Funding for female entrepreneurs

Female entrepreneurship 2022: non-repayable fund and subsidized loans

The Women's Enterprise Fund is a key intervention of the Ministry of Economic Development which aims to encourage women to enter the business world, through non-repayable grants and subsidized loans. The goal is to support at least 2400 female businesses, facilitating the implementation of innovative entrepreneurial projects, supporting female startups through mentoring, technical-managerial assistance and work-life balance measures, creating a favorable cultural climate that enhances female entrepreneurship through accompanying measures, monitoring and communication campaigns.

How does the Female Enterprise Fund work?

The Women's Enterprise Fund finances investment programs to be implemented within two years and with a ceiling of eligible expenses set at 250,000 euros for new businesses and up to 400,000 euros for existing ones.

The benefits of the Women's Business Fund are divided into two areas:

Non-repayable grant for new businesses

For new businesses, these are non-repayable grants that:

within eligible expenses of 100,000 euros, they cover 80% up to a maximum of 50,000 euros. For unemployed women, the maximum coverage rate rises to 90%
entro spese ammissibili superiori a 100.000 euro e fino a 250.000 euro, la copertura scende al 50%

Incentives to support existing businesses

for companies established for at least one year and a maximum of 3 years, the benefits can be 50% as a "non-repayable contribution" and for another 50% as an 8-year "subsidized loan" at zero interest, to cover up to 80% of eligible expenses. The maximum ceiling is 400,000 euros;
for companies that are more than 3 years old, working capital expenses are facilitated only with the “non-repayable grant”, while investment ones also with the “subsidized loan”. The maximum limit is always equal to 400,000 euros.

The loan, with a maximum duration of 8 years, is interest-free and is not backed by forms of guarantee.

What the 2022 Women's Enterprise Fund finances

Expenses are eligible for:

tangible and intangible fixed assets
cloud services functional to the backbone processes of business management
employees and working capital needs

The concessions are granted for investment programs for the establishment and start-up of a new female business in these sectors:

production of goods in the sectors of industry, crafts and processing of agricultural products;
provision of services, in any sector;
trade and tourism.

The initiatives must be carried out within twenty-four months from the date of transmission of the provision for granting the facilities.

Who is the Women's Enterprise Fund 2022 for?

The Female Enterprise Fund is intended for nascent or existing women's businesses, in particular it is aimed at 4 categories of beneficiaries:

cooperatives and partnerships with at least 60% female members.
joint stock company with at least two thirds of women shares and members of the Board of Directors.
sole proprietorships whose owner is a woman
self-employed workers who submit the opening of the VAT number within 60 days of the positive communication of the evaluation of the application.

How to access the Funds for women's entrepreneurship 2022

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