Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Tajani: "The next few months will be characterized by great economic and social suffering and we must direct all available resources, including European ones, to support businesses and neighborhoods." In the year of the pandemic, over 10 million in support of community and employment activities. From 2012 to 2020, more than 45 million from the Municipality for the creation and development of 1.392 businesses

Milan, January 20 2021 – In the year of the pandemic, Milan strengthens its support for the creation and development of neighborhood activities, social enterprises and start-ups with over 10 million euros, fundamental realities for the growth and economic, social and inclusive evolution of the most exteriors of the city. In the last eight years, the funds made available by the Administration have amounted to over 45 million euros, which have allowed the creation and development of 1.392 businesses, as well as the support of businesses in difficulty such as in the case of shops that have suffered an impact from construction sites .

These are some of the data presented this morning by the councilor for employment policies, productive activities and trade, Cristina Tajani, during the online press conference in which the main interventions to support businesses during the Covid-19 emergency were illustrated .

“During 2020 – explained councilor Tajani – the Administration's strategy for business support focused on supporting existing realities, in particular local and neighborhood businesses, with a strong focus on those with social impact in the neighborhoods. The next few months will still be characterized by great economic and social suffering and we must direct all available resources, including those coming from the European Union, to accompany the city's economic and social fabric towards a restart that puts people, their needs, neighborhoods and environmental and social sustainability. To do this, we will soon make new calls for employment available and we are developing a broad civil economy program to support the neighborhoods and their economic fabric".

In recent years, through its provisions, the Administration has made over 45 million euros available: specifically 37,6 million for tenders and contributions intended for the creation of new businesses or to support businesses in difficulty; 7,2 million for the business incubators and accelerators present in the area - Polihub (ICT, Web, High tech), Base (creative start ups), FabriQ (Social innovation) and Milano Luiss hub for Makers&student; 1,1 million for the development of network services such as 65 coworking spaces, 3 spin-off spaces and 12 FabLabs.

The 1.392 new businesses supported by the Municipality have allowed the creation of over 11 thousand jobs, capable of generating a total turnover of over 1,4 billion euros, with an average of around 300 thousand euros per business.

In the midst of the Covid-19 emergency, the changing needs of cities, their inhabitants and businesses led the Administration to rethink, during 2020, its objectives immediately, aiming to incentivize and promote the development of an economy of proximity made up of support for neighborhood activities, home services, last mile logistics, zero km production as well as the development of new forms of coworking and nearworking as well as various social projects in the neighborhoods. All fundamental elements to intercept the new needs of living in Milan to create that 15-minute city model, the prerogative of the Milan 2020 document.

The investments of the 10,9 million euros planned for 2020 were concentrated on three thematic areas: 8,3 million (L. 266/97 funds; ERDF 2014-2020 and Mutual Aid Fund of the Municipality of Milan) were intended to support local activities and neighborhood shops; 1,55 million (PON Metro) for social innovation and support for ideas and projects born from the inhabitants of the neighborhoods; 1 million euros (Mutual Aid Fund) for innovative start-ups on services needed in times of pandemic.

Going into even more detail about the 8,3 million: 1 million and 175 thousand euros were allocated to the 'Next business' call for the creation and support of neighborhood shops, making available up to 25 thousand euros as a non-refundable grant, plus 25 thousand euros at a subsidized rate for those who have decided to open a new business (12 funded projects will start in 2021); 1 million and 200 thousand euros focused on the Lorenteggio area to create profit and non-profit businesses aimed at improving the quality of services and the commercial offer of the area (currently 8 projects will start, with 750 thousand euros still available for new projects to be presented by March 15th); 440 thousand euros from the M4 tender, allocated to support 56 commercial companies that were unable to use outdoor spaces due to the presence of construction sites; 5,5 million, coming from the Mutual Aid Fund, are intended for the stabilization of jobs for companies with up to 5 employees closed during the confinement.

A new tender is expected in 2021 which will use the 5 million still available as a cushion for any layoffs that may occur after March 31, the end of the state of emergency.

Of the 1,55 million euros for social innovation, 1 million will go to support the ideas of residents to improve neighborhood services and the quality of life in neighborhoods thanks to the 'School of Neighborhoods' project (108 candidate ideas, 39 projects were selected, 10 of which started at the end of 2020); of the remaining 550 thousand euros, the second edition of the civic crowdfunding is achieving great success, which has selected 20 social projects that will be financed thanks to microdonations from the Milanese. In just 2 months, the first 7 projects have already raised over 85 thousand euros thanks to 1.200 donors, another 13 projects will begin their fundraising at the end of January.