The Women’s Enterprise Fund is a key component of Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), this fund provides financial support, mentoring, and technical-managerial assistance to women-led startups and existing enterprises. The fund allocates targeted resources to women entrepreneurs through a streamlined application process. It also offers capacity-building workshops and one-on-one mentoring sessions to enhance entrepreneurial skills and foster sustainable business growth. It strengthened women’s startups, increased access to resources for female entrepreneurs, and contributed to greater gender parity in Italy’s entrepreneurial landscape.
Smart&Start Italia aimed at supporting the creation and growth of innovative startups with a strong technological focus. The program prioritizes startups led by women and youth under 35 and provides interest-free loans covering up to 80% of eligible expenses, along with additional benefits for startups composed entirely of women or young individuals. It boosted the number of innovative startups in Italy, increased gender parity in the tech sector and is effective in regions with a robust tech infrastructure and a focus on fostering innovation among women and youth.
illimitHER is a project by the high-tech banking group illimity, illimitHER aims to empower young women by promoting STEM culture and female leadership skills. It fosters inclusivity and diversity in the tech and fintech sectors. The initiative collaborates with schools, universities, and organizations to host workshops, mentorship programs, and leadership training. It also creates an ecosystem that connects participants with industry leaders and role models and boosts women’s participation in tech/fintech and creates a network of female professionals.It is adaptable to other regions looking to foster STEM and leadership skills among women. Requires collaboration between educational institutions and industry stakeholders.
Fondo di Garanzia per le PMI is a government initiative to facilitate access to credit for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a dedicated section for women-led companies. Active since 2014, the fund guarantees loans for women-led SMEs, reducing financial risk for lenders and increasing credit access for entrepreneurs. It operates through partnerships with financial institutions. It improved credit access for women entrepreneurs, enabling them to start and grow businesses with reduced financial barriers. It is suitable for regions with SME-focused policies. Requires collaboration with financial institutions and clear eligibility criteria.
Intesa Sanpaolo, one of Italy’s leading banking groups, has dedicated resources to supporting female entrepreneurs, including those in fintech, as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). The bank allocated a €500 million ceiling for women-led initiatives, offering tailored financial products, mentoring programs, and access to business networks. It also supports startups aligned with fintech and innovation goals. The program boosted entrepreneurial capacity among women, facilitated access to financial resources, and supported innovative business ventures in fintech and beyond.
