Guide for companies

Digitalisation vouchers and grants: how to actually use them

Updated August 2026

Italy funds SME digitalisation more generously than most companies realise: chamber of commerce and regional grants often cover 50% of the spend, non-repayable, with ceilings ranging from €10,000 up to €40,000 and beyond depending on the call. The problem is not finding them — it is that most companies use them backwards: they start from the grant and look for something to buy, instead of starting from the problem and using the grant to solve it at half price. This guide explains the mechanism, which software expenses qualify and how to prepare an application that passes.

Calls open and close constantly: exact percentages, ceilings and deadlines must be checked on the active call in your region or chamber of commerce, together with your accountant or a grants consultant. What does not change — and what you find here — is how the project is built.

The map of the grants (who gives what)

Names change; the families are four. Almost every Italian SME has access to at least one of them at any time of year.

Chamber of commerce digital vouchers

The most accessible: non-repayable grants typically at 50–70% for digitalisation projects, with ceilings from €5,000 to €20,000 depending on the chamber. They come out almost every year, first come first served: whoever has the project ready when they open, wins.

Regional calls

Larger: non-repayable funding often at 50% with ceilings reaching €40,000 and beyond for digital transformation projects — ERP software, e-commerce, process integration. Each region has its own timing and rules.

National incentives

The tax credit for intangible assets, Nuova Sabatini for financed investments, the 4.0/5.0 incentives for interconnected machinery. Less “voucher”, more structural: they often combine with local calls.

Internationalisation funds

For exporters: subsidised loans with non-repayable portions for foreign e-commerce, international digital marketing and digital tools for foreign markets.

Which software expenses qualify

Eligible items vary call by call, but the core is surprisingly stable: it is almost always developer work.

Management software: new, bespoke, or extending the existing one.
E-commerce with warehouse and accounting integration.
Business apps for customers, agents or field technicians.
System integration: the bridge between ERP, production, logistics and sales.
Cloud and migration from obsolete servers.
Cybersecurity: backups, access control, data protection.
Digital consulting and training tied to the project.

With a 50% grant, a €30,000 bespoke ERP costs €15,000. That is the same money others spend on a standard product they then bend the company around. This is where the grant makes the real difference: not making the wrong solution cheaper, but making the right one possible.

How to prepare an application that passes

Rejected applications all look alike: vague project, generic quote, supplier found at the last minute. Approved ones do too.

1. Project first, call second

Define what you want to digitalise and why — the problem, not the technology. A clear project adapts quickly to any call; a closing deadline has never turned a confused idea into a good project.

2. The quote is the key document

Almost every call requires detailed quotes from qualified suppliers: itemised costs, timelines, technical description. A well-written quote from a serious developer is worth more than ten pages of narrative — and it is the first thing evaluators read.

3. Supplier identified before applying

Someone has to produce that quote, and after approval the delivery deadlines are binding. Looking for the developer after winning the grant means picking the first one available, in a hurry: the most expensive mistake of the whole journey.

4. Invoices, payments and reporting

Non-repayable funds arrive after reporting: supplier invoices, traceable payments, a final report. Build it into the developer’s contract from the start — working with an Italian VAT-registered professional keeps everything simple.

The mistakes that burn the grant

Buying “something digital” because the call is open: 50% off a useless expense is still a useless expense.
Inflated quotes to “absorb” the grant: evaluators recognise them, and off-market costs are paid back at audit time.
Starting without a supplier and searching after approval, with the call’s deadlines running.
Ignoring the reporting phase: an approved grant is not a collected grant — without proper invoices and payments, it is lost.
Forgetting maintenance: the call funds the build, but software needs maintaining afterwards. Budget it outside the grant.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a digitalisation voucher cover?

It depends on the call: chamber vouchers typically cover 50–70% with ceilings of €5,000–20,000; regional calls often reach 50% with ceilings up to €40,000 and beyond. The exact figures are on the active call in your territory: your chamber of commerce and region are the first two places to look.

Does bespoke software qualify?

Almost always yes, and it is often the most sensible item: bespoke ERPs, e-commerce, apps and integrations are typical eligible expenses. Some calls require the supplier to meet certain requirements (VAT registration, sometimes certifications): check the call text.

Can a freelancer be the supplier?

In most calls, yes: what is required is a VAT-registered supplier issuing proper invoices, not necessarily a company. A detailed quote and orderly invoicing matter more than the legal form.

How long between application and payout?

Roughly: weeks for approval in first-come-first-served calls, months in ranked ones; then the project must be delivered within the set timeframe (often 12–18 months) and the grant arrives after reporting. Plan the cash flow: you pay first, collect the grant later.

How do I get a proper quote to attach to the application?

Describe the project once — problem, processes to digitalise, existing systems, budget — and have several developers price the same scope. On Araknet you post it anonymously and receive comparable offers with price and timeline: the perfect basis for the application, and a supplier already lined up when the call opens.

A call on the horizon? Start from the quote

Post the project anonymously on Araknet and receive detailed quotes from Italian freelance developers: the basis of your grant application, and a supplier ready before the call opens.

Post the project