The Italian reality of innovative startups
They are born from an idea, they are young, characterized by a strong technological content and have a remarkable replicability potential: they are innovative startups, which with their business models aim to deepen research, encourage youth employment, and increase the country’s entrepreneurship.
Support measures for innovative startups
Starting from 2012 with the Dl 179/2012, then converted intolaw 17 December 2012, n. 221, some criteria were introduced to support the type of company, to support them during their lifecycle, from birth to growth up to maturity. The expected benefits can be used by startups within 5 years of their establishment, then they can turn into innovative SMEs,without losing the benefits, which are many, as we described in the article “What are the benefits for innovative start-ups?”.
But what is the reality of innovative startups in Italy?
To date, there are over 12,000 registered startups, of which 14% is characterized by a strong technological innovation in the energy sector, as required by the need to face the climate changes that are taking place on the planet. 78% provide services to businesses (with a good 46% made up of software production and information services), 17% operate in the industrial sector and 3.3% is represented by commerce.
The Italian regions with the largest number of startups are Lombardy with its provinces of Milan, Bergamo, Brescia, Monza-Brianza and Varese (which has 3,309, 33 per 100 thousand inhabitants), followed by Trentino-Alto Adige (with 27.7 startups per 100 thousand inhabitants), Molise (26), Lazio (24.4) and Marche (23.5). On the other hand, Puglia (13.6 per 100 thousand inhabitants), Calabria (13.5), Liguria (13.4) and Sicily (with 12 companies per 100 thousand inhabitants), which precede Sardinia (10.4) are less “virtuous”.
As for the technological value and the production of eco-sustainable energy goods and services, Trentino-Alto Adige is the region with the highest percentage of innovative startups (24%), followed by Umbria (22%) and Campania (20%). They do not exceed 12% instead, Lombardy,Lazio and Sardinia.
Capital and value of the production of innovative startups
Granted that the growth of startups with an innovative character iscontinuous, it is true that these are small companies, about 60.4% has a production value of less than 100 thousand euros and a good 90% does not go beyond 500 thousand euros. Noteworthy numbers are also those relating to Italian employment in the field of innovative startups, at the end of 2019 the Mise report counted about 61,500 jobs (including members), today it is estimated a number that exceeds 75,000 employees.
As for the capital invested, however, 86% made use of amounts that do not exceed 50 thousand euros, under penalty of the poor Italian entrepreneurial culture when it comes to venture capital,as well as the fact of not being almost considered for investments by international economies.
Fortunately, equity crowdfunding,theraising of venture capital through the Internet, gives a positiveboost, which in June 2021 reached the amount of over 158 million euros.
As well as hoping that something will change for investment, however, we hope that politics will also facilitate the development of these innovative and employment realities.
