What we learn, written down.
Analysis and reflections from the trenches. When a project teaches us something worth sharing, it ends up here. No content marketing, no trend lists.
Articles
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Italian grants 2026 for software, AI and ecommerce: which fits
Six live Italian schemes pay for digital projects under opposite rules: a company website is excluded by one and named in another's decree. The map for working out where your spend belongs.
Marco Tartaglia 15 min
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Marche region funding 2026: which one pays a software invoice
As of 14 September 2026 only one regional channel reimburses a software invoice for a business already trading in Marche. The others pay lump sums, or pay municipalities.
Adrian Sebastian Ciocaianu 14 min -
Italian grant revoked: what the supplier invoice must carry
From 1 January 2026 the Codice degli incentivi applies and Legislative Decree 123/1998 is repealed. The five filters a software supplier invoice has to pass, from the CUP to the de minimis ceiling.
Marco Tartaglia 14 min -
Accounting practice software: how customisable is it really?
Configurable and extensible are not the same thing, but vendors use one word for both. The four levels of customisation and the five questions to ask in a demo before signing.
Gabriele Longo 13 min -
AI grants in Italy 2026: what actually exists for SMEs
The MIMIT fund for artificial intelligence was open for a single day, back in 2022. What is left in 2026: chamber vouchers, a 180% uplift, and the dates that need rechecking.
Andrea Barberi 13 min -
Starting a business in Italy in 2026: who pays for the software
From 1 July 2026 ON has no grant element left, the decree rewriting Smart&Start is not yet in force, and the Fondo Impresa Femminile has been shut since 2022. What is left to pay for software.
Gabriele Longo 12 min -
Italy's Nuova Sabatini: when software counts as capital goods
The scheme does not think in projects, it thinks in balance-sheet lines: what lands in B.I.3 or B.I.4 qualifies, a subscription fee or consulting does not. Grant rate 2.75% or 3.575%.
Marco Tartaglia 13 min -
Software tax credit in Italy 2026: what is left and what ended
Three channels closed between 31 December 2025 and 30 June 2026. In their place a 180% super-deduction, and an Annex V that names Large Language Models, Agentic AI and process mining.
Adrian Sebastian Ciocaianu 14 min -
SIMEST: 200 million for AI from 21 September, cost by cost
From 21 September 2026 Italy's SIMEST opens a 200 million reserve for artificial intelligence and quantum computing. The eligible costs line by line, and the lowered export threshold.
Andrea Barberi 14 min -
Double Transition Voucher 2026: what it funds and excludes
Italy's 2026 chamber-of-commerce voucher covers up to 70% of technology, consulting and training. What qualifies, what the rules exclude, and the Marche window: 30 September to 7 October.
Adrian Sebastian Ciocaianu 13 min Updated September 14, 2026 -
Italian start-up grants: software is an eligible cost
Italy's Autoimpiego and Resto al Sud 2.0 decree names application software, digital platforms and apps as eligible, with no percentage cap. Vouchers to 50,000 euros, and a strict cumulation ban.
Gabriele Longo 14 min -
NIS2 compliance tools: what they do and what they do not
GRC platforms produce documentation, technical tools produce the evidence that documentation claims. Many SMEs buy the first and stay exposed on the second.
Marco Tartaglia 14 min -
IBM Bob and RPG code: what it actually does and where it stops
Bob is IBM AI development partner for RPG and COBOL, generally available since March 2026 with an IBM i pack since June. What it does to the code, what it costs, and what it does not cover.
Andrea Barberi 12 min -
From Excel to software: six signals the spreadsheet no longer holds
A spreadsheet does not need replacing for being a spreadsheet. It needs replacing when specific signals appear: six criteria for the threshold, and the three routes available once it has been crossed.
Gabriele Longo 11 min -
What it costs to keep an AS/400 ERP running, and what the fee covers
The five cost lines behind an AS/400 system, what an application maintenance contract actually covers, and the two lines that never appear on any invoice.
Marco Tartaglia 13 min -
IBM i 7.4 out of support on 30 September 2026: who does what
On 30 September 2026 IBM i 7.4 leaves standard support. The release-hardware matrix decides who can upgrade the OS, who has to change iron and who pays for the extension.
Marco Tartaglia 14 min -
Implementing RAG on an enterprise knowledge base: practical guide
Practical tutorial for implementing RAG on an Italian enterprise knowledge base in 2026: chunking, embeddings, vector store, retrieval, native prompt. Ready-to-use TypeScript code.
