30 Profitable small business ideas in Italy

Here are a list of profitable business ideas in Italy. You can also find the same list for Cyprus, Denmark, Netherlands and Switzerland. This will guide you through all the information and requirement you need to determine if starting a business in Italy is profitable.

How easy is it to start a business in Italy?

Thanks to several reforms aimed at streamlining and simplifying the procedures required to start and operate a business in Italy, various options for conducting business in Italy are now accessible. It takes approximately five days to start a business in Italy.

Is Italy a good business place?

Italy is an excellent location for anyone looking to start a small business with less than 50 employees. It is due to the government’s numerous incentives and support packages for such businesses, which is a significant benefit considering how few governments provide such assistance. Italy can be an excellent business destination due to its multiple options and because most businesses now operate in English, making communication easier.

How can a foreigner start a business in Italy?

There are several steps required to start a business as a foreigner in Italy, and these are;

• Draft the business’s memorandum; 
• Have your company and bylaws notarized;
• Deposit the relevant paperwork with the Italian Business Register;
• Purchase corporation and accounting books (as required by Italian Civil Code Article 2478).

Foreigners who want to start a business in Italy can follow these steps;

1. Create your company’s status. SRL (Limited Liability Company) can be used in creating the company status.
2. Ensure to pay all your taxes, i.e., the Income-tax, corporation tax, VAT or sales tax, service tax, and customs duty.
3. Incorporate Italian culture and language in your business (ensure to respect their religion because 80% of Italians are Catholics)
4. Respect Italian work-style and lifestyle.

Business ideas to start in Italy without money

Blogging: While not a novel notion, monetized blogging has always been a popular choice for a low-cost business.

When it comes to making money from your blog, you have a lot of alternatives, including affiliate relationships, producing ebooks, and delivering online courses and webinars. Certain blog niches will be more popular and easy to monetize than others. Therefore some of these will perform better than others.

Child care at home: Turning your home into an in-home daycare center could be a terrific alternative if you enjoy children and have the necessary infrastructure. There will be fees and licensing procedures (which vary by state), but aside from that, the costs of beginning a daycare business are modest to none.

Consulting: Starting a consulting company is a popular free business to start. Your skillset will determine the type of consulting you offer; do you have a background in the social media marketing or legal experience?

Examine your talents and previous work experience to determine what you could bring to the table that others might not be familiar with.

Tutoring or music lessons: Consider launching a tutoring business if you excel at a specific academic subject or perform a musical instrument. The options are practically limitless, allowing you to focus on a certain skill set or passion (though you may have more luck as a general English tutor and not, say, a specialist in 19th-century Gothic Literature).

Alterations and sewing: You might want to explore beginning a sewing or adjustments business if you’re a talented seamstress or desire to learn. Startup costs are almost non-existent if you already own a sewing machine and possess the requisite abilities (and even if you don’t, these one-time costs are still relatively low in new business initiatives).

Franchise opportunities in Italy

Best Energy

Best Energy allows you to run your own business with the British Energy Saving team. It requires a minimum of 32,000 EUR.

Sushirullen

Sushirullen is an internationally recognized sushi brand that was established in 2013. It requires a minimum of 90,000 EUR.

Fullpivot

Fullpivot is a franchised opportunity that allows you to launch your digital agency even without having previous experience. The minimum cash required is 21,995 EUR.

Eazi-sites

Eazi-sites is a website development business that allows you to become your boss. Full training and support are provided for this business. The minimum cash required is 6,995 EUR.

Websites to find businesses of sale in Italy

SMERGERS

SMERGERS is a private market network for companies, investors, acquirers, lenders, mergers and acquisition advisors, and boutique investment banks. SMERGERS offers the necessary network of members to assist in concluding successful transactions, whether it’s a small family business or a large established corporation.

STATISTA

Statista has quickly established itself as a prominent market and consumer data provider in just a few years. Statista is constantly reinvented by over 1,100 visionaries, specialists, and doers, resulting in the development of innovative new products and business models.

Tech business opportunities in Italy

Computer Maintenance and Repair

People look for local computer repair and maintenance services after the warranty period has expired since they are less expensive. You can start this business from the comfort of your own home. Deliver the service right to the customer’s door. Because the computer sector is experiencing exponential expansion, related industries such as computer maintenance and repair will continue to thrive.

