Brazil-Italy-Europe Observatory  ·  🇧🇷 🇮🇹 🇪🇺

Opportunities Map Brazil-Italy-Europe
A fortnightly benchmark of tenders and funding in Italy for Brazilian start-ups and SMEs

Period: 16/08 to 01/09 2026 Published: 1 September 2026 (version with links verified) Previous edition: 16 August 2026

🔄 What has changed since the edition of 16/08/2026

The main news in this round is the RAMP, Raw Materials Partnership, Joint Transnational Call 2026, the first European call mapped by this series in which a Brazilian entity can be funded inside a European consortium without a base in the European Union, because Brazil takes part as a funding country through CONFAP and EMBRAPII. The pre-proposal deadline is 22 September 2026 at 15:00. The second significant item is the Regione Lombardia Bando Sviluppo Tecnologico Startup Innovative, worth €15.6 million in grants, which opens on 28 September and whose text expressly admits companies not resident in Italy, provided they declare their intention to register in the special section for innovative start-ups by the first request for disbursement. It is the most accessible regional instrument recorded in this series so far. Checking the documents for this edition also corrected three earlier readings: the Invitalia sportello of 10/09 is a training measure restricted to seven regions of southern Italy, not a general instrument; the Fondo di contrasto alla deindustrializzazione, which opens on 28/09, is limited to specified areas of Lazio and Marche; and the Lazio Pre-Seed 3.0 closed on 13/04/2026 once its funds ran out. The Italian core is unchanged: Smart&Start, Contratto di Sviluppo, Invest in Italy / ZES Unica and SIMEST Fondo 394 are open with no change in conditions. The EIC Accelerator cut-off of 02/09/2026 falls tomorrow; the next, and last of 2026, is 04/11/2026.

❌ Closed

No core instrument closed between 16/08 and 01/09. It has been confirmed that Pre-Seed 3.0 (Lazio Innova) shut at 18:00 on 13/04/2026 once its €3 million had run out. Still closed are the Bando Regionale Lazio Attrazione Investimenti (05/03/2026), ICE's Global Startup Program (31/05/2026) and the Emilia-Romagna Bando Internazionalizzazione (13/03/2026).

✅ Still open

Smart&Start Italia (rolling, a sportello) · Contratto di Sviluppo (rolling) · Invest in Italy / ZES Unica (ZES in force until 2028) · SIMEST Fondo 394 (rolling until 31/12/2026, subsidised rate of 0.319%) · EIC Accelerator (cut-off 02/09/2026, tomorrow; then 04/11/2026) · CDP Venture Capital's national accelerator network (rolling calls).

🆕 New in this edition

RAMP JTC 2026, with Brazil among the funding countries, pre-proposal on 22/09 · Lombardy, Sviluppo Tecnologico Startup Innovative, €15.6m, 28/09 to 25/11, open to non-resident companies · Invitalia, Sviluppo competenze specialistiche delle PMI, 10/09 to 21/12, restricted to the south · Fondo di contrasto alla deindustrializzazione 2026, 28/09 to 28/11, Lazio and Marche · CONFAP MCI 2026, deadline 04/09 · CDP's accelerator network · SIMEST Line A, digitalisation, expected on 13/10 · a warning on reciprocity in Italian public tenders.

