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This report provides a clear overview of Italy’s dynamic crowdfunding market, highlighting opportunities for retail investors. Readers will learn how different crowdfunding models – from equity crowdfunding to crowdlending – are developing in Italy, and which Italian platforms are leading the way.
We emphasize why crowdfunding in Italy matters for small businesses and individual investors, and outline the key trends and regulations shaping the sector. Italy’s market is one of the largest in the EU, with diverse crowdfunding platforms for startups, real estate, consumer loans and even creative projects.
Italy’s crowdfunding market has grown steadily in recent years, though it saw a temporary dip in 2024–2025. For example, total funds raised via crowdinvesting (equity and business loans) fell to about €260.7 million in July 2024–June 2025 (down 14% year-on-year). Nonetheless, Italy remains one of Europe’s top crowdfunding markets, with roughly 1.57 billion euros raised cumulatively since 2012. This is still far below markets like France or the UK, suggesting plenty of room for growth. Key sectors driving the Italian market include real estate and SMEs: in 2024–25 the real-estate segment saw strong gains (real estate projects accounted for over 30% of equity campaigns), while small businesses continue to tap crowdfunding when bank credit is tight.
Several platform types are popular in Italy. By mid-2025, 42 crowdfunding platforms were authorized under the new EU ECSP rules, making Italy second only to France in Europe. These include equity platforms for startups/SMEs (e.g. Mamacrowd, BacktoWork24), real-estate funding sites (e.g. Recrowd, Walliance), and business loan or “crowdlending” platforms (e.g. EvenFi, Ener2Crowd). Reward- and donation-based sites (like Produzioni dal Basso) also exist, though they account for a smaller share of funds. Recent developments include banks entering the field – for instance, Intesa Sanpaolo took a stake in BacktoWork24 – and the implementation of the EU Crowdfunding Service Providers (ECSP) Regulation, which has driven consolidation among platforms. Overall, even though fundraising volumes temporarily slowed, the Italian crowdfunding sector offers strong market potential for retail investors, especially as digital financing awareness grows and regulation builds trust.
Italy was the first country in Europe to pass laws on equity crowdfunding (in 2012) and has steadily expanded them. Crowdfunding services are jointly regulated by CONSOB (Italy’s securities regulator) and Banca d’Italia (the central bank). Under EU rules (Regulation 2020/1503), platforms must be licensed; CONSOB authorizes dedicated crowdfunding firms, while Banca d’Italia licenses banks or payment institutions to operate crowdfunding. The 2023 CONSOB Regulation No.22720 formally implements the EU ECSP rules in Italian law. Investor protection measures include a required Key Investment Information Sheet for every offer, and limits on how much non-professional investors may inves. Italy also offers tax breaks for individuals who invest in innovative startups via crowdfunding (similar to “ISA” schemes elsewhere).
The associations representing the fintech and crowdfunding sector include ItaliaFintech, Assofintech, and the Associazione Italiana Equity Crowdfunding (AIEC). These industry groups, along with research bodies like the Politecnico di Milano’s CrowdInvesting Observatory, work to educate investors and influence policy. Important regulators and bodies to know are CONSOB (via its FinTech Observatory) and Banca d’Italia, as well as the Ministry of Economy which oversees startup incentives. In short, Italy’s legal framework for crowdfunding is mature and clear: dedicated laws govern equity crowdfunding, and the new EU rules harmonize equity and lending crowdfunding across Europe. Platforms must follow strict licensing and transparency requirements, which helps protect retail investors while opening up new alternative finance channels in Italy.
Equity crowdfunding lets individuals invest in shares of private companies. In Italy this model is well established: as of 2023, nearly a third of all Italian crowdfunding platforms offer equity deals. Recent trends show that real estate projects are increasingly financed via equity platforms, often eclipsing tech startup rounds. Innovative startups once dominated equity crowdfunding (over 60% of campaigns a few years ago), but now more established SMEs and even real-estate ventures are fundraising online. The total raised by equity crowdfunding was about €110.9 million in the last 12 months (stable from prior period), with real-estate-related equity deals growing strongly (up 32%). Most campaigns still succeed (around 88% success rate), and average ticket sizes range from €1,000 for many retail investors to much larger sums from professionals.
