More and more female entrepreneurs are choosing to start businesses in the South thanks to the benefits. Overall, 2,213 applications have already been submitted for Resto al Sud 2.0, for 153.5 million euros in benefits, the measure of the Cohesion decree designed to support the start-up of new businesses and professional activities in the regions of the Special Economic Zone by under 35s.
The progress data as of 15 May 2026 on the incentive, included within the Integrated Self-Employment Plan and co-financed by the European Union through the National Program for Youth, Women and Work, also shows a further 2,596 applications, currently being compiled. What differentiates the Resto al Sud 2.0 measure from the Central-North Self-Employment intervention is, in particular, the higher female participation. «A fact that highlights the ever-increasing desire for women to take the lead in the Southern regions», comments the Minister of Labor and Social Policies, Marina Calderone.