📊 Opportunities at a glance

✅ Direct Brazilian access⚠️ Through an EU corporate structure🔗 Through an EU partner in the consortium 🏢 Through an Italian subsidiary🤝 Self-funded (associated partner)🆕 New in this edition
ProgrammeDescriptionCategoryType of supportDeadlineAmountOrganisationInfoAccess for Brazilian companies
📋 National and regional instruments
Smart&Start Italia
Invitalia / MIMIT
 Zero-interest finance for technology business plans from innovative start-ups, open to foreign companies that establish an operating base in Italy 📋 GeneralTech product, service or platform Zero-interest repayable loan plus a partial grant Rolling SPORTELLO OPEN €100,000 to €1.5 million Invitalia / MIMIT ↗ Smart&Start ✅ Yes, with an Italian base
Sviluppo Tecnologico Startup Innovative🆕 NEW
Regione Lombardia / PR FESR 2021-2027
 An 80% grant for technology development projects by early-stage innovative start-ups, from prototype to industrial validation. The text admits companies not resident in Italy 📋 GeneralR&D / prototyping / validation Grant (80%) 28/09/2026 (10:00) to 25/11/2026 (15:00) OPENS IN 27 DAYS €120,000 to €1 million (€1.5m in an assisted area); budget of €15,637,408.95 Regione Lombardia ↗ Sviluppo Tecnologico Startup 🏢 Yes, with an operating base in Lombardy
Contratto di Sviluppo
Invitalia / MIMIT
 Finance for large productive investment programmes (industry, agri-industry, tourism, environmental protection). Minimum investment of €20 million, reduced to €7.5 million in specific cases 📋 GeneralProductive investment Capital and expenditure grants plus a subsidised loan Rolling From €20 million of investment upwards Invitalia / MIMIT ↗ Contratto di sviluppo 🏢 Through an Italian production site
Invest in Italy / ZES Unica
MIMIT / Invitalia / ICE
 A national one-stop shop for foreign investors, alongside the tax credit for productive investment in southern Italy 📋 GeneralInvestment attraction / tax credit Institutional support plus a tax credit of up to 70% Rolling 2026 TAX WINDOW CLOSED ON 30/05 €2.3bn budgeted for 2026 MIMIT ↗ Sportello Unico ✅ Yes, any country of origin
SIMEST, Fondo 394
SIMEST / CDP Group
 Subsidised finance for Italian SMEs, or Italian subsidiaries of foreign groups, for internationalisation, digitalisation and the green transition 📋 GeneralService or product Repayable loan at 0.319% plus a grant of up to 10% Rolling UNTIL 31/12/2026 €500,000 to €2 million SIMEST ↗ Finanziamenti agevolati 🏢 Through an Italian subsidiary
Sviluppo competenze specialistiche delle PMI🆕 NEW
MIMIT / Invitalia
 A contribution towards specialist staff training in technological innovation and the green and digital transitions. Restricted to SMEs located in seven southern regions 📋 GeneralTraining / human capital Grant (50%, de minimis) 10/09/2026 (12:00) to 21/12/2026 (12:00) OPENS IN 9 DAYS Budget of €12,449,676 Invitalia / MIMIT ↗ Sviluppo competenze PMI 🏢 Only with an SME in southern Italy
Fondo di contrasto alla deindustrializzazione 2026🆕 NEW
Dip. Politiche di Coesione / Invitalia
 Support for manufacturing companies in areas of Lazio and Marche hit by deindustrialisation: refurbishment of premises, modernisation, intangible investment, environmental conversion and new production sites 📋 GeneralTerritorial reindustrialisation Grant 28/09/2026 (12:00) to 28/11/2026 (12:00) OPENS IN 27 DAYS Eligible expenditure from 08/05/2024 to 31/12/2028 Invitalia ↗ Fondo deindustrializzazione 🏢 Through a production site in Lazio or Marche
