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The long-run effects of R&D subsidies on high-tech start-ups: Insights from Italy

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  • Borgomeo, Letizia
  • Koenig, Christoph
  • Miotto, Martina

Abstract

We study the impact of a government subsidy program in Italy targeted at R&D-intensive projects presented by high-tech startups in 2009. Using the score assigned by the scientific commission to each project, we employ a Regression Discontinuity Design to study how the subsidy affected successful firms’ innovation activity and performance over more than 10 years. We show that the subsidy led to substantial increases in intangible assets and had a lasting positive effect on various dimensions of firm performance. Innovation as measured by patents did not respond to the subsidy.

Suggested Citation

  • Borgomeo, Letizia & Koenig, Christoph & Miotto, Martina, 2025. "The long-run effects of R&D subsidies on high-tech start-ups: Insights from Italy," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:248:y:2025:i:c:s0165176524006384
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2024.112154
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    R&D subsidies; High-tech startups; Innovation policy; Firm performance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • L52 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Industrial Policy; Sectoral Planning Methods
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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