The continuous growth of innovative startups and SMEs is driving the recovery and the digital transition in Italy. According to the report on the fourth quarter 2021 of the Ministry of Economic Development with Unioncamere, InfoCamere and Mediocredito Centrale, the innovative startups registered in the special section of the Register of Companies were 14,077, with a share capital increase compared to the third quarter (+24.5 million euros, +2.68%), which averaged around 65.000 euros per company. In this growth, the digitalisation process leaves a significant mark. 75.7% of innovative startups provide services to companies in digital specialisations: 38.5% software production and IT consulting, 14.3% R&D and 8.9% information services activities. Even 16% of innovative startups operating in manufacturing are mainly concerned with technology, in particular 2.9% manufacturing of machinery, while 2.3% manufacture of computers and electronic and optical products.
In this Ministry of Economic Development analysis, it emerges how the Guarantee Fund for SMEs remains a fundamental tool for supporting innovative startups: in the fourth quarter of 2021 the Fund managed 746 operations for a total of loans potentially mobilised in the quarter around 150 million euros. From 2013 to 2021 the operations managed by the Fund are 14,540, with a total amount of funding potentially mobilised that exceeds 2.5 billion euros, while a total of 6,888 innovative Startups benefiting from funding (less than the number of guaranteed transactions because some have received more than one loan).
The Guarantee Fund was also fundamental for innovative SMEs: lending operations were about 300 more than in the previous quarter, involving 1,324 companies. The total amount mobilised is over 1.5 billion euros.