National accelerator network🆕 NEW
CDP Venture Capital
 A network of 20 vertical acceleration programmes (deep tech, bioeconomy, welfare, sport tech, agritech and others), with equity investment, expressly open to international start-ups that open an operating base in Italy 📋 GeneralAcceleration plus equity Equity plus an acceleration programme Varies by accelerator ROLLING CALLS Pre-seed of €70,000 to €200,000; follow-on seed of €200,000 to €500,000; Series A/B of €1m to €5m. Fund budget: €254 million CDP Venture Capital ↗ Rete Nazionale Acceleratori ✅ Yes, with an Italian base
Italia Startup Visa🆕 NEW
MIMIT
 A simplified, centralised visa procedure for non-EU founders setting up an innovative start-up in Italy; this is not funding, it is the immigration entry point 📋 GeneralVisa / soft landing Administrative facilitation Rolling SUBJECT TO THE ANNUAL QUOTA A sub-quota of 500 visas a year; own capital of €50,000 required MIMIT ↗ Italia Startup Visa portal ✅ Direct access
📋 European calls
RAMP, Joint Transnational Call 2026🆕 NEW
Raw Materials Partnership / Horizon Europe
 The first joint transnational call of the European raw materials partnership, on the raw materials value chain, circular economy and sustainability. Brazil takes part as a funding country, through CONFAP and EMBRAPII 📋 SustainabilityR&D / industrial innovation Grant, paid to each partner by its own national agency 22/09/2026, 15:00 PRE-PROPOSAL, 21 DAYS Around €41 million for the call as a whole RAMP / ANR (secretariat) ↗ RAMP JTC 2026 ✅ Yes, direct Brazilian funding
EIC Accelerator
EIC / European Commission
 Blended finance (grant and equity) for deep-tech start-ups with radical innovations; the format was renewed in 2026, with more cut-offs a year and a larger budget 📋 GeneralDeep-tech product or technology Blended finance (grant plus equity) 02/09/2026 TOMORROW · next cut-off 04/11/2026 Grant up to €2.5 million plus equity of €0.5m to €15m EIC / European Commission ↗ EIC Accelerator ⚠️ Through an EU structure
Horizon Europe, WP 2026-2027
European Commission
 Sectoral calls on research, innovation and international cooperation published over 2026 and 2027; Brazilian entities can take part but as a rule without automatic EU funding 📋 GeneralR&D / innovation Grant, with eligibility set topic by topic Varies by topic Varies by topic European Commission ↗ LAC list 2026-2027 🔗 Through an EU consortium
📋 Brazil-Italy bilateral cooperation
MCI, Mobility CONFAP Italy 2026🆕 NEW
CONFAP / University of Bologna
 Mobility for master's, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from Brazil to 24 Italian universities in the MCI network 📋 GeneralResearch / academic mobility A grant awarded by the applicant's state research foundation (FAP) 04/09/2026 3 DAYS Varies by state research foundation CONFAP ↗ MCI 2026 call ✅ Direct Brazilian access
EU-Brazil administrative arrangement (Horizon Europe)🆕 NEW
EC / CNPq / FINEP / CONFAP
 A co-funding mechanism that lets Brazilian agencies fund national participation in Horizon Europe projects, partnerships and missions, working around Brazil's lack of automatic eligibility 📋 GeneralA mechanism, not a call Brazilian national co-funding Permanent ACTIVATED CALL BY CALL Set by each agency CNPq / FINEP / CONFAP ↗ EMBRAPII international cooperation ✅ Yes, through a Brazilian agency

