Self-employment for young entrepreneurs: €800 million in incentives: how to get them

One year after the Cohesion Decree , measures for self-employment and self-employment among young people have been unblocked. On July 12, Ministers Marina Calderone, Tommaso Foti, and Giancarlo Giorgetti signed the implementing decree required by Articles 17 and 19 of the Cohesion Decree (Legislative Decree 60/2024) and forwarded it to the supervisory bodies.

This is an €800 million package to support new businesses, freelance professionals, and individual projects throughout Italy. The allocated resources are intended for NEETs, the unemployed, and young entrepreneurs , with tools such as the European Social Fund, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), and the collaboration of the National Institute for Microcredit.

The Ministry of Labor also announced that the implementing decree will be presented this week, during which the available tools and how to access the measures will be explained in detail.

Incentives for entrepreneurs: €800 million to engage more young people

The Ministry of Labor described the initiative as a coordinated effort to increase the participation of young people, particularly NEETs and the unemployed, in the workforce by supporting innovative ideas and business startups with training programs, mentoring, and financial contributions. Calderone also emphasized that the measure supports generational turnover in businesses and self-employment, aiming to strengthen skills and quality.

According to the Minister for Cohesion Policies, Tommaso Foti, the Government has allocated 800 million to promote inclusion and employment , of which 700 come from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and the remaining 100 from the PNRR within the Gol programme.

Who can access aid

The beneficiaries are young people under 35 who are unemployed, inactive, or experiencing social marginalization. The National Microcredit Agency will collaborate by offering orientation and training programs, along with grants to start professional, self-employed, or entrepreneurial activities, in all Italian regions.

How much are the contributions worth?

The Cohesion Decree (Legislative Decree 60/2024) strengthened and expanded benefits for categories considered furthest from the labor market. There are two operational tools:

• Self-employment in Central and Northern Italy;
• I'm staying in the South 2.0”.

Both are aimed at inactive young people or beneficiaries of the Gol program. They will receive a voucher for the initial phase , tutoring and support services, and non-repayable grants for entrepreneurial projects.

Specifically, Autoimpiego Centro Nord Italia provides up to €30,000 for start-up goods and services, a figure that can rise to €40,000 for investments in technology, digitalization, and sustainability. For investments between €120,000 and €200,000, the grant covers up to 60% of the total.

For the southern regions, Resto al Sud 2.0 provides an initial voucher of €40,000, which can reach €50,000 for innovative expenses. Non-repayable grants range up to 75% for programs under €120,000, decreasing to 70% for higher expenses.

How many people could participate?

The estimated target audience is approximately 15,000 beneficiaries , with over 65% concentrated in the South. The expected average contribution is around 40,000 euros, taking into account the co-financing quota that each recipient will have to provide based on the location of their business initiative.