Digital export bonus plus

“Digital Export Bonus” returns for businesses, this time in the “Plus” version with higher amounts

The so-called Digital Export Bonus is back for companies—this time in a “Plus” version, offering larger amounts compared to previous editions. Managed by Invitalia and promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation together with the ICE Agency, the initiative supports micro and small manufacturing companies based in Italy that invest to increase exports and thus improve the national trade balance between imports and exports.

“The incentive,” explains Invitalia, “supports micro manufacturing enterprises in their internationalization activities through the acquisition of digital solutions for export”: a national support for those small companies, the cornerstone of Made in Italy, that are opening up abroad through dedicated solutions and investments.

The Digital Export Bonus Plus offers very attractive amounts. The contribution is granted under the “de minimis” regime, with the following amounts:

€10,000 for companies, against eligible expenses not lower than €12,500 (excluding VAT);
€22,500 for networks and consortia, against eligible expenses not lower than €25,000 (excluding VAT).

The contribution is disbursed in a single installment following the reporting of expenses incurred. Eligible expenses include:

E-commerce systems and related services (e.g., smart payment);
Communication, information, and promotion strategies for the digital export channel;
Digital marketing aimed at developing internationalization activities (including SEO, SEM, strengthening on social media channels, lead generation and lead nurturing costs);
CMS services and website redesign;
Registration and/or subscription to SaaS platforms;
Consulting services for the development of organizational processes and human capital aimed at increasing foreign market presence;
Hardware upgrades.

From e-commerce to communication services, from CMS to hardware: a wide and varied range of options designed to provide micro enterprises with all the essential tools to support the promotion and sale of their products or services beyond national borders.

This is a crucial opportunity for Italian businesses because, due to long-standing cultural barriers, there is often excessive resistance to entering foreign markets. This is especially true for small enterprises, which too often lack the human and material resources to face this challenge. The Digital Export Bonus Plus goes beyond these chronic limitations of Italian companies, lowers the barriers to entering export markets, and increases opportunities for connecting international demand with national production.

Requirements

To apply, you must be a small manufacturing company (also in the form of networks or consortia). This requirement is verified by holding an ATECO C code.

You must also have the following essential business tools:

a digital identity (primarily SPID);
a digital signature;
a certified email address (PEC).

Through SPID, you can access the reserved area to fill in the online application. Alternatively, you can fill in the specific form for the contribution request and send it via PEC to: bonusexportdigitaleplus@postacert.invitalia.it.

Once again, tools such as SPID and PEC are central in the relationship between companies and the Public Administration: the former certifies the identity of a person or company, the latter enables certified communication between parties. The digital signature completes the process by certifying the signatory’s consent to the content of the forms. With these three tools in place, applications can be submitted, and in a short time, investments worth thousands of euros can be supported by substantial government funding.

Applicant companies must have fewer than 50 employees and an annual turnover not exceeding €10 million. They must have their registered or operational headquarters in Italy, be registered in the Business Register, and, of course, be fully compliant with tax obligations.

Purchases, limits, and reporting

Purchases can be made from suppliers registered in the list of providers of digital solutions for export. For transparency and traceability, each expense justification and payment document must indicate the Unique Project Code, which is received upon acceptance of the application.

Pay attention to deadlines: from February 13, 2024, applications for the incentive can be submitted, but the final deadline is April 12, 2024. Companies that participated in the same initiative in 2022/23 can also apply, provided they have already completed the reporting of the previous project.

All details of the call are available online, and the email address bonusexportdigitaleplus@postacert.invitalia.it is available to clarify any doubts.

So, prepare your SPID, Digital Signature, PEC, and creativity: foreign markets are famously hungry for Made in Italy, and with this particular incentive, it will be much easier and more cost-effective to get equipped for that purpose.