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The startup scene across Italy
Where startups are forming across Italy: the cities, accelerators and investors, and how you get close to them.
The ecosystem
MIMIT counted 12,133 companies in Italy’s special innovative-startup register in 2024, down from 14,264 in 2022 and 13,394 in 2023. This register tracks companies meeting a defined legal regime, rather than all startups operating in Italy.
The framework originates in Decree-Law 179/2012, amended by Annual Competition Law 193/2024; entry into the special Companies Register section is through legal-representative self-certification, and MIMIT says registration is available within five years of incorporation.
Sectors and strengths
Information and communications made up 54.1% of registered innovative startups in 2024; software production, IT consulting, and related activities alone represented 44.3%. Scientific research and development added 1,771 registered firms that year.
As of . Official information. Source: Relazione annuale 2025 on startup and innovative SMEs | MIMIT
WIPO ranked Italy 28th among 139 economies in the 2025 Global Innovation Index, with a 37th-place rank for innovation inputs and 19th for outputs. Its profile reports gross domestic R&D expenditure of 1.31% of GDP in 2023.
As of . Official information. Source: Italy ranking in the Global Innovation Index 2025
Hubs and regional differences
Lombardia was the largest regional base in MIMIT’s 2024 register, with 3,329 firms (27.4%); Campania had 1,497 (12.3%), and Lazio 1,411 (11.6%). Southern regions together accounted for 28.1% of registered firms, indicating activity beyond the largest northern concentration.
As of . Official information. Source: Relazione annuale 2025 on startup and innovative SMEs | MIMIT
Milan’s metropolitan area held about one-fifth of the register in 2024, although its count fell by 295 from 2023. In MIMIT’s Q3 2025 dashboard, Milan had 2,472 registered firms (20.32%) and Rome had 1,282 (10.54%).
As of . Official information. Source: Relazione annuale 2025 on startup and innovative SMEs | MIMIT; Cruscotto di indicatori statistici sulle startup innovative, III trimestre 2025 | MIMIT
WIPO’s 2025 profile places the Milan innovation cluster at position 56 and lists pharmaceuticals and engineering among its areas. This is a cluster placement, not a ranking of Milan’s startup ecosystem.
As of . Official information. Source: Italy ranking in the Global Innovation Index 2025
For founders
For founders assessing register eligibility, MIMIT’s published rules include a five-year registration window, a €5 million annual production-value ceiling from the second operating year, and a prohibition on profit distribution. Applicants must also meet an innovation test, including the specified R&D-spending threshold or an intellectual-property route; review the ministry’s current definition for the complete conditions.
As of . Official information. Source: Startup innovative
A founder mapping locations should look beyond Milan: the 2024 register shows substantial counts in Campania and Lazio, and southern regions together represented 28.1%. These figures describe registered innovative startups, not local investor availability or customer demand.
As of . Official information. Source: Relazione annuale 2025 on startup and innovative SMEs | MIMIT
For investors
Use Italy’s register as a measure of firms meeting the special legal status, not as a census of startups: MIMIT recorded 12,133 in 2024, and 97% were micro-sized. Sector counts show a strong registered-company concentration in information and communications, particularly software and related IT activity.
As of . Official information. Source: Relazione annuale 2025 on startup and innovative SMEs | MIMIT
Constraints and recent changes
The register had 12,073 firms on October 31, 2025, 60 fewer than at year-end 2024. It is also a very small-company base: 97% of registered firms were micro-sized in 2024, and 91.3% had no more than four workers.
As of . Official information. Source: Relazione annuale 2025 on startup and innovative SMEs | MIMIT
Startup ecosystem standing
Where Italy ranks
| Ranking | Edition | Position | Since last edition | Trust | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bloomberg Innovation Index | 2019 | #21 | Up 1 | B | Innovation, Research |
 Global Innovation Index | 2025 | #28 | Down 2 | A | Innovation, Competitiveness, Research, Talent |
 Global Startup Ecosystem Index (countries) | 2025 | #28 | No prior edition | B | Ecosystem, Activity, Finance, Business Climate |
 IMD World Competitiveness Ranking | 2026 | #45 | Down 3 | B | Competitiveness, Business Climate, Performance |
 Doing Business (Ease of Doing Business ranking) | Doing Business 2020 | #58 | Down 7 | B | Business Climate |
646 organizations with a profile
Who's based in Italy
Investors 364
Investor
InvestorInvesting in Italy's distinctive SMEs for sustainable growth.
InvestorInvesting in the future of Lazio.
The 3 most prominent of 364. Browse all investors
Incubators 117
IncubatorIncubating the best early-stage startups in Milan.
IncubatorDigital incubator and startup accelerator in Milan.
IncubatorInnovation and sustainability in technology.
The 3 most prominent of 117. Browse all incubators
Accelerators 96
AcceleratorBuild It Up is a non-profit accelerator based in Torino, Italy, that supports startups through consultancy services and tailored acceleration programs.…
AcceleratorPoliHub is the Innovation Park and Startup Accelerator of Politecnico di Milano, located in Milan, Italy. It focuses on fostering Deep Tech startups…
AcceleratorCariplo Factory is an accelerator based in Milan, Italy, focused on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship through various programs and initiatives…
The 3 most prominent of 96. Browse all accelerators
Venture studios 69
Venture studioEmpowering innovation for future generations.
Venture studioBuilding technology companies for a sustainable future.
Venture studioInnovation ecosystem for startups and entrepreneurs.
The 3 most prominent of 69. Browse all venture studios
Based here, most-ranked first
Universities in Italy
UniversityListed in 1 ranking
Pick what describes you
Your way in
Raising in Italy
Investors based here, and the programs that take teams at your stage.
Get investor introsFinding startups in Italy
Accelerators and incubators here see the earliest teams first.
Get startups that fitScouting in Italy
Campuses and communities are where teams form before anyone funds them.
Start scoutingCity guides
Cities in Italy
The largest 4 of 29 published city guides.
Questions about Italy
How does Italy rank as a startup ecosystem?
Its best position is #21 in Bloomberg Innovation Index (2019). It appears in 5 published rankings; the table above lists each one.
How many startup investors are based in Italy?
364 investors based in Italy have a profile here, including Open Search Fund, Holding Carisma and Regione Lazio. The real number is higher.
Are there accelerators or incubators in Italy?
Yes. Italy has 96 accelerators, 117 incubators and 69 venture studios on record, including Build It Up, Digital Capital Factory and H-FARM.
Which universities are in Italy?
One university has a profile: Politecnico di Milano.
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