Italy suspends Scoperta imprenditoriale II R&D grants after one day

Italy suspends Scoperta imprenditoriale II R&D grants after one day

8 October 2026: Italy's enterprise ministry has stopped taking applications for Scoperta imprenditoriale II, its research and development grant scheme for southern Italy, because the money has run out. A directorial decree issued the next day suspends submissions with immediate effect. The scheme's own page says applications opened at 10:00 on 7 October, so the window lasted about a day.

The ministry set the budget at 505,801,524.89 euros under a ministerial decree of 19 May 2026, paid from the Fondo per la crescita sostenibile. Of that, 60% was reserved for projects from small and medium-sized enterprises and business networks, and a quarter of the reserved share went to micro and small firms.

Eligible projects had to be carried out in the less developed regions and fit the national smart specialisation strategy, or help identify new technology paths within it. They had to cost between 1 million and 5 million euros and last between 18 and 36 months. Work could not begin before the application was filed and had to start within three months of the grant.

Applicants also had to work together. A joint project could have at most three proponents, at least one of them an SME, each bearing at least 10% of eligible costs. A single SME could apply alone if it brought in independent outside research services worth at least 10% of the total cost. Eligible beneficiaries were industrial, agro-industrial and craft businesses with at least two approved annual accounts, plus research centres. Research bodies, farms and industrial service firms could join as co-proponents.

The ministry says a notice about the decree is being published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale. Its pages do not say whether more funds will be added or the window reopened.

Sources

• MIMIT: Decreto direttoriale 8 ottobre 2026, Scoperta imprenditoriale II, sospensione dei termini, 8 October 2026
• MIMIT: Scoperta imprenditoriale II (2026), scheme page, 8 October 2026