Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Since the beginning of the year, 4 million euros have been invested in the development and economic support of decentralized neighborhoods

Milan, August 5 2020 – Prevent the commercial impoverishment of the suburbs following the Covid emergency through support for local businesses and neighborhood shops, capable of improving the quality of life and services in areas outside the city centre. This is the objective of "Next business 2020", the provision that makes over 1,1 million euros available to commercial and artisan businesses, with a shop window on the street, which operate in the less central areas of Milan: from the Adriano district in Gratosoglio, from Quarto Oggiaro to Lambrate, passing through Barona and Bovisa up to Lorenteggio and Vigentino.

A measure that is part of the broader program that the Administration has put in place since the beginning of the year to support the development of the less central neighborhoods of the city and which sees investments of 4 million euros: 1 million through the project " School of neighborhoods", 1,2 million expressly dedicated to the businesses of Lorenteggio and Giambellino, 500 thousand euros aimed at civic crowdfunding projects to which is added 1,1 million from the Prossimaimpresa call for support for businesses in the decentralized areas of Milan.

During the previous edition of the Next Enterprise call, 38 entrepreneurial projects passed the selection process to access funding: 24 presented by aspiring entrepreneurs and 14 by existing businesses. Following the climate of uncertainty generated by the Covid emergency, these projects had to delay their start, expected in the first months of the year. To support the resumption of economic activities after the lockdown, the Administration also decided to stipulate an agreement with the Ambrosiano Welfare Foundation for the issue of guarantee bonds in favor of the winners of the previous edition of the tender, with a maximum value of 25 thousand euros for a single project. The aim is to ensure that these worthy projects can quickly obtain the guarantees necessary to start activities and are not forced to give up financing.

“In this new edition of Next Enterprise – declares the councilor for Labor Policies, Productive Activities and Commerce Cristina Tajani – we have decided to allocate the funds not to the creation of new entrepreneurial realities but to the support of neighborhood activities and businesses already existing, which in these months of lockdown have been most affected by the effects of the pandemic. We want to enhance those small neighborhood businesses that are at the center of the economic life of each neighborhood. To do this, since the beginning of the year as an Administration we have made available, through various tenders, more than 4 million euros to support and encourage the social and economic development of the decentralized neighborhoods of the city, convinced that wherever there is business, services of sociality and aggregation there is a concrete possibility of a better quality of life in the area and for its residents".

The “Next business 2020” tender, which will be published tomorrow on the Municipality's website and is created in collaboration with the Milan Monza Brianza Lodi Chamber of Commerce, renews the Administration's commitment to wanting to create an ecosystem in the city area conducive to growth and development of businesses in the various fields of manufacturing and new craftsmanship up to modern hybrid activities that combine sales and administration activities with experiential activities linked to the territory. Small and dynamic commercial or artisanal businesses which today more than ever can constitute vital elements useful for limiting the depressive effects of the pandemic on the economy and sociality, as well as representing true lights and safeguards of legality and healthy entrepreneurship in the most disadvantaged areas of Milan. Entrepreneurial projects may concern any type of business, from crafts to trade, through personal and community services. Additional rewards are foreseen for projects proposed by aspiring women entrepreneurs in order to encourage female entrepreneurship.

The resources made available for the implementation of the "Next company" tender derive from ministerial funds disbursed thanks to law 266/97, which support companies located in urban areas characterized by particular socio-economic degradation.

Specifically, the resources made available which amount to 1,1 million euros will be used to provide non-repayable contributions up to 25% of the overall expenditure in addition to a subsidized rate loan, for the other 25%, for a total amount not exceeding 50 thousand euros for each individual project.

Chamber of Commerce of Milan Monza Brianza Lodi