📂 Open opportunities in detail

1. RAMP, Joint Transnational Call 2026 (Raw Materials Partnership) 🆕 NEW

22/09/2026, pre-proposal
A joint transnational call, in two stages
Raw Materials Partnership, a European partnership co-funded by Horizon Europe
Around €41 million, committed by more than 40 funding organisations
ANR (France)
Thematic areas
Six strands: resilient supply from primary sources; secondary sources and recycling; efficient use of raw materials in design and production; overcoming technological barriers to circularity; implementing circular economy solutions; innovative approaches to value chain analysis.
Who can apply
Transnational consortia of at least three partners seeking funding in three participating countries, at least two of which are EU member states or associated countries. Eligible applicants include universities, public and private research organisations, small, medium and large companies, consultancies, municipalities, NGOs and sector associations.
Why this matters to a Brazilian company
Brazil is among the participating countries with two funders of its own: CONFAP and EMBRAPII. Each partner receives money directly from its own national agency, under national rules. In other words, a Brazilian SME can join the consortium and be funded with Brazilian money, with no need for an EU base. EMBRAPII in particular is the natural route for companies; CONFAP works through state research foundations and research institutions. FAPESP has published a joint call of its own tied to this arrangement.
Timetable
Launched on 23/06/2026 · pre-proposal deadline 22/09/2026 at 15:00 CEST · stage 1 results in mid-December 2026 · full proposal on 15/02/2027 · funding decisions between June and September 2027 · projects starting from mid-2027.
How to join
Submission is through the call's electronic system, always by the consortium coordinator. Before preparing the proposal it is essential to check the national rules in Annex 1 of the full call text and to contact the Brazilian focal point.
Useful pages: RAMP, the call page · EMBRAPII, announcement of the call · FAPESP, the joint FAPESP/CONFAP/RAMP call · ANR, the call secretariat
The Chamber's reading: this is the most important item in the edition. It is the first opportunity mapped in which a Brazilian company can be funded inside a European project without setting up an entity in the EU. The theme, critical raw materials and circularity, fits Brazil's mining, metallurgy, recycling and bioeconomy agenda.
An honest caveat: a Italy is not among the funders of this call. An Italian partner can join the consortium, but as a self-funded partner, which makes the project less attractive to an Italian counterpart. For a Brazil-Italy arrangement specifically, the consortium has to be built with at least two funders from EU countries that are on the list (Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Finland, for example), treating the Italian partner as an associate. The deadline is tight: three weeks remain. Note too that the number of participating countries appears as 27 in European sources and 34 in EMBRAPII's announcement: the binding list is the one in the call text.

2. MCI, Mobility CONFAP Italy 2026 🆕 NEW

04/09/2026
An academic mobility call, Brazil to Italy
CONFAP, with the University of Bologna as technical secretariat
24 Italian universities, among them Bologna, Politecnico di Milano, Sapienza, Padua, Politecnico di Torino and Sant'Anna in Pisa
04/09/2026, at 23:59 Brasília time
Eligibility
Researchers attached to universities and research institutions in the states whose research foundations joined the call: Alagoas, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Distrito Federal, Goiás, Maranhão, Pará, Paraíba, Paraná, Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. Other foundations could still join.
How to join
The call text is at CONFAP, MCI 2026 call; submission is through the CONFAP platform, with a letter of support signed by the supervisor at the Italian university and CVs for the applicant and the supervisor. The network of Italian universities is set out at site.unibo.it/mobility-confap-italy. Some foundations require a parallel submission on their own platform. Mobility starts from November 2026. General queries: [email protected]
The Chamber's reading: this is not a business instrument, it is researcher mobility, so it is no substitute for calls that fund companies. It still appears as an open opportunity because it is direct access, with no corporate intermediary, and because it builds the Brazil-Italy institutional bridge that tends to precede joint R&D projects with companies. Start-ups with a researcher shareholder attached to a Brazilian university can use it to place someone inside an Italian laboratory.
Critical deadline: three days remain. Anyone without an Italian acceptance letter in hand is unlikely to be able to submit in this round.

3. EIC Accelerator, cut-off of 02/09/2026

02/09/2026, tomorrow
Blended finance, grant and equity
European Innovation Council / European Commission
Grant up to €2.5 million, plus equity of €0.5m to €15m
7 January, 4 March, 6 May, 8 July, 2 September and 4 November, always at 17:00 Brussels time
What is new in the 2026 format
The programme was renewed in 2026, with more cut-offs a year for the full proposal, a more technical and individual assessment, and a larger budget, put at around €414 million. Short proposals (stage 1) can still be submitted at any time and are processed in batches, with assessment in four to six weeks.
Eligibility requirements
Start-ups, SMEs and small mid-caps must be based in the EU or in a country associated with Horizon Europe at the time the full proposal is submitted (stage 2). Brazil is not an associated country.
How to join
EIC Accelerator, the instrument's page, with submission through the Funding & Tenders Portal.
For Brazilian companies: unchanged from the edition of 16/08. Viable only for start-ups that have already incorporated, or have decided to incorporate, a legal entity in the EU. The most coherent practical route is still to set up in Italy through Smart&Start and then go for the cut-off of 04/11/2026. Since stage 1 runs continuously, the short proposal can be prepared now, still as a Brazilian company.

