EU funds, Liguria Region's 4 million call for SMEs going public

Accompanying small and medium-sized enterprises in the Liguria region in their path towards listing on the stock markets. A new measure promoted by the Liguria Region and significantly named 'Quota Liguria' has been conceived with this objective in mind. With an initial endowment of 4 million euro, to be allocated from the Pr (Regional Plan) Fesr 2021-2027, the measure will allow interested companies to submit an application, starting from 15 September 2025, by accessing the Bandi on line portal of Filse, the regional finance company (but the offline procedure, to allow companies to have a first taste of the procedure, will be available from 21 July).

Quota Liguria envisages non-repayable contributions of up to 50% of the costs incurred by enterprises, and grants of up to EUR 600,000 for the activities required for admission to listing and for related expenses over the following three years. It also represents an innovative measure on the national stage. Although Lombardy has already implemented a similar project, Liguria is the first region in Italy to have a specific regional regulation, Bill 67, approved by the Regional Council last May, entirely dedicated to the promotion of capitalisation and listing processes of Ligurian SMEs on the stock exchange.

"With Quota Liguria," said the President of the Region, Marco Bucci, at the event for the presentation of the measure, "we are offering our companies a concrete tool to successfully address the strategic transition to the capital markets. It is an innovative model that strengthens the financial autonomy of companies and supports their competitiveness, without depending exclusively on bank credit. Listing on the stock exchange means growing, investing, internationalising: a development opportunity for the entire economic system' of the territory.

This measure, added the delegated councillor for Economic Development, Alessio Piana, 'is a concrete opportunity to strengthen the assets of Ligurian SMEs, especially in a region like ours, where more than 90% of companies are small. We want to help companies make a qualitative leap, supporting them in accessing financial markets with contributions, up to EUR 600,000, non-repayable. A strategic step to generate positive spin-offs in terms of employment, innovation, and attractiveness of the territory'.

The presentation meeting, attended by a number of entrepreneurs and representatives of the business world, was attended by Elettra Pescetto, listing senior account manager at Borsa Italiana - Euronext group, who illustrated the opportunities offered by the European stock markets, with a focus on Euronext growth Milan, the market dedicated to SMEs, which currently has 204 listed companies and over EUR 6 billion raised in IPOs. Liguria has nine companies already listed. Of these, three (Racing Force Group, Fos, and Edge Lab) participated in the event, sharing with the audience their experience on the path they have taken to land on the capital market.