Lombardy Region supports participation of Lombard small and medium enterprises in international trade fairs in strategic innovation sectors. Call provides non-repayable grants up to 200,000 euros per partnership, covering 90% of eligible expenses. Applications evaluated on rolling basis. Operational details available in complete Innova Finance technical sheet.
Beneficiaries and requirements
Partnerships of at least 5 micro, small and medium enterprises with active operational headquarters in Lombardy can participate. Companies must continuously conduct economic activity of production or exchange of goods and services. Must comply with European dimensional parameters on personnel and turnover. Partnership can include aggregators like trade associations or Lombard Technology Clusters, without being grant beneficiaries.
Excluded are companies with primary Ateco codes in sections A (agriculture), L (real estate), M (professional activities), C.12 (tobacco), G 46.35, G 46.39, G 46.21.21 and G 47.26. Partnership subjects must be linked by partnership agreement and represented by lead partner. Each company can participate in one partnership only.
Eligible sectors and fundable expenses
Trade fairs must concern one of following sectors: aerospace, green chemistry, mobility, energy and environment, smart factory, smart communities technologies, life environment technologies, life sciences, cosmetics system. Eligible expenses include purchase or rental of exhibition space, setup with design and construction, accessory services like hostesses, interpretation, cleaning, technical services, sample transport and insurance.
Also included are fair registration fees including deposits paid by partnership to fair organizer from April 23, 2026. Indirect costs admitted up to maximum 7% of previous items. Grant under De Minimis regime.
Grant and timing
Non-repayable grant covers 90% of eligible costs. Maximum is 200,000 euros per partnership per trade fair event. Eligible fairs must occur from 6 months after application submission until March 2028. Applications must be submitted at least 6 months before fair. For each fair maximum one application can be admitted and funded.
Each partnership and each participating company can submit maximum two applications. No numerical limits for non-beneficiary aggregators. Additional scoring premiums provided if at least 50% of partners possess environmental certification (ISO 14001, ISO 50001, EMAS, Made Green in Italy, Ecolabel) or majority female and youth component.
Disbursement and retroactivity
Grant disbursed with 30% advance following any deposit payment to fair organizer and documentation submission. Final balance arrives after final reporting. Alternatively disbursement occurs in single balance payment after final documentation submission within 60 days of fair conclusion. Expenses eligible from day after application submission. Exception for deposits paid to fair organizer for space reservation or purchase, eligible from April 23, 2026.
Grant is cumulative with other State aid for same expenses. Cumulation with grants from National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) not allowed. Required documentation includes legal representative identity document, chamber of commerce certificate not older than 3 months, latest approved financial statements if present, description of participation objectives and expected results, sector and destination market context analysis, partnership agreement and environmental certifications if declared.
Studio RCG is available to assess eligibility and support Lombard companies in submitting applications for international trade fairs 2026 participation.