The aim is to identify and implement strategies to stimulate innovation of the enterprises of the stone sector in the region

The new Technological District of Marble and Ornamental Stones will be based in Carrara and managed by a network composed of Internazionale Marmi e Macchine Carrara (leader), GeoExplorer, a start-up founded as a spinoff of the University of Siena, and Cosmave, the consortium for the development of activities in the Apuan-Versilian stone district.

The District will have to identify and implement strategies meant to stimulate and acknowledge the demand for innovation of the enterprises belonging to the District, to facilitate the access of enterprises to technological knowledge, networks and resources at a national and international level in the fields of research and innovation, and finally to promote the sharing of equipment as well as of research, test and certification laboratories.

Joining the District is easy and completely free. For further details, according to a press release.

At the date of foundation, 135 companies of the sector (involved in quarrying, processing, technology and specialised services) have joined the Marble Technological District. There are also 5 competence centres and services, 4 research institutions and 7 industrial research and technology transfer infrastructures.

Among the fundamental activities planned by the District: the organisation of business-to-business meetings to facilitate trade agreements; the organisation of Research-to-Business meetings to bring together research and business communities; the organisation of meetings between companies and financial intermediaries in order to facilitate investment in innovative activities.

In Tuscany, there a now 8 Technological Districts. They are strongly supported by Regione Toscana, which opened the call for their management last spring: from the district of fashion to that of railways, from marine and port facilities to new materials, from life sciences to interior and design, from energy/green economy to marble.

The various Districts will be clusters of enterprises, research centres, laboratories, innovative start ups, companies that will pull together as a team to promote, encourage and disseminate innovation and knowledge by sharing facilities, know-how and skills. Their priority is precisely to work together for the transfer of research results to companies, with the aim of generating innovation ‒ and, therefore, increased competitiveness of the productive chains ‒ and of developing research networks and collaboration among enterprises and research organisations

Source: IMM Carrara

(27.09.2016, USA: 09.27.2016)