BI-rex delivers services, funds to Italian businesses
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BI-Rex, a Competence Center in Italy, provided 1,428 services to businesses and allocated 23.5 million euros to projects as part of Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Pnrr).
The center focused on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (PMEs), delivering 1,147 of those services specifically to them. These services included research and development funding, technological consulting, digital assessments, and staff training, shifting the focus from simple financial aid to long-term structural enablement.
BI-Rex also invested 11.2 million euros in its own Linea Pilota, an industrial space where companies can test advanced technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, and 5G, aided by the new Ipazia supercomputing center. A survey of businesses showed that 51% reported increased overall innovation capacity after working with BI-Rex, with nearly half noting improved staff skills and a third managing digital transformation more independently.
The center’s approach proved valuable because 22% of companies stated they would not have pursued innovation without BI-Rex’s support, and the “Test-before-Invest” program, allowing companies to try technology before purchasing, received a satisfaction score of 4.77 out of 5. BI-Rex now aims to establish a lasting model for supporting businesses as the Pnrr funding phase concludes, concentrating on helping SMEs reduce risk and adopt new technologies.
