The Lombardy Region is funding the recruitment of PhD graduates in SMEs through the ‘Talenti’ scheme
The scheme supports businesses in Lombardy with non-repayable grants to recruit highly qualified staff and promote innovation and technology transfer. Guido Guidesi, Councillor for Economic Development, said: “We are retaining talent to strengthen the competitiveness of our businesses.”
Applications are now open for the regional call for proposals “Talenti – Knowledge Transfer”, the scheme through which the Lombardy Region is making €7 million available to support businesses on their path to innovation by bringing in highly qualified expertise. The scheme, approved by the Regional Executive on the proposal of the Councillor for Economic Development Guido Guidesi, in consultation with the Councillor for Universities, Research and Innovation Alessandro Fermi, aims to strengthen the link between the world of research and the manufacturing sector, promoting the transfer of knowledge and technology to businesses in Lombardy.
The scheme is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises in Lombardy that are duly incorporated and active, with at least one operational site within the region. The aim is to support companies in developing new, innovative processes, products and services through the recruitment of highly qualified staff.
Each company will be eligible for the subsidy for only one recruitment, whether on a permanent or fixed-term basis, provided that the contract is signed after the measure comes into force. Employees must hold a PhD and must have completed, no more than twelve months previously, a fixed-term contract with a research organisation in the field of scientific research.
“This is a new initiative through which the Lombardy Region continues to invest in young talent and the competitiveness of businesses. We want to bring together the wealth of expertise developed through research with the needs of the manufacturing sector, strengthening the Region’s role as a ‘bridge’ between young talent and the companies that turn innovation into growth and development,” explains Guidesi.
The scheme provides a non-repayable grant amounting to 70 per cent of the costs for permanent appointments and 60 per cent for fixed-term appointments. The subsidy is calculated on the basis of the gross annual staff costs and can amount to up to 56,000 euros for permanent contracts, payable for a maximum of 24 months, and up to €48,000 for fixed-term contracts, with support available for up to 12 months.