Key Italian equity platforms include:
Other active equity platforms in Italy include WeAreStarting and StarsUp (focused on startups and innovative ventures). All these platforms are regulated by CONSOB and require issuers to comply with strict rules (e.g. giving investors tag-along/co-sale rights and withdrawal periods). For retail investors, equity crowdfunding offers access to high-potential early-stage companies, but also carries high risk. Savvy beginners should diversify and only invest amounts they can afford, benefiting from the tax incentives for eligible startup investments. Overall, equity crowdfunding in Italy is a growing channel, especially for supporting Italy’s SMEs and innovative projects, and its leading platforms continue to add new deals regularly.
Real estate is the fastest-growing segment of Italian crowdfunding. It includes both debt and equity models, letting retail investors co-finance property developments. In Italy there are over 20 real-estate crowdfunding platforms offering projects across major cities. Most of these use the lending model (investors fund loans to property developers, receiving interest), though some also sell equity stakes in properties. In the past year, real estate crowdfunding raised well over €170 million in Italy, far exceeding other sectors. This boom is driven by high demand for rental housing and commercial property, and the fact that these projects often offer attractive returns (many Italian real estate loans pay 8–10% annual interest).
Key real-estate platforms in Italy include:
Other players include platforms like Housers Italy (part of a Spain-based site) and ESTA. In general, Italian real-estate crowdfunding projects emphasize collateral (the property) and often offer insurance or buyback guarantees. Key trends include rising interest rates (which increase offered yields) and regulatory tightening (platforms are now under ECSP rules). For new investors, these platforms offer a way to invest in property with modest ticket sizes (often from €100–€500). As always, investors should assess each project’s location, market demand, and developer credentials. Overall, real-estate crowdfunding in Italy presents a fairly large and well-developed market niche, with several specialized platforms headquartered in Italy and thousands of projects funded.
Crowdlending (also called lending-based crowdfunding) in Italy refers to loans to businesses and SMEs funded by investors. Historically, this was a booming segment (even surpassing equity in some years), since businesses could borrow directly from online investors. Recent trends have seen a slowdown due to higher interest rates, but lending platforms still play a vital role for SMEs. In 2023 Italy’s business loan crowdfunding raised about €39.4 million (doubling from €19.2M the year before)t, though in 2024–25 this sector softened slightly to about €142 million in total (combined business and real-estate loans). Retail investors are drawn to these loans for their typically fixed returns (often 6–10%) and relatively short terms (most loans around 12–18 months).
Major Italian SME lending platforms include:
Crowdlending platforms require rigorous credit assessment. They work with companies needing €100K–€1M loans, usually secured by business assets. Interest rates reflect risk (often 7–11%). For investors, these loans are riskier than bank bonds but can yield more. The main trend is cautious growth: lending platforms now must comply with the EU’s standardized rules, which can mean more due diligence but also more investor confidence. Tax treatment has been a concern (investors call for simpler withholding on interest), but overall crowdlending remains an important segment in Italy, especially as banks tighten lending to small firms. Crowdlending platforms often emphasize transparency, publishing default rates and requiring collateral, making them a viable option for retail investors seeking fixed-income opportunities in Italian SMEs.
P2P lending for individual consumers has been less prominent in Italy than in some other countries. A few platforms used to match private borrowers with investors, but many have closed or merged. The most notable was Prestiamoci (literally “lend to us”), which once dominated consumer P2P loans in Italy but wound down operations by 2022. Another was Smartika, which was acquired by a bank (Banca Sella). As a result, Italy currently has very few dedicated P2P platforms for personal loans. Italian retail investors interested in consumer loans often look at banks and fintech lenders (e.g. Younited, which operates in Italy but is headquartered in France) instead.
In short, the P2P lending market in Italy is quite small and not the focus of most recent investment platforms. Nonetheless, some international P2P sites (like Mintos or Zopa) are accessible from Italy, but are not headquartered there. The trend is that Italy’s peer-to-peer lending space has consolidated: banks and regulated lenders now fill much of the gap that pure P2P once targeted. For beginners, this means there are limited choices in “borrower-to-individual” lending platforms, and any such investments carry higher risk (default) compared to crowdlending for businesses. Currently, Italian investors looking for fixed-income returns typically prefer the business loan crowdfunding platforms or traditional saving products, rather than individual P2P loans.
