The fifth of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out in the 2030 Agenda concerns the achievement of Gender Equality: the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence as well as ensuring equal leadership opportunities for women.
The full emancipation of women at work is still far away, as demonstrated by the fact that only 28.2% of women hold managerial positions.
Furthermore, with reference to the world of start-ups, it is important to underline that in the United States, a privileged country for innovation, 71% of start-ups have an entirely male board (CariploFactory – Pow(h)er generation Report).
Unfortunately, Italy is also lagging behind in terms of gender equality: there are only one in five women-owned businesses. Despite the fact that it has been highlighted several times that female-led start-ups are more likely to receive investment, because they are more oriented towards identifying market needs and seizing new business opportunities, women still report difficulties in finding funding for their projects.
The question we should ask ourselves at this point is: what can be done to promote and support women’s enterprises?
One can, for example, promote regulations to facilitate women-led businesses. In Italy, for the first time, the Ministry of Economic Development has just set up a fund of 200,000 euros for women who want to start new businesses or strengthen existing ones. The Fund has €160 million in PNRR funds, which supplemented the €40 million already allocated by the 2021 Budget Law. Starting in May, applications can be submitted to request non-repayable grants and subsidised loans from women’s businesses (understood as businesses with a majority of women and self-employed workers) with registered and/or operational headquarters located in Italy.
The Fund joins incentives, already launched and recently refinanced, which include forms of support applicable to female entrepreneurship, such as:
Imprese ON: ON – Oltre Nuove imprese a tasso zero for young people and women who want to become entrepreneurs. The facilities are valid throughout Italy and provide a mix of zero-interest financing and outright grants for business projects with expenses up to EUR 3 million, which can cover up to 90% of the total eligible expenses;
Smart&Start: Smart&Start Italia is the incentive that supports the birth and growth of innovative startups established no more than 60 months previously and registered in the special section of the company register/ teams of individuals who want to set up an innovative startup in Italy/ foreign companies that undertake to establish at least one office in Italy.
BizPlace works to support women’s businesses in obtaining subsidised funding by assisting them in the process of applying for funds and/or incentives.
If you need clarification or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact us!
The BizPlace Team
