Lombardy investments, business development line: software in plans from EUR 100,000

What it offers

The measure belongs to the Lombardy Region and is run by Finlombarda. It has been open since 10:30 on 7 February 2024 until funds run out, and on 5 November 2026 Finlombarda shows it as open.

• a minimum investment of EUR 100,000, with at most EUR 3 million between grant and loan;
• a bank loan of up to EUR 2,850,000, over 6 to 12 half-yearly instalments;
• a free regional guarantee on 70% of each loan;
• a grant from 5% to 30%, depending on size, area and the aid scheme chosen.

What counts on the IT side

Software sits next to machinery, plant and hardware: software and licence purchases, and cloud and SaaS services for at most 12 months. Costs not written in the call are excluded, and websites and consulting are among them.

Costs, including the first binding order, must come after the application. The project must be finished within 15 months of the grant being published in the regional bulletin (BURL).

When it makes sense

This measure is for businesses renewing production or organisation with a large plan: new machines, servers, and the management software that ties them together. For a website or a small program the EUR 100,000 minimum is too high: look at the microcredit.

Custom management software is best described as an asset: what it does, who owns it, when it goes live. That's what the GBER asks of software, and the bank needs it too.

What I do

• custom business software for orders, production and stock, with the code and rights going to the business;
• integrations with the new machines and the programs that stay;
• a quote with invoices of at least EUR 1,000 and phases that fit in the 15 months.

What I don't do

I don't file the application or deal with the bank. This page summarises the call as updated on 2 February 2024, the FAQ of 7 August 2025 and the pages of Finlombarda and the Lombardy Region, as read on 5 November 2026. The call is the reference.

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply?

SMEs and mid-caps in the Companies Register, with an office in Lombardy, at least two filed financial statements or two tax returns and a class from 1 to 10 in the Central Guarantee Fund scoring. Self-employed professionals can't apply.

How big is the grant?

Across Lombardy up to 15% under de minimis, or under the EU block exemption (GBER) up to 15% for micro and small firms and 5% for medium firms. In the towns of Area 2, part of the provinces of Pavia, Lodi, Como and Sondrio, it reaches 30% for micro and small firms and 20% for medium firms. You can't ask for the grant alone: it comes with the loan.

Does custom software count?

Software and licence purchases count, and cloud and SaaS services for at most 12 months, but only under de minimis or GBER article 14. Under the GBER the software must be amortisable, bought from an outside supplier with no ties to the business and recorded as a fixed asset. Websites and consulting aren't eligible costs.

Can you be the supplier?

Yes, for the software: the call has no supplier list or location rule. It excludes suppliers linked to the business and self-invoicing. Each invoice must be at least EUR 1,000 before VAT.

Read more

• The service: Custom business web apps
• More pages like this: Italian grants and incentives for IT