For years, there has been a focus on innovative startups, together with their establishment and development, while innovative SMEs have been a less popular topic. Not many people know that in Italy, there is a specific regulation aimed at distinguishing innovative startups from innovative SMEs and that such regulation extends many of the advantages granted to innovative startups also to innovative SMEs. There is a register of innovative SMEs, which included 204 businesses in June 2016, while there are 640 registered entities now. “The problem is that such 640 registered businesses are just a small part of the total number of Italian innovative SMEs. Many of them are not registered, despite having the required characteristics, because they are unaware of this opportunity”, stated Alessandro Dragonetti, promoter of the Open Innovative PMI project.
“The aim of our project is to analyse the innovative SMEs segment and also promote its potential”, he continued. Open Innovative PMI is a multidisciplinary project: it is an information site and an observatory on SMEs, as well as an award dedicated to innovative and dynamic businesses keen to grow. “The regulatory focus on this sector in Italy is outstanding”, commented Alessandro Dragonetti, “and is based on the Italian economic structure, characterized by a high number of SMEs. Next step is to spread the SME model in order to exploit their potential”.
From Milano Finanza n. 192 published on 30 September 2017
The Open Innovative PMI award promotes Italian innovation
