In today’s economy, staying competitive means investing in better technology. But for most small and medium-sized businesses, the cost of that investment is the biggest obstacle. Nuova Sabatini removes it.
Administered by the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy (MIMIT), this incentive helps Italian SMEs purchase new capital goods with government-backed interest subsidies – making modern machinery, digital tools, and sustainable technologies genuinely affordable.
What is Nuova Sabatini?
The concept is straightforward: your business takes out a bank loan or lease to fund a productive investment. The government then contributes an interest subsidy calculated at a preferential rate, significantly cutting the real cost of borrowing.
The result? Machinery, equipment, software, and digital infrastructure that might otherwise be out of reach become a viable business decision.
Who qualifies?
Any SME based in Italy and operating in a productive sector can apply – including agriculture and fishing. Only financial and insurance activities are excluded.
To be eligible, your company must:
- be registered in the Business Register
- not be in liquidation or financial difficulty
- have no outstanding EU aid repayments
A dedicated variant – Sabatini Capitalizzazione – is available to SMEs structured as corporations that combine new investments with a capital increase.
What can you invest in?
The program covers new assets intended for production use:
- machinery and industrial plant
- commercial and production equipment
- hardware and software
- digital technologies
Excluded: land, buildings, used or refurbished assets, and assets still under construction.
Two categories unlock higher subsidy rates:
- Industry 4.0 investments – digital transformation and automation
- Green investments – environmental sustainability and low-impact production
How the subsidy is calculated
Financing terms:
- loan or lease duration: up to 5 years
- investment amount: EUR 20,000 to EUR 4 million
- SME Fund guarantee: up to 80%
The MIMIT contribution is based on a reference interest rate that varies by investment type:
| Investment type | Reference rate |
| Standard investments | 2.75% |
| Industry 4.0 | 3.575% |
| Green investments | 3.575% |
| Sabatini Capitalizzazione – micro/small | 5% |
| Sabatini Capitalizzazione – medium | 3.575% |
Note: green investments require an environmental certification confirming the low impact of the asset or production process.
The process: six steps, no surprises
- Submit your application to your bank alongside the loan request.
- The bank verifies eligibility and requests a fund reservation from MIMIT.
- MIMIT confirms availability and approves the subsidy.
- The bank disburses the loan.
- You complete the investment and submit the RU form.
- The subsidy is paid out in annual installments – or as a lump sum for eligible prior applications.
Sabatini Capitalizzazione: a bonus for businesses that invest in themselves
Active since 2024, this variant rewards SMEs that strengthen their financial structure while making new productive investments. Carry out a qualifying capital increase alongside your investment, and you unlock the program’s highest subsidy rates: 5% for micro and small businesses, 3.575% for medium-sized ones.
It’s the only incentive that rewards both what you buy and how you fund your business.
Why this matters for Italian manufacturing
Over 90% of Italy’s manufacturing sector is made up of SMEs. For this backbone of the economy, Nuova Sabatini is one of the most practical and widely used tools available – because it delivers on what businesses actually need:
- lower cost of credit
- easier access to new technology
- support for digital and environmental transition
- stronger balance sheets
- a real competitive edge
If your business is planning its next investment, Nuova Sabatini is where that conversation should start.