Tech Blogging

Starting a tech blog is a good money-making enterprise if you have expertise in any tech-related area and want to share it with people on the internet. There are successful tech bloggers who make a lot of money.

Service for Computer Upgrades

Providing computer upgrade services is a large business. You can provide a variety of services to your customers. Upgrades include memory, operating system, peripheral device installation, graphics card upgrade, etc.

Selling Customized USB Drives

USB drives with custom logos are a popular promotional item. Corporate gifts engraved or printed with the company emblem, slogan, tagline, or message are quite popular. To launch this business, you’ll need strong design and manufacturing skills.

Computer Publishing

Desktop publishing is the process of combining text and artwork to create documents that are properly formatted for print, the Web, or mobile devices, such as newsletters, brochures, books, business cards, Web pages, greeting cards, letterhead, packaging, and signage, using a computer and specific types of software. 

E-teaching

Nowadays, e-teaching or e-tutoring is getting increasingly common. You do not need to leave this business. You can offer the service over the internet. You can start this home-based business if you have a computer and an internet connection. You can also sign up with another company that offers an E-teaching platform for professors and students.

Software Engineer

Several sorts of bespoke software development for IT specialists are quite successful ventures. In the commercial world, the software is critical in giving solutions. You can also start this business from home. Before implementing marketing strategies, careful planning is required.

Consulting on Social Media

Almost everyone uses Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest these days, and many businesses are willing to pay someone to handle their social media accounts. Social media consulting is one of the most profitable internet-based business ideas for women entrepreneurs.

SEO Services

Consider beginning an SEO consultancy business if you have prior experience with SEO-related activities. SEO consulting pros use organic search engine optimization strategies to boost a website’s rating from virtually unknown to page one. Search Engine Optimization is the abbreviation for “search engine optimization.” People typically use search engines to find information about items or services on the internet. People use Google, Bing, Yahoo, and other major search engines.

Bookkeeping

With a little startup capital investment, an individual can establish a freelance bookkeeping business from home. Every firm, large or small, requires accounting services. Setting up a competent accounting system is essential for a successful business operation.

Benefits of doing business in Italy

Hub for strategic logistics

Italy’s location in the Mediterranean Sea provides firms with a strategic entrance to consumers throughout the European Union, Northern Africa, and the Middle East. It is also a major crossroads connecting southern, central, and eastern Europe.

A solid manufacturing foundation

Italy ranks second only to Germany in terms of manufacturing output in Europe. Italy’s products continue to be known for their exceptional quality and design. Investors can choose from a broad pool of expertise in various fields, including machine tools, fashion, culinary, automotive, and pharmaceuticals. Companies can also tap into a vast network of intermediary suppliers in various industries, including industrial machinery, metals, chemicals, plastics, paper, ceramics, textiles, and the marine industry.

Italy equates to excellence.

We’ve all heard of “Made in Italy,” a quality emblem. This is precisely what Italy’s most prized resource has to offer. Of course, regardless of the items in question, the qualified labor ensures such quality, which also comes at a lesser cost than other EU countries such as Germany.

Investment-friendly culture

Investors are welcome in Italy’s open economy. To earn investor trust and confidence, the country has enacted important reforms, including forming a high-level commission within the Ministry of Economic Development. The Italian Trade Agency provides a “one-stop-shop” for pre-investment information, business setup assistance, and continuous incentive and contract aftercare.

High-tech efficiency

Investors can discover opportunities in numerous high-tech areas with various government incentives, depending on the region and industry, in line with Italy’s goal of attracting FDI centered on innovation and sophisticated technologies. The biotechnology, chemicals, aerospace, and automotive industries have promising prospects.

Italy provides consumers with access to a large consumer market.

At the risk of repeating certain facts, an Italian company’s access to consumers inside and beyond the country should be mentioned. When we talk about outside alternatives, we’re talking about both the EU and overseas markets that could develop into Asia.

Challenges of starting a business in Italy

Starting a Company

Businesses launching in Italy face time-consuming government procedures and challenges with decision-making and communication. Before executing a public document of incorporation and conducting the proper accounting procedures, a company representative must first deposit at least 25% of the contributions in cash with a bank. You must also pay a government grant tax and register with Comunicazione Unica and the Labour Office (DPLMO) at the post office.

