Italy’s ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy is launching a new incentive program offering up to €20,000 to eligible businesses and self-employed individuals. The €150 million fund aims to accelerate digital change and strengthen cybersecurity defenses for small- and medium-sized enterprises. while the program platform is ready, applications are currently on hold pending the publication of a list of authorized service providers, according to reporting from ascolinews.it.
A bonus of up to €20,000 is now available, but eligibility is limited to a specific category of professionals and businesses.
The Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy has allocated €150 million in new incentives aimed at supporting small businesses and self-employed individuals needing to upgrade their digital infrastructure. The program offers a bonus of up to €20,000, a significant aid package as the pace of digital transformation accelerates and cybersecurity becomes increasingly critical. This funding comes as businesses face growing pressure to modernize their systems and protect against evolving cyber threats.
Cloud and Cybersecurity Focus
The initiative is designed to encourage the adoption of modern cloud services and bolster cybersecurity levels, an area receiving increased government attention. To qualify, businesses must meet specific requirements and make a minimum investment. The bonus will cover up to 50% of expenses incurred, starting with a minimum investment of €4,000, with a maximum obtainable bonus of €20,000.
Eligible services include virtual machines, storage systems, data backups, managed databases, accounting software, and remote HR platforms. The program also covers expenses related to advanced cybersecurity measures, such as next-generation firewalls, advanced routers and switches with protective functions, professional antivirus and anti-malware software, network monitoring systems, and data encryption technologies.
Currently, the Ministry has not officially opened the application process, despite the dedicated platform being in place. The list of authorized providers must be published before applications can be accepted.
To access the incentive, businesses or self-employed individuals must have an internet connection with a minimum speed of 30 Mbps. This requirement ensures the effective operation of new cloud services and security tools. In addition to the internet speed requirement, a minimum investment of €4,000 is necessary to qualify for the contribution, which will cover a maximum of half the total expenditure. Projects funded must exclusively focus on cloud and cybersecurity, including new systems or advanced versions of existing solutions.
