Profitable Small Business Ideas for Women in 2019
Female entrepreneurship: ideas for success are not lacking, but we must support them. As required by European directives, in fact, Member States must support and encourage female entrepreneurship and women ‘s presence in companies, starting from the top. Thus the Italian institutions provide women with a series of tax reliefs and allowances useful for entrepreneurial activity. Incubators, foundations and other private entities are also going in this direction.
Female entrepreneurship: ideas for success
How do you support female entrepreneurship? That is how do you accompany a young woman with winning ideas up to the creation of a successful company? The first step is to understand what kind of support is needed: a subsidized loan? A non-repayable loan? A partnership? Tax relief? To answer these questions it is necessary to set up a business plan, which is essential for any startup that does not run away.
A first step is to regularly consult the institutional sites that deal with the topic. For example the site of the European Network of Female Entrepreneurship Ambassadors, the website of the Ministry of Economic Development in the incentive section, the Department for Equal Opportunities, and that of the national Invitational agency.
Incentives and facilitation
What then are the main financial instruments to support the ideas of women entrepreneurs?
New zero-interest companies
New zero-interest companies is an instrument provided by Invitational. The law provides that micro and small companies composed mainly of women benefit from the subsidy. Companies, in the form of companies, must have been set up no more than 12 months after submitting their application. Women who intend to set up a company within 45 days of admission to the benefit can also participate. The benefits consist of zero-interest loans granted under the regime with a maximum duration of 8 years for an amount equal to 75% of the eligible expenditure. The investment project must have a maximum amount of 1.5 million euros to be realized within 24 months of the conclusion of the contract.
Smart & Start
This is another facilitation of Invitational, designed for women who want to develop a start-up in Italy, even if they are resident abroad or of foreign nationality). Smart & Start is also open to female entrepreneurs who have already set up an innovative start-up of no more than 48 months, a small size with a legal or operational office located in Italy. The facilities provide for a zero-interest loan amounting to 70% of eligible expenses. The aid rises to 80% if the innovative start-up is made up entirely of women and/or young people under 35 or requires the presence of at least one expert person. The facilities also provide technical-management tutoring services for startups established for less than 12 months. The investment programs must have an amount between € 100 thousand and € 1.5 million.
Guarantee Fund for SMEs
The Guarantee Fund for SMEs was established in 2013 by the Ministry of Equal Opportunities. It provides that the State should act as guarantor for the company for the loan granted. This type of facilitation is indicated for all those subjects, women in this case, who are not considered bankable but who need liquidity to give life to their business project. Small and medium-sized companies registered in the Register of Companies and possessing the requirements to be defined as female companies may request support from the Guarantee Fund. But also free professionals registered in the various professional orders. 50% of the fund is destined for female start-ups (companies that have started their business for less than 3 years).
Memorandum of understanding for the development and growth of companies with a predominantly female participation and self-employed workers
The Memorandum of Understanding for the development and growth of companies with a prevalent participation of women and self-employed workers is an “umbrella” initiative, aimed at female businesses or self-employed women, including professional freelances. The Protocol covers all sectors of activity. The banks and financial intermediaries participating in this deed undertake to set up a ceiling dedicated to implementing the following lines of intervention.