Dealing with Building Permits

The Italian business system is typified by dealing with building licenses. Although fewer procedures than the OECD average, each step takes substantially longer to complete, taking 135 days for a building permit and 30 days for many other departments.

Obtaining Electrical Power

When it comes to receiving energy, time is a crucial factor, and the utility provider’s exterior connection work can take up to 100 days. Getting an estimate after applying takes about two months on average.

Property Registration

The process of registering property is quite simple, albeit the costs of acquiring an energy certificate (Attestato di Certificazione Energetica, ACE) and obtaining the appropriate certificates for the transaction through Notartel are quite high.

Payment of Taxes

The Italian tax system is extremely complicated. Companies must make 15 payments every year, which will take 269 hours to complete. Furthermore, the tax burden is disproportionately large, and the private sector is set to bear the brunt of the government’s budget deficit.

International Trade

Another time-consuming operation is cross-border trading, which takes 19 days to export and 18 days to import. Authorities require ten days to process the required documentation, and customs clearance and technological control can cause delays.

Contract Enforcement

Italy is one of the worst countries in the world for contract enforcement, taking 1,210 days to complete compared to the OECD average of 510 days. This may not seem odd given that there are 41 operations to perform.

Culture

Traditions and a sense of history loom large in the minds of Italians, and both have influenced the Italian approach to business. Making decisions can take a long time, and creating relationships is one of the most crucial business components.

30 profitable small business ideas in Italy

Start a Makeup Artist Studio or Business.

Makeup artists use their skills and tools to change, transform, and improve the appearance of others (and sometimes their bodies). These gifted individuals’ work corrects flaws, emphasizes excellent qualities, and addresses problems. Makeup artists are true artists in their own right, whether they’re enhancing cheekbones for a special occasion, perfecting the smoky eye for a picture session, or applying prosthetics for theatrical shows. Because really talented makeup artists fetch high fees and have loyal clients.

Establish a barbershop.

One of the tiny businesses that might be founded in Italy is a barbershop. Barbershops can be created in almost any place. It could come from a cubicle, a room, a kiosk, a store, or a massive structure. You have to make men and women appear good with fashionable haircuts and hairstyles. A barber is a person who makes a living by cutting, grooming, styling, and shaving hair.

Start a hotdog and sausage stand.

Another small-scale business created in Italy is a hotdog and sausage cart. Without breaking the money, a hot dog and sausage cart can be set up in the corner of a busy street or a mobile shop. Meanwhile, big-time investors can take advantage of the great demand for hot dogs and sausage to open their carts strategically around Italy’s major cities.

Start a Bar and Grill Company

A bar and grill restaurant may not be easy to open, but it is a straightforward business that may yield significant and consistent profits if properly positioned and maintained. People often believe that because a bar and grill restaurant is a small business, it does not require professional skills. While this is true, you will still need to learn how to prepare tasty barbeques and grills and good business and customer service skills.

Establish a Beauty Supply Shop

A beauty supply store is another small-scale business that can be launched in Italy. It’s crucial to note that the beauty supply shop industry will never go out of style due to the important position in society. The initial capital for this type of business might be considered reasonable depending on the scale you wish to start. In fact, by reinvesting your profits back into the business, you may establish your own beauty supply store and make it large in a short amount of time.

Establish a Car Leather Repair Company.

Another money-making company that a prospective entrepreneur who wants to start a small-scale business in Italy might consider is opening a car leather repair shop. Most automobiles have leather seats and interiors, and when these seats and interiors are exposed to the sun or heat, the leather will rip, have holes, stains, significant colour loss, become rough and cracked, necessitating the services of a car leather repair company.

Establish a Cigar Lounge

Another small-scale business that might be founded in Italy is a cigar lounge. A cigar lounge, sometimes known as a cigar bar, is a location where smokers can purchase their chosen cigar brand and smoke without fear of being embarrassed, detained, or fined.Smoking is now prohibited in public areas. In an effort to protect non-smokers from the hazardous effects of cigarette smoke, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is working with governments from around the world to prohibit smoking in public areas.