4. Smart&Start Italia, Invitalia

Rolling, sportello open
Zero-interest repayable loan, with a partial grant
Invitalia, on behalf of MIMIT
€100.000 a €1.500.000
Zero interest on 80% to 90% of the expenditure; in the south, 30% to 35% as a grant
Eligibility requirements
Innovative start-ups incorporated less than 60 months ago. Foreign companies are eligible provided they open an operating base in Italy, evidenced by the first disbursement. Extra points for teams that are mostly young (under 36), female, or include a PhD holder returning from abroad. Details at who it is for.
Operational changes recorded in this round
Applications have moved to a new Invitalia digital platform, with online tracking of the process. A requirement for catastrophe insurance (earthquake, flood) on the financed assets has been introduced, a new condition that has to be budgeted for in the project.
How to join
The business plan is submitted through the application area, with assessment in the order received.
No structural change since 16/08: it remains the most structured way into a soft landing for a Brazilian start-up in Italy. The recommended combination is still Italia Startup Visa for the founder, incorporation of the Italian innovative start-up, and Smart&Start for the capital. Anyone taking that route and choosing Lombardy as their base can follow it, as soon as September, with the regional bando described below.

5. Contratto di Sviluppo, Invitalia / MIMIT

Window open
Capital and expenditure grants, a subsidised loan and an interest subsidy
Invitalia, on behalf of MIMIT
Industry, agri-industry, tourism, environmental protection
€20 million, reduced to €7.5 million for processing agricultural products and for tourism projects in inland areas or reusing disused facilities
Eligibility requirements
Open to Italian and foreign companies of any size, provided they set up a production site on Italian territory before the benefits are released. Alongside the lead applicant, up to four companies can join, as can participants in research and innovation projects. See who it is for.
Active thematic sportelli
The instrument works through sectoral sportelli that open and close through the year: strategic supply chains, semiconductors, Net Zero PNRR and sustainability of production processes. The tourism and automotive sportelli are temporarily closed. For strategic investments of at least €50 million there is a fast track procedure.
How to join
Submitting the application. A complex process, where specialist advice is strongly recommended; a preliminary meeting with the agency can be requested.
No change since 16/08: suited to groups with a solid investment plan, setting up a factory or distribution centre in Italy for instance. The €20 million floor makes clear that it is not an instrument for small-ticket SMEs, contrary to what the generic label of "large investments" might suggest.

6. Invest in Italy / ZES Unica, MIMIT

Rolling, ZES in force until 2028
A one-stop shop for foreign investors, alongside a tax credit
MIMIT, with Invitalia and ICE Agenzia
€2.3 billion budgeted for 2026 under the ZES Unica
A minimum of €200,000 and a maximum of €100 million per project, with a tax credit of up to 70%
A point to watch on the tax calendar
The institutional one-stop shop is always open, but the tax credit has a calendar of its own: for calendar year 2026 the notification to the Agenzia delle Entrate had a window from 31/03 to 30/05/2026, now closed. The supplementary notification, evidencing that the declared investments were actually made, runs from 03/01 to 17/01/2027. Rules and forms are on the official page for the 2026 ZES credit and at the Dipartimento per il Sud. Anyone who did not notify in 2026 should plan for the 2027 cycle.
How to join
Direct contact with the Sportello Unico Nazionale Invest in Italy. See also the overview of incentives and of favourable tax areas.
The Chamber's reading: it remains the institutional channel recommended for a first contact by any Brazilian SME weighing up a physical presence in Italy, with a dedicated adviser and free services. The portfolio of projects under guidance spans 21 countries and 16 strategic sectors, concentrated in energy, infrastructure, critical raw materials and life sciences.
An important distinction: the institutional support is available to investors of any origin, Brazilians included, with no prior structure. The tax credit, on the other hand, can only be used by an Italian taxpayer, which in practice requires an entity incorporated in Italy.

