digitalization of Companies:
- Investments in digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, integrated systems, e-commerce and emerging technologies.
- Green digitalization, aimed at environmental protection and decarbonization.
- Business Productive Efficiency:
- Improving the competitiveness and sustainability of processes and products/services.
- Investments to innovate products, diversify services, transform production processes and increase safety at work beyond mandatory standards.
- Green projects for decarbonization.
Project Requirements
Projects must have the following characteristics:
- Minimum financial size: 50,000 euros for micro and small businesses, 100,000 euros for medium-sized enterprises, 250,000 euros for mid-cap companies.
- Maximum amount of eligible costs: 3,000,000 euros.
- Maximum duration: 18 months from the granting of the benefits.
Application Submission Procedures
Applications must be submitted online through the dedicated section of the Piedmont Region website, using SPID credentials. The payment of stamp duty (16 euros) and the presentation of all the mandatory attachments listed in the announcement are required
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Deadline
Applications can be submitted until 12:00 on July 31, 2024, unless resources are exhausted early. The initial deadline, set at 31 January 2024, has been extended due to the availability of funds
.
Granting of Concessions
The concessions are granted after the evaluation and verification of the applications by FinPiemonte and the Piedmont Region. Non-repayable contributions are disbursed at the end of the project and after the positive control of the reporting, while low-interest loans are provided in a single solution through the affiliated bank
.
Allocated Resources
The total financial budget of the call is 80 million euros, divided as follows:
- 50 million euros for the digitalization of companies.
- 30 million euros for the productive efficiency of companies.
The 2024 Call for Digitalization and Business Efficiency represents a fundamental opportunity for Piedmontese companies that wish to innovate and improve their production efficiency. Preparing the application carefully and following the instructions of the call can make the difference in ensuring the success of the project and the obtaining of concessions. Keep following the blog for updates and more information on calls and funding opportunities for businesses
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