€300 Million Boost for Italy's Space Industry SMEs

The initiative will make around €300 million in new financing available to companies involved in one of Europe's fastest-growing and most innovative industrial sectors.

Italy's aerospace sector is set to receive a significant financial boost after Intesa Sanpaolo, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Space Agency (ESA) signed a two-year agreement designed to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating across the country's space industry. The initiative will make around €300 million in new financing available to companies involved in one of Europe's fastest-growing and most innovative industrial sectors.

Backed by European funding and dedicated guarantee mechanisms, the programme is expected to strengthen investment throughout Italy's aerospace supply chain, a sector projected to generate around €7 billion in value added and €8 billion in exports during 2025, representing approximately 1.2% of the country's manufacturing output. The financing is intended to help businesses expand, develop new technologies and compete more effectively in international markets.

The agreement marks another milestone for European cooperation in the space economy. Intesa Sanpaolo becomes the first commercial bank in Europe and the only Italian bank to join the EIB and ESA under the new Space Lending Facility, opening fresh opportunities for highly specialised companies that often struggle to secure conventional financing because of long development cycles and limited physical collateral.

Funding designed to help innovative firms expand globally

The financing package combines €150 million provided by the European Investment Bank with a risk-sharing mechanism under which the EIB guarantees 50% of each eligible loan issued by Intesa Sanpaolo. Loans can run for up to 11 years, including a 12-month grace period, allowing companies to pursue long-term investment projects with greater financial certainty. The structure is expected to generate a leverage effect that doubles the available financing to approximately €300 million.

Beyond lending, participating businesses will gain access to specialist advisory services covering international expansion, innovation, equity transactions, technology partnerships and European funding opportunities. The initiative also includes support for research and development across the full aerospace value chain, from satellites and geolocation systems to telecommunications infrastructure and advanced engineering.

ESA will contribute technical expertise and industry guidance to help ensure companies involved in space programmes have access to the investment needed to scale their operations. The agency believes improved access to finance will allow more European firms to transform advanced technologies into commercially successful products while strengthening Europe's strategic autonomy in the space sector.

Growing space economy creates new opportunities for Italian SMEs

Italy is one of Europe's leading aerospace nations, employing more than 50,000 people across a supply chain built around highly specialised SMEs working alongside major industrial companies. The sector spans software, electronics, engineering, telecommunications, mechanical manufacturing and spacecraft production, creating strong links with industries such as healthcare, transport, environmental technology and information technology.

According to figures presented during the launch of the agreement, the global space economy generated approximately US$613 billion in economic value during 2024 and is projected to reach US$800 billion by 2027 before surpassing US$1 trillion by 2032. These growth prospects have increased demand for financing capable of supporting innovation and industrial expansion.

Intesa Sanpaolo has already supported more than 500 aerospace SMEs with over €1 billion in financing and expects the new partnership to help it provide more than €2 billion in additional lending during 2026. Together, the EIB, ESA and Intesa Sanpaolo say the initiative forms part of a broader European strategy to strengthen industrial competitiveness, encourage technological innovation and ensure Europe remains a global leader in space, telecommunications and advanced manufacturing.