Digital Transformation: 100 million for SMEs

By Renato Uggeri

The Digital Transformation initiative established under the Growth Decree is aimed at supporting the technological and digital transformation of the production processes of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, through projects aimed at implementing the enabling technologies identified in the 4.0 Enterprise National Plan, as well as other technologies related to digital technological solutions in the supply chain.
Eligible SMEs are the ones which: on the date of submission of the application, are registered as active in the Register of Enterprises; operate mainly or primarily in the manufacturing sector and/or in direct services to manufacturing enterprises and/or in the tourism sector and/or in the trade sector; have reached, in the financial year to which the last approved and deposited balance sheet refers, an amount of revenues from sales and services of at least 100,000 Euro; can provide at least two balance sheets approved and deposited at the Enterprise Register; are not subject to bankruptcy proceedings and are not in a state of bankruptcy, liquidation including voluntary liquidation, controlled administration, arrangement with creditors or any other equivalent situation under current legislation. SMEs meeting the requirements may submit (even jointly, provided there are no more than ten enterprises involved) projects carried out by means of a network contract or other forms of collaboration. This includes consortia and partnership agreements in which a DIH-digital innovation hub or an EDI-digital ecosystem for innovation, as referred to in the 4.0 Enterprise National Plan, appears as the lead promoter.
The projects must be carried out in a production unit of the proposing company located in Italy, and must envisage expenditure of between 50,000 and 500,000 Euro.