The Italian economy is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises that have managed to survive various crises. Today, however, we are in an unprecedented scenario. On the one hand, the slowdown of the economy in the Old Continent and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, on the other, the race for technological innovation and the strong competition from emerging countries. There is no shortage of incentives, even via Pnrr. All that remains is to understand whether the all-Italian SME model will continue to work. Truth & Business asked Stefano Ciacciarelli, CEO of Vendor, a company that deals with subsidized finance for companies on the national territory, but also with energy efficiency and operational 4.0.
The future of the SME model will depend on how they are able to face the challenges imposed by the current market, by the support they will receive from government policies and their capacity to adapt to an increasingly variable market. In general, small and medium-sized enterprises have a less hierarchical structure and, for this reason, much more flexible and adaptable to changes. This improves their resilience, but that’s not enough.
“In my opinion, in fact, it is necessary for them to develop solid management both from a financial point of view and from an internal process point of view – says Ciacciarelli -. In order for this to happen, economic resources and access to credit are needed e external consultancy figures who, in collaboration with internal resources, can carry out process optimization projects. We at Vendor, for example, address these two needs across the board: on the one hand, we support companies in accessing the incentives made available by subsidized finance and on the other, thanks to operational support, we support them in reviewing their processes interior.
Stephen Ciacciarelli
Is the great opportunity of the PNRR within the reach of Italian companies? How do you see the relationship with the bureaucracy?
“If on the one hand businesses are an important element in achieving the objectives of the PNRR, on the other it also represents a great opportunity for the businesses themselves. In fact, many measures and incentives published recently come from there. In particular, these are measures to support paths of innovation, internationalization and sustainability. The offer is wide and, precisely for this reason, it is not easy for businesses to stay up to date on specific concessions, incentives and regulations. This is where Vendor comes into play: our support starts with constant monitoring and updating through newsletters, webinars and one-to-one scouting activities with interested companies up to support for obtaining the expected benefit. It is not easy for companies to do all this alone”.
What are the major challenges for Italian companies in the immediate future?
“The main challenge for Italian companies will certainly be that of developing the ability to embrace change and adapt to highly changing market situations, adopting a more sustainable organizational model both economically and at a social and environmental level. In second place is the challenge of technological innovation. Finally, there is the economic aspect: the companies’ need for liquidity and the possibility of recovering part of the investments supported also through the opportunities of subsidized finance. Our reality acts precisely on these three fronts: we support companies in obtaining incentives and concessions, we assist them in the implementation of new technologies and in optimizing processes, through the reduction of waste, also creating greater awareness on issues of circular economy and environmental and social sustainability”.
Which sectors do you believe are at the most risk and which sectors do you think can successfully overcome this delicate moment of crisis?
“The ability to overcome the crisis varies from one company to another depending on the organizational structure, the ability to adapt to changes and the ability to seize emerging opportunities. If I have to think of a sector most at risk, I could mention the sectors with high energy consumption which have suffered the sharp increase in energy costs in the last period. Here companies have several opportunities. On the one hand, access the incentives provided for energy efficiency interventions, which are increasingly the subject of subsidies, on the other, reduce waste through energy diagnosis, capable of mapping and optimizing consumption”.
Vendor has grown a lot up to a 2022 turnover of 5.5 million euros. To date, more than 1,650 entrepreneurial realities have undertaken an efficiency improvement process with Vendors obtaining an overall benefit of more than 350 million euros. What’s next?
“Our ambition is to continue to grow, together with the companies we follow. Last year, for example, we opened the new office in Rome to be more present also in the regions of central Italy. Meanwhile, we have also become a Benefit corporation. Our goal is precisely to combine economic sustainability with environmental and social sustainability. This is why we have some initiatives ranging from environmental and social volunteering to periodic climate analyses. We have also established a constant relationship with local associations, supporting them, among other activities, also in training initiatives for the new generations on sustainability and inclusion issues”.