Microcredit: new opportunities in 2025 with nearly 3,200 projects
33% of those who have taken advantage of it are under 35. 88% of the businesses that received funding are still in operation two years after receiving the loan
Key points
- The context
Small loans, up to a maximum of €40,000 for a business and €15,000 for a household, at very low interest rates or even interest-free, with no specific guarantees required except, in some cases, those provided by institutional bodies such as Caritas and, finally, granted to people excluded from traditional credit channels. This is the profile of social microcredit, a tool which, together with entrepreneurial microcredit, aims to increase the financial inclusion of that section of the population most vulnerable and fragile in terms of their ability to earn and generate income.
Originating in the world’s poorest countries, microcredit has, over time, spread to Europe as well. Now, a recent analysis sheds light on the situation in Italy. It was carried out by Triade, a spin-off born from a collaboration between the Politecnico di Milano and PerMicro, a company operating since 2007 founded by Oltre Venture and Fondazione Paideia, which currently counts among its partners entities from the credit sector such as Banca Etica and organisations such as the Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo.
The results
It thus emerged that in 2025, demand for financial inclusion continued to grow, with €38 million granted to 3,167 projects (+7.8% compared to 2024). Projects may be aimed either at developing small businesses, or at addressing basic needs such as the housing crisis, welfare and training. It is no coincidence that 33% of the businesses funded are led by young people under the age of 35 (+2 percentage points compared to 2024), one of the most vulnerable segments of the market alongside women and foreign nationals. In this sense, the study confirms the role of microcredit as an effective tool for combating precariousness: around 1,900 entrepreneurs have improved their working conditions and over 3,100 have seen an increase in their monthly income.
The benefits also extend to the public sector: the growth in income and consumption generated by these activities has led to an increase in tax revenue for the State, estimated at 130 million euros from income tax and consumption tax. Furthermore, the reduction in dependence on benefits has generated savings for the public purse amounting to €18.3 million.
Extending the analysis to previous years, the social impact measured by the study for the period 2009–2023 (for 2024, this will be assessed 24–36 months after disbursement) shows that there are 33,808 beneficiaries of the credit, including individuals and micro-enterprises, who were initially excluded from traditional banking channels. A total of 4,435 jobs have been created thanks to entrepreneurial activities, which have involved women, young people under 35 and foreign nationals. In total, approximately €260 million in loans has been disbursed.