7. SIMEST, Fondo 394 (for Italian subsidiaries of Brazilian groups)

Rolling until 31/12/2026
Subsidised loan at a reduced rate, with a partial grant
SIMEST S.p.A., CDP Group
€500.000 a €2.000.000
0.319% a year, with a grant of up to 10% depending on the facility
Corporate requirement
Italian SMEs and mid-caps, or Italian subsidiaries of foreign groups, duly entered in the companies register with a registered office or local unit in Italy, and with at least two sets of accounts filed.
Available facilities
Nine products, among them digital or green transition, entry into foreign markets, certifications and consultancy, e-commerce and trade fairs and events. There are dedicated reserves of €200 million per strategic region, including Central and South America, a facility of direct interest to Italian-Brazilian supply chains.
Developments recorded in this round
The SIMEST Energia per la Competitività Internazionale facility, tied to Fondo 394, is active, with a stated ceiling of €800 million. The digital and green transition facility has been extended to non-exporting companies that sit within internationally oriented supply chains. Innovative start-ups and SMEs, young or female-led companies and companies with an operating base in the south can access a grant on favourable terms.
How to join
The instrument's page, run a sportello until the funds run out. Information: [email protected]
For Brazilian companies: directly applicable to already incorporated Italian subsidiaries of Brazilian groups with at least two closed financial years. The two-accounts requirement means this is not an entry instrument but a second-phase one, for companies that have been operating in Italy for two years.
To be confirmed: the €800 million ceiling on the Energia facility comes from specialist secondary sources and was not confirmed in an official SIMEST announcement in this round. The 0.319% rate and the dates for lines A and B appear consistently across several finanza agevolata sources, but they too should be confirmed directly before any decision.

8. National accelerator network, CDP Venture Capital 🆕 NEW

Rolling calls, check accelerator by accelerator
Vertical acceleration programmes with equity investment
CDP Venture Capital, with accelerators, foundations and corporate partners
€254 million, with 435 start-ups already handled at seed, early stage and Series A
A first pre-seed investment of €70,000 to €200,000; follow-on seed of €200,000 to €500,000; for the most promising, direct Series A/B investment of €1m to €5m
20 vertical accelerators, launched from 2020, with three to four batches of 8 to 10 start-ups each
Verticals mapped
The 20 accelerators in the network are: Food Seed, Forward Factory, Argo (tourism and hospitality), Faros, HabiSmart, Fintech, Vita, Personae, Takeoff, Cyber X, Next Age, Zero (cleantech), Terra Next (bioeconomy), Vital Match (sport and wellbeing), Cross Connect, StyleIt (fashion), Magic Spectrum, Frontech, FuturED (education) and MotorValley Accelerator (mobility). The sectors covered include automotive, aerospace, advanced mechanics, energy, food and agritech, fashion and the circular economy.
Investment criterion
The fund invests in companies that have moved past the prototyping stage and need support to validate the business model and establish product-market fit. Selection starts from the partner acceleration programmes, with follow-through in the later growth stages.
Why it appears in this edition
The review in this round confirmed, in the network's own documentation, that the programmes are open to Italian or international start-ups willing to open an operating base in Italy. In earlier editions CDP Venture Capital appeared only as an indirect investor, under "Opportunities to watch". That reading has been corrected: there is a way in through an open application, not only through private fundraising.
How to join
Applications are not made on the CDP site. Each accelerator in the network runs its own annual call, on its own timetable, and takes applications through its own site. Screening picks around 20 start-ups for the final stage, of which 8 to 10 enter the batch. The full list of the 20 accelerators, with a link to each site, is on the Fondo Acceleratori page. There is also a general CDP Venture Capital application portal: pitch.cdpventurecapital.it.
The Chamber's reading: this is the fastest and least capital-intensive way for a Brazilian start-up to test entry into Italy, because it combines investment, mentoring and a local network without requiring the scale of a Contratto di Sviluppo or the two sets of accounts of a Fondo 394.
To be confirmed: the fund parameters above were read directly from the official Fondo Acceleratori page. What remains unconfirmed is which specific calls have a window open in September 2026: the calls identified in secondary sources (Frontech, VitalMatch, Personae, Terra Next) had deadlines that had already passed. This has to be checked accelerator by accelerator, on each one's own site.

