Innovative start-ups significantly contribute to Italian economic growth and employment (especially youth employment) while supporting new Italian high-tech-oriented production. They contribute to greater social mobility, strengthen the links between universities and businesses, make people more inclined to take business risks and contribute to making Italy more attractive for foreign investment and talent.

General features of Innovative start-up

In modern economies, an innovative environment promoting highly technological and integrated products and services are a key condition to the competitivity of a country’s economic and institutional structures. Aware of the role innovative start-ups play within the economic system, many countries are adopting ambitious government programs aimed at strengthening and modernising their innovation ecosystems.

Italy has embraced this vision since 2012 by creating a regulatory framework to meet the needs of all the players involved in the start-up ecosystem regardless of the industry concerned, whether it be software, manufacturing or agriculture.

Italian start-ups benefit from legal tools and support measures which have an impact on the whole life cycle of a company: from its launch to its growth, development and maturity stages (e.g. equity crowdfunding). This friendly environment makes Italy rank as one of the biggest start-up hubs in the European Union. 

Trend and developments

The disruptive challenges brought by e-commerce and IoT are putting traditional business models under pressure and the role played by start-ups in the innovation cycle is significant in helping traditional industry players to re-invent their business models to align them with the “new economy” environment.

OUR SERVICES

Our Firm’s broad experience and expertise in assisting clients with traditional business models combined with its lively attention to and interest in innovative, high-tech and digitalized business start-ups puts it in a unique position to act as a bridge between “old” and “new” economies.

Thanks to the strong integration between its various legal specialisations and the tax department, our Firm is in a position to deliver tailor made services to all the start-ups players during their growth cycles.

These innovative environments are daily mapped with a focus on various Industries on our blogs:

• DBJ watch (www.dbjwatch.it) devoted specifically to the sectors of Food and Tourism
• Transportwatch with focus on Logistics and Transportation (www.transportwatch.eu)

Various areas of practice in the Firm are involved in assisting the start-ups.

In particular, and as far as tax issues are concerned, our Team provides full tax assistance and advice on specific tax incentive projects (e.g. specific incentives for start-ups) and cross border taxation (e.g., transfer pricing and permanent establishment issues). Our tax Team also gives full assistance and advice on VAT matters including VAT cash flow management projects (e.g, VAT opportunities for groups).

Moreover, amongst others, our lawyers provide advice to start-ups with respect to the feasibility of their business projects, and on the regulatory aspects (both at national and international level) applying to their advertising, products, packaging, labels, services, company structure and, where existing, to their IT structure; advice in protecting their confidential information, know how or intellectual property rights at any phase of the project and in the management of the exploitation of such rights; drafting terms and conditions for contracts to be entered into with customers, suppliers, etc.; data protection and online regulatory compliance, liaison with competent authorities and financial institutions, acquisition of other start-ups or new businesses, etc..