Grant Thornton and CNR sign agreement for Italian businesses

Three-year partnership for growth of start-ups and SMEs

Rome 5 February 2020 – Bernoni Grant Thornton - the Italian member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd (one of the main global networks of consultancy firms) providing tax, corporate, advisory, IT and outsourcing services - and CNR, the National Research Council, the main public multidisciplinary research institution in Italy, have entered into a three-year national framework agreement to foster the development of Italian SMEs.

The agreement provides that the two parties, each within its purview, collaborate to devise and develop initiatives, events, as well as research, training and technical innovation projects, aimed at start-ups and innovative SMEs, financial institutions, venture capital firms and business angels.

The collaboration between the parties, to be defined from time to time based on the different initiatives and projects, aims at driving growth for start-ups and innovative SMEs throughout Italy and may envisage the involvement and support of other public (such as Ministries, regional authorities and other interested entities) and/or private players and can include, by way of example, the following activities:

• Information on the benefits available for research and innovation activities (aimed in particular at innovative SMEs);
• joint training for businesses on topics such as: research, technological innovation and valorisation of assets (to enhance the development of businesses and of the Country in general);
• definition of strategical initiatives for the enhancement of established businesses (aimed at unlocking their growth potential);
• analysis and experimentation of innovative services for financing and for the growth of CNR spin offs, start-ups and innovative SMEs.

Specifically, the agreement also provides for the formation of a strategic committee (composed of 4 members, two representatives of Bernoni Grant Thornton and two of CNR) entrusted with the development and integration of the lines of activity, the evaluation of strategic intervention topics and the approval of research projects to be developed through specific operational partnerships.

Every year the committee will issue a report on the status of implementation of the framework agreement. For each specific approved project, the parties will draft an operating agreement to be undersigned by the all the parties involved. Common target will be that of integrating public and private players to create a collaboration focused on the promotion of training as a growth driver for projects with a high growth potential.

“We are glad and proud of having entered into the framework agreement with CNR and are looking forward to starting to collaborate on such an ambitious project. Our consulting activity has always been aimed at assisting Italian and foreign SMEs with their growth and development plans.

The expertise accrued has allowed us to notice the huge growth potential of Italian businesses and, specifically, of those focused on technological innovation. Jointly with CNR, we aim to provide SMEs with the training and specialised information they need to unlock their growth potential and succeed on the domestic and international scenario, thus ultimately driving growth for Italy” declared Federico Feroci, Tax Partner of Bernoni Grant Thornton.

“By entering into this agreement, CNR has reaffirmed its commitment and will to collaborate with qualified entities to transfer the knowledge and technology developed by its research groups to the manufacturing sector, in order to increase the businesses’ competitiveness”, declared Cristina Battaglia, Head of the Technology Transfer Office of CNR.