This thesis addresses the topic of innovative startups in Italy with the aim of answering three main research questions: to examine the structural, economic-financial and innovation profiles of firms registered in the special section of the Business Register; to explore the effectiveness of policies and incentives through the direct perception of entrepreneurs; and to place the Italian case within the broader European context. The analysis is based on a dataset of 9,802 startups drawn from the Business Register and the AIDA database, complemented by a qualitative survey through questionnaires and by an international comparison using institutional sources and academic literature. Findings highlight a dynamic yet fragile ecosystem: Italian startups show vitality but remain small in scale and face difficulties in reaching scale-up phases, particularly due to the limited availability of capital in later funding rounds. Qualitative evidence confirms and enriches these results, showing that many entrepreneurs perceive obstacles in the clarity and accessibility of support measures, as well as a strong need for greater financial resources, bureaucratic simplification, and concrete tools to foster growth. The European comparison reinforces these insights: although Italy benefits from a dedicated legal framework, it lags behind leading countries, especially in private financing and support for international scale-up. Overall, the study underlines the potentiality of addressing the gaps identified by strengthening venture capital availability, improving institutional communication, and enhancing policy support, thereby enabling Italian startups to fully realize their potential as drivers of innovation and sustainable growth.
La tesi affronta il tema delle startup innovative in Italia con l’obiettivo di rispondere a tre domande di ricerca principali: comprendere i profili strutturali, economico-finanziari e di innovazione delle imprese iscritte nella sezione speciale del Registro delle Imprese; valutare l’efficacia delle politiche e degli incentivi attraverso la percezione diretta degli imprenditori; inserire infine il caso italiano nel più ampio contesto europeo. L’analisi si fonda su un dataset di 9.802 startup costruito a partire dal Registro delle Imprese e dalla banca dati AIDA, integrato con un’indagine qualitativa tramite questionario e con un confronto internazionale su fonti istituzionali e di letteratura. I risultati mettono in luce un ecosistema dinamico ma ancora fragile: le startup italiane presentano segnali di vitalità, ma restano di dimensioni ridotte e incontrano difficoltà nel raggiungere fasi di scale-up, soprattutto per la limitata disponibilità di capitale nei round più avanzati. Le evidenze qualitative confermano e approfondiscono queste criticità, evidenziando come molti imprenditori percepiscano ostacoli nella chiarezza e nell’accessibilità delle misure di sostegno, nonché la necessità di maggiori risorse finanziarie, semplificazione burocratica e strumenti concreti per la crescita. Il confronto europeo rafforza queste evidenze: pur disponendo di un quadro normativo dedicato, l’Italia mostra ritardi rispetto ai paesi leader, in particolare sul fronte dei finanziamenti privati e del sostegno all’internazionalizzazione. Nel complesso, lo studio suggerisce la possibilità di colmare i gap emersi, potenziando capitale di rischio, comunicazione istituzionale e politiche di supporto, così da consentire alle startup italiane di valorizzare appieno il loro potenziale come motori di innovazione e crescita sostenibile.
Analysis of innovative startups in Italy: conceptual boundaries, policy frameworks, and european benchmarking
Coda, Pietro
2024/2025
Abstract
This thesis addresses the topic of innovative startups in Italy with the aim of answering three main research questions: to examine the structural, economic-financial and innovation profiles of firms registered in the special section of the Business Register; to explore the effectiveness of policies and incentives through the direct perception of entrepreneurs; and to place the Italian case within the broader European context. The analysis is based on a dataset of 9,802 startups drawn from the Business Register and the AIDA database, complemented by a qualitative survey through questionnaires and by an international comparison using institutional sources and academic literature. Findings highlight a dynamic yet fragile ecosystem: Italian startups show vitality but remain small in scale and face difficulties in reaching scale-up phases, particularly due to the limited availability of capital in later funding rounds. Qualitative evidence confirms and enriches these results, showing that many entrepreneurs perceive obstacles in the clarity and accessibility of support measures, as well as a strong need for greater financial resources, bureaucratic simplification, and concrete tools to foster growth. The European comparison reinforces these insights: although Italy benefits from a dedicated legal framework, it lags behind leading countries, especially in private financing and support for international scale-up. Overall, the study underlines the potentiality of addressing the gaps identified by strengthening venture capital availability, improving institutional communication, and enhancing policy support, thereby enabling Italian startups to fully realize their potential as drivers of innovation and sustainable growth.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/243138