Adrian Sebastian Ciocaianu 11 min -
AS/400 modernization with running business: manufacturing scenario
Illustrative scenario based on industry-typical patterns: how to modernize a 28-year-old AS/400 in a manufacturing company in the Marche region while keeping the business running 24/7.
Marco Tartaglia 9 min -
Accounting firms: custom software or off-the-shelf management tool?
When an accounting firm has to choose between TeamSystem Studio or equivalent and custom-built software: concrete criteria, scenarios, real costs and evaluation mistakes.
Gabriele Longo 9 min Updated August 17, 2026 -
NIS2-compliant software: what it actually means in 2026
What it means to develop 'NIS2-compliant' software in 2026: access controls, logs, patch management, supply chain security, certifications and applicable technical standards.
Gabriele Longo 14 min Updated August 17, 2026 -
How to choose a tech stack in 2026: our checklist
A concrete checklist for selecting your tech stack in 2026: evaluation criteria, common mistakes, considerations on the Italian talent pool and AI evolution. No ideological preferences.
Gabriele Longo 14 min -
The 5 most common pitfalls in legacy system migrations
Five recurring failure patterns in legacy migrations in Italy: underestimated domain knowledge, dirty data, big-bang without fallback, user rejection, non-specialized vendors.
Marco Tartaglia 14 min -
Invoicing automation for B2B distribution: the scenario
Illustrative scenario based on industry-typical patterns: how to automate the invoicing flow for a B2B distributor with 800 customers and 5,000 monthly invoices in 10 weeks.
Andrea Barberi 9 min -
AI agents vs chatbots: the difference few people understand
The technical difference between AI agent and chatbot is not marketing: it changes architecture, capability, costs and ROI. When each makes sense and the most common mistakes in choosing.
Andrea Barberi 11 min -
How long it takes to migrate an AS/400: real timelines in 2026
Realistic timelines for each AS/400 migration strategy: replatforming 4-6 months, refactoring 12-24, replacement 18-36. Factors that shift the timeline and key milestones.
Marco Tartaglia 9 min -
AI Act and the Digital Omnibus: what changed in August 2026
The Digital Omnibus postponed high-risk system obligations to 2 December 2027. Only Article 50 on transparency took effect on 2 August 2026. What an Italian software house actually has to do.
Adrian Sebastian Ciocaianu 15 min Updated August 15, 2026 -
AI booking agent for a multi-specialty clinic: the case
Illustrative scenario based on industry-typical patterns: how to design and build an AI agent for booking management at a clinic with 8 practices in 12 weeks.
Andrea Barberi 9 min -
SAP alternatives for Italian mid-market companies: 5 serious options
Five concrete alternatives to SAP for Italian mid-market companies: Microsoft Dynamics, TeamSystem Enterprise, Odoo, NetSuite, custom ERP. When each makes sense, real costs, common mistakes.
Adrian Sebastian Ciocaianu 11 min Updated August 17, 2026 -
How much it costs to modernize a 2000s custom ERP
Realistic cost ranges to modernize a legacy custom ERP in 2026: replatforming, replacement, gradual modernization. Factors driving the price and red flags.
Andrea Barberi 9 min -
NIS2 for Italian software houses: what changes in 2026
What the NIS2 directive and Legislative Decree 138/2024 concretely mean for software developers in Italy: covered entities, technical obligations, ACN registration, real penalties.
Marco Tartaglia 14 min Updated August 17, 2026 -
Integrating GPT into TeamSystem without replacing the ERP
API-side integration patterns to pair an LLM with TeamSystem without touching the core: webhooks, Italian prompts, data security. Ready-to-adapt TypeScript code.
Andrea Barberi 11 min -
Custom software vs SaaS for Italian SMEs: 7 criteria to decide
In 99% of cases the right answer is SaaS, and we say it as a company that builds custom software. But in that 1%, the future of a company is decided. Seven criteria to figure out where you fall.
Gabriele Longo 12 min -
How much an AI agent for customer service costs in 2026
Three realistic cost tiers: SaaS €100-500/month, custom €15-80k upfront, enterprise €150k+. Factors, concrete scenarios, and red flags of bad estimates.
Andrea Barberi 10 min -
AS/400 migration guide for 2026: 5 concrete strategies
Five real approaches to modernize an AS/400 system without stopping the business: replatforming, refactoring, replacement, retirement, hybrid. Timeframes, costs, common mistakes.
Marco Tartaglia 19 min Updated August 17, 2026