Create a Coffee Shop

Coffee cafés are one of the small-scale companies that can be effectively launched on the corner of a busy street or in a mobile store without breaking the bank. Coffee shops and cafés can be found in any part of town where people live or work. If you run a mobile coffee shop, on the other hand, you won’t have any restrictions on where you can serve your coffee, just like a traditional food truck.

Begin planning a party Business

Party planning, like event planning, is all about assisting corporations, governments, organizations, and people in organizing and executing their events from beginning to end. A party planner guarantees that they operate within the organization’s or individual’s budget and provide the successful party that was agreed upon. In some circumstances, the party planner is responsible for creating a budget for the party host after receiving a brief of the party type; this might be a wedding party, birthday party, end-of-year party, or baby shower.

Establish a Party Rental Company

Launching a party rental company requires less capital than starting a banquet hall leasing company. You have to buy tables, chairs, flatware, linens, centerpieces, stages, tents, canopies, and other materials for public and private gatherings. You’ll also need a warehouse or safe storage area to store the products and a truck to transport them to and from event sites as your clients desire. You can either rent out the truck or offer it as a bonus to those who rent party supplies from you.

Establish a Post-Construction Cleaning Company.

Post-construction cleaning is another small-scale business that might be launched in Italy. As the name implies, post-construction cleaning is a type of cleaning that is performed on a newly constructed building or structure. Before the facility is used, a full post-construction cleaning is expected to be carried out to clear the debris, and clean the floor, railings, toilets, windows, roof, and the entire compound. In reality, if post-construction cleaning is not performed, no building work will be commissioned.

Start a house flipping company.

House flipping is another small-scale company that you can start in Italy. House flipping is obtaining a foreclosed house, renovating it, and then reselling it for a profit. Typically, house flippers sell the property for a profit that covers all costs and compensates for the time involved in the transaction. The profit could be large or modest, depending on how well you can renovate the property and where it is located.

Begin a scrap metal recycling company.

Scrap metal is a small-scale business that is highly profitable because used and abandoned metal scraps can be found in almost every country and city. To successfully launch a metal scrap recycling business, you’ll need to understand where to collect used and condemned metal and where to sell the raw materials generated during the recycling process, as well as strong entrepreneurial skills and determination.

Establish a Video Game Lounge

You might consider opening your video game lounge in Italy if you are passionate about keeping youngsters, young adults, and even older people occupied and pleased. One of the simplest businesses to establish is a video gaming lounge. People go to gaming centers not only to play games but also to rent the most recent cartridges of games they don’t own or can’t buy.

Establish a Salad Delivery Service

If you’re looking to establish a small business in Italy, one alternative is creating a salad delivery service. The truth is that anyone can start a salad delivery service; it isn’t difficult to get started because you may begin by acting as a middleman between major fast-food restaurants that mass-produce salads and retailers or consumers. Salad delivery requires no special skills or knowledge, and any serious entrepreneur can benefit handsomely from it.

Begin a beverage distribution company.

A beverage distribution business is a small-scale business you can establish in Italy with little difficulty. A beverage distribution company buys beverages in bulk from manufacturers and then distributes them to merchants, businesses, and homes. You can opt to operate without a store if you have the financial means or choose to own one if you have the financial means. The bottom line is that you must have your distribution vehicle or van and know how to obtain beverages and distribute them to your customers.

Start a Boutique Company

Another small-scale business that might be launched in Italy is a boutique. To be successful in this business, you’ll need a nice location, easy access to wholesale supplies of high-quality clothing, shoes, bags, and other fashion accessories, and excellent customer service skills. The truth is that if your boutique (store) is in a high-traffic location with high-quality fashion items from many designers and brands, you may not have to fight to attract people to come in and make purchases.

Open a Bridal Boutique

In Italy, a bridal boutique falls under the category of small-scale businesses. Wedding ceremonies are almost expected to occur at least once a week in your city or town, and brides typically shop for their wedding gowns and accessories at a bridal shop. So, if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur searching for a small-scale business to start, one of your possibilities is to launch a wedding boutique in your city.

Establish a Car Accessories Shop

If you’re looking for a small business to start in Italy and know you’re interested in the automotive industry, you should consider opening a vehicle accessories store. Although a college degree is not required to open a car accessories and auto spare parts store, you will require informal training, such as working as an apprentice for someone who has a car accessories and auto spare parts store. It makes learning how to run your auto accessories and spare parts company much easier.

