Turin: the project “Aid to the Local Economy” is underway to support small businesses in the neighbourhoods of Milano.

Support micro and small businesses in local trade and promote the revitalization of the most fragile urban areas through innovation, sustainability and economic regeneration. This is the objective of the project 'Help for the local economy' approved this morning by the City Council, on the proposal of the Councillor for Commerce Paolo Chiavarino, together with the guidelines and criteria for drafting the related call for proposals.

The project, financed with 1 million euros (of which 900 thousand euros used for non-repayable contributions to micro and small businesses in the trade sector and 100 thousand euros allocated to technical support services, territorial marketing and promotion) by the National METRO PLUS and Città Medio Sud 2021-2027 Programme, It aims to help local businesses with particular attention to the Aurora and Barriera di Milano.

"With this important initiative – explains councilor Chiavarino – we want to give a concrete signal of support to small businesses that represent the beating heart of our city, relaunching, at the same time, the socioeconomic fabric of the most vulnerable areas of Turin. It will be a participatory process that will see the involvement of the Districts and trade associations. The goal is that this first intervention can in the future become a model applicable also to other peripheral areas of the city".

In particular, the interventions will concern the entire Barriera di area Milano and Aurora. The data collected by the Department of Commerce in the first months of 2024, show the territorial liveliness of the two areas with the presence of 934 authorizations for micro and small businesses in the trade sector and 277 authorizations for the supply of food and beverages in Barriera di Milano and 985 authorizations for micro and small commercial enterprises and 351 authorizations for the provision of food and beverages in the Aurora district.

The 'Aid to the Proximity Economy' project provides for the issuing of a call for proposals in 2025 to support businesses located in the intervention area. The non-repayable contribution will cover up to 80% of the investment, for an amount between 10 thousand and 30 thousand euros per project and the interventions admitted include projects of social innovation, digitalization, environmental sustainability and energy saving.

Furthermore, to ensure the success of the project, the City will activate a dedicated support service for businesses in the area. This service will provide support in preparing applications and reporting, facilitating access to funds.