🔭 Expected opportunities (opening soon)

1. Regione Lombardia, Sviluppo Tecnologico Startup Innovative 🆕 NEW

28/09 a 25/11/2026
A grant for technology development
Regione Lombardia, PR FESR 2021-2027, Action 1.3.3
€15.637.408,95
80% of eligible expenditure
€150,000 to €1,250,000 per project
€120,000 to €1,000,000; up to €1,500,000 in an assisted area
Application window
From 10:00 on 28 September 2026 to 15:00 on 25 November 2026, exclusively through the Regione Lombardia Bandi e Servizi platform. The procedure is by ranking, not a sportello: the order of submission does not count and there is no risk of the window closing early because funds have run out.
Requirements
Innovative start-ups entered in the special section of the companies register under D.L. 179/2012, incorporated no more than 36 months ago, or 60 months where the TRL is 6 or below; micro or small enterprise size; an operating base in Lombardy where the project activities will be carried out, or a declaration of intent to set one up by the date of the disbursement request.
What can be funded
Raising the level of technological maturity: research, development, prototyping and testing, from the initial prototype through to industrial validation.
How to join
The measure's page is at Regione Lombardia, Sviluppo tecnologico delle startup innovative; notices and submission at Bandi Regione Lombardia, Start-up e impresa section.
The Chamber's reading: this is the most significant finding of the review in this edition, and probably the most accessible regional instrument recorded in this series so far. The decisive point is a single line in the rules: companies not resident in Italy can apply by declaring their intention to register in the special section for innovative start-ups by the first request for disbursement. In practice that lets a Brazilian start-up put the project forward before the Italian corporate structure is complete, provided it is incorporated in time for disbursement. Combined with the fact that selection is by ranking rather than order of arrival, the design rewards the quality of the project rather than bureaucratic speed, which favours foreign applicants.
Caveat: the parameters above come from the text of the measure and from converging specialist sources, but the operational notice should be read in full on the regional portal before any application is prepared. A Brazilian start-up intending to apply needs to start incorporating the company and preparing the technical dossier immediately: less than four weeks remain to the opening and around twelve to the close.

2. Invitalia, Sviluppo di competenze specialistiche delle PMI 🆕 NEW

10/09 a 21/12/2026
A contribution towards specialist staff training
MIMIT, managed by Invitalia
Decreto direttoriale no. 2095 of 13/07/2026; D.M. of 04/09/2025; D.D. of 26/01/2026
€12,449,676, plus any funds left over from the previous sportello
50% of eligible expenditure, under the de minimis regime
From 12:00 on 10/09/2026 to 12:00 on 21/12/2026
Geographical scope
Restricted to SMEs located in Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily.
Subject
Specialist training services for staff employed by SMEs, aimed at broadening skills in technological innovation and the green and digital transitions.
How to join
The measure's page is at Invitalia, Sviluppo competenze specialistiche delle PMI; submission through the application area.
A correction to the first reading: the measure appeared as a generic Invitalia sportello whose design was unconfirmed. Checking the documents showed that it is a measure for training, restricted to seven southern regions, not an investment instrument of national scope. For a Brazilian company the interest is therefore indirect and second-phase: it only makes sense for those that already have, or will have, an operating SME in the Mezzogiorno, typically in combination with the ZES Unica.