Open a clothing rental company.

In Italy, a clothes rental business is classified as a small-scale enterprise. You can be sure that corporate dinner parties and wedding ceremonies occur at least once a week in your city or town, and grooms and groomsmen will typically rent tuxedos and other attire. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur searching for a basic and straightforward business to start, one of your alternatives is to launch a clothes rental business in your area.

Start a custom cake business.

Suppose you are a baker or even a caterer. In that case, you will find it easier to branch out into custom cake manufacturing because the same ingredients and procedures are utilized in traditional and custom cakes. When crafting bespoke cakes, one thing to keep in mind is that your originality will set you apart from the competition.

Establish a Watch and Jewelry Repair Company

Another small-scale business that might be founded in Italy is a watch and jewelry repair shop. Sizing, polishing, and battery replacement are just a few of the services offered by watch and jewelry repair shops. They also provide various repair and leasing services and resell refurbished goods and parts. This industry is thriving because one out of every two people you meet wears jewelry and watches regularly. The truth is that when jewelry is worn, it tends to wear out or become damaged, necessitating the employment of jewelry repair establishments.

Establish a Language School

Another small-scale business that might be launched in Italy is a language school. Language schools provide everything from conversational skills for personal enrichment to intensive training courses for professional or educational chances. Italia is the official language of Italy, and migrants and students who wish to work or study in the country must first pass through a language school before being fully integrated into society, ensuring the existence and profitability of language schools in the country.

Establish a Consignment Shop

A consignment shop is just a store that sells gently used items at bargain prices. Clothing, shoes, other fashion accessories, sporting goods, autos, electronics, furniture, toys, books, tools, musical instruments, office equipment, and various other items could all be included. You may start this business with no money because all you have to do is gather items from people cleaning and decluttering their closets, houses, workplaces, or garages for free. In other words, you’d be automatically assisting them in getting rid of the stuff they don’t want, allowing you to benefit.

Start a Dog Training Company

Dog training is another small-scale company that you can start in Italy. It is not difficult to become a dog trainer because you do not need a qualification. All that is expected of you is a passion for animals and the ability to teach dogs in various skill sets. Starting a dog training business is a lot of fun since it allows you to form a bond with the dogs and pays off handsomely in the long run. So it isn’t an exaggeration to claim that the dog training business is a textbook example of getting paid to do what you enjoy.

Establish a Dryer Vent Cleaning Company

As an aspiring entrepreneur looking to start a small-scale business in Italy, you can start a dryer vent cleaning service with little difficulty. You don’t need to run a fully active dry-cleaning business to make money from your dryer vent cleaning service. You can start a dryer vent cleaning business, and your customers will be not only dry cleaners but also households and offices that utilize dryers. Most people find cleaning the vents of their dryers challenging, so they hire professionals to assist them.

Establish a Frozen Food Store

A frozen food store is a retail facility that sells various frozen meals, and it is a business that may be created anywhere in Italy. A frozen food store is a simple business to establish and requires little cash. The secrets to establishing a frozen food store are getting the correct products people want to buy and keeping solid stock records. A frozen food store can be run in a traditional retail store or online through an e-commerce website.

Start a gourmet popcorn business.

Gourmet popcorn stores can be found wherever in town as long as youngsters and even adults enjoy popcorn nearby. Gourmet popcorn shops can usually be found in schools, parks, retail malls, hotel lobbies, railway stations, bus stations, campuses, and sports facilities, as long as you have permission to sell there.

Establish a Grocery Delivery Service

A grocery delivery service is another small-scale business that might be founded in Italy. A grocery home delivery service helps customers shop for goods and deliver them to their homes, offices, or any other address they specify. You can choose to own a grocery shop if you have the financial means to do so, or you can function without one. In the end, you should know where to acquire groceries and how to get them delivered to your consumers.

Start Your Own Nanny Agency

A nanny agency is another small-scale business that can be launched in Italy. The truth is that a nanny agency services business is one of the types of businesses that an entrepreneur may start modest and possibly with a working home office without breaking the bank. At the same time, established entrepreneurs can take advantage of the high demand for nannies in high-end regions to open their well-organized nanny agency services at strategic locations throughout an Italian residential and business district.