Donation-based crowdfunding (charity fundraising) is very popular in Italy for social and cultural causes. Retail “investors” here are actually donors who support non-profit projects. The largest Italian donation platforms include Rete del Dono (the “Network of Giving”), which allows individuals to fund socially valuable initiatives through a transparent portal. Another key player is Produzioni dal Basso (PDB), a pioneer in Italy (founded 2005) that hosts creative and community projects using either donations or rewards. PDB reports over 500,000 users and more than 8,000 funded campaigns, covering arts, culture, technology, and social projects.
Other Italian donation platforms include Innamorati della Cultura (for Italian cultural heritage), LoveItaly (non-profit preservation projects), and even a donation portal by Intesa Sanpaolo for social causes. Some niche platforms like BuonaCausa.org, Let's Donation, and Bumers focus on specific charities. These platforms typically collect a small fee (around 3–5%) and allow donors to pay with credit card or bank transfer. For retail investors (donors) interested in community impact, donation crowdfunding is a way to support initiatives without seeking financial return. 😊 It’s important to note that donations are not investments – the “reward” is usually the satisfaction of helping a cause, possibly receiving a token thank-you gift, but not monetary gain. Overall, donation crowdfunding in Italy has a strong community aspect and continues to grow as awareness of social entrepreneurship and civic fundraising increases.
Reward-based crowdfunding in Italy blends donation with a small incentive or product. Creators offer backers a token of appreciation (a product, service, or unique reward) instead of shares or interest. Famous Italian examples are: Eppela, a platform for creative projects where funders might receive the final product (e.g. a book or gadget); and Bookabook, where readers pre-purchase unpublished books to help authors publish them. Both charge about a 5% fee on successful campaigns. There are also niche reward platforms like Crowdbooks (another book publishing site) and Flacowski (focus on magazines and art books).
Produzioni dal Basso (PDB) covers rewards too – for example, a project might offer advance tickets to a play or copies of an album in exchange for funding. The environment for reward crowdfunding is competitive, as many projects use global platforms (Kickstarter, Indiegogo) as well. However, Italian sites can provide local language support and marketing. For retail investors who enjoy supporting entrepreneurs or creators, reward crowdfunding is a way to get fun perks (like an early edition of a game or custom artwork) while helping projects come to life. It’s less about “investment” and more about patronage. The key trends here are a focus on innovative tech gadgets, design, publishing and culture. Beginners should pick projects with clear products and understand that failure rates can be higher (some projects never deliver). Nonetheless, reward crowdfunding remains an engaging segment of Italy’s crowdfunding ecosystem.
A growing niche in Italy is green and impact crowdfunding. Platforms like Ener2Crowd (Italian) allow retail investors to fund renewable energy projects or energy-efficiency upgrades, often at stable interest rates. Another example is UpsideTown, which pools investments in green real estate and solar projects. These platforms vet projects for sustainability credentials. The trend is rising: as Italians care more about climate issues, energy crowdfunding offers a win-win (investors earn returns while supporting solar parks or clean tech). In the past year, green projects on Italian platforms have attracted significant funds, reflecting Europe’s broader emphasis on sustainable finance. Investors interested in ESG can use these specialized platforms to align their money with impact goals, though it’s still a relatively small slice of the market.
Conclusion
Overall, Italy’s crowdfunding ecosystem is mature and varied, with platforms across all major models. Retail investors have numerous opportunities – from buying equity in startups via Mamacrowd or BacktoWork24, to lending to businesses on EvenFi or backing green energy projects on Ener2Crowd. Although fundraising volumes saw a slight decline recently (e.g. €260.7M in 2024-25 vs. €343.8M in 2023), the long-term potential remains strong. Italy’s policymakers continue to refine regulations (implementing EU rules, encouraging fintech), and big financial players (like Intesa Sanpaolo) are showing confidence in the sector. For beginner investors, crowdfunding in Italy offers diversified options: equity shares with tax perks, fixed-income loans to SMEs, or simply supporting local projects. The key is to choose established, Italy-based platforms (like those described above) that are properly licensed, and to start with small allocations. With clear legal safeguards and growing public awareness, the Italian crowdfunding market is poised to keep expanding its reach – making it an attractive frontier in Italy’s alternative finance landscape.