3. Invitalia, Fondo di contrasto alla deindustrializzazione 2026 🆕 NEW

28/09 a 28/11/2026
A fund supporting areas and supply chains in industrial crisis
Dipartimento per le politiche di coesione, Presidency of the Council of Ministers; managed by Invitalia
Specified areas of Lazio and Marche
From 12:00 on 28/09/2026 to 12:00 on 28/11/2026, after the original date of 31/08 was put back
Areas of intervention
Refurbishment or construction of the premises where the manufacturing activity takes place; modernisation and expansion for product and process innovation; intangible investment; conversion of production activities with a significant environmental impact towards more sustainable models; starting up new production sites. Eligible expenditure between 08/05/2024 and 31/12/2028.
How to join
Prior registration in the reserved area, Anagrafica e deleghe section, has been available since 31/07/2026. The measure's page is at Invitalia, Fondo di contrasto alla deindustrializzazione 2026; details at what it is, the benefits and submitting the application.
A significant correction: the first reading described this fund as a measure of general scope, potentially of interest to a Brazilian group weighing up the acquisition of an industrial plant in Italy. Checking the Invitalia portal showed that the instrument is territorially confined to areas of Lazio and Marche hit by deindustrialisation. It remains of interest to anyone taking over or reviving productive assets, but only in those areas, and the logic of acquiring an existing plant holds only within that geographical scope.

4. SIMEST, Fondo 394 Line A, corporate digitalisation 🆕 NEW

Opening indicated: 13/10/2026
Subsidised finance for digitalisation projects
SIMEST, CDP Group
Italian SMEs or Italian subsidiaries of foreign groups
Line B, production efficiency, with the sportello open since 07/07/2026
Stated terms
A subsidised rate of 0.319%, with a grant of up to 10%. Run a sportello, with no single final deadline, until the funds run out. Details of the facility at SIMEST, digital or green transition.
To be confirmed: the opening dates for lines A and B come from sources specialising in finanza agevolata and do not appear in any official SIMEST announcement verified in this round. Check directly on the subsidised finance page before structuring the transaction.

5. EIC Accelerator, cut-off of 04/11/2026

04/11/2026
Blended finance, grant and equity
EIC / European Commission
The short proposal can be submitted at any time and is assessed in four to six weeks
EU or associated country, required at stage 2
Where to follow it
EIC Accelerator, the instrument's official page.
Suggested planning: this is the last cut-off of 2026. A Brazilian start-up that decides today to incorporate an Italian entity still has, in theory, enough time to be eligible at stage 2, but the margin is tight. Stage 1 can and should be prepared in parallel with the incorporation.

6. Horizon Europe, Work Programme 2026-2027, sectoral calls

Staggered publication over 2026 and 2027
Calls on research, innovation and international cooperation
European Commission, through EISMEA, HaDEA and other agencies
Digital, health, energy, industry, climate, culture, raw materials
HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-05, creative alliances and global partnerships in cultural policy, deadline given as 23/09/2026
The eligibility rule that matters for Brazil
Institutions from Latin America and the Caribbean can join consortia in almost every call, but Brazil is among the countries not eligible for automatic funding from the Commission, alongside Chile, Mexico, Panama and Uruguay. European funding only follows if the country is explicitly named as eligible in the call text, or if the granting authority considers the participation essential. The check is always topic by topic, in the portal's topic search.
A structured alternative
The administrative arrangement between the European Commission and CNPq, FINEP and CONFAP provides for national co-funding mechanisms for Brazilian participation, as well as twinned projects and coordinated calls. EURAXESS Latin America and the Caribbean publishes an indicative list of the 2026-2027 calls with a focus on international cooperation and Latin America. The EU has a formal science and technology cooperation agreement with Brazil, as it does with Argentina, Chile and Mexico.
The Chamber's reading: the realistic route here is not to seek a European subsidy but to join the consortium with Brazilian funding secured from CNPq, FINEP, EMBRAPII or a state research foundation. That is exactly the mechanism that made funded Brazilian participation in RAMP possible.