The Municipality is also the birthplace of a great Italian poet, Giovanni Pascoli, to whom several cultural initiatives are dedicated.
For years, San Mauro Pascoli has been a key reference point in the world of fashion and footwear, with many brands headquartered in the local footwear district (Sergio Rossi, Casadei, Pollini, Baldinini, Giuseppe Zanotti, Gianvito Rossi) or producing there as third parties. Additionally, the area has a diverse network of supplier companies specializing in high-quality semi-finished products, serving high-end companies and international brands.
Moreover, CERCAL, a training and service center for the sector, operates mainly in the field of specialized professional training. The Municipality of San Mauro Pascoli was part of CERCAL’s corporate structure from 2003 to 2023 (exiting due to new regulations) and has supported its activities since its inception, along with local companies.
Together with CERCAL, since 2015, the Municipality of San Mauro Pascoli launched the first project to support entrepreneurship, with a priority for young people. This project, called “CERCAL LAB,” offers the opportunity to develop ideas in the field of footwear, leather goods, and accessories, with a focus on experimentation and the development of entrepreneurial ideas. The project provides selected individuals and groups with free access to available spaces and laboratories at the Cercal headquarters, as well as support and consultancy on topics related to the project they intend to develop.
Over the years, CERCAL LAB has produced satisfactory results, mainly attracting ideas related to product development, often aimed at sustainability and green initiatives, but with technological aspects that still need to be strengthened and developed.
For this reason, the Municipality of San Mauro Pascoli and Cercal shared the idea of growing the initiative by structuring a true incubator, rethinking the spaces, and significantly integrating ICT technologies. The Municipality of San Mauro Pascoli identified new spaces available at Villa Torlonia, which have been renovated and equipped for the incubator, along with laboratories already available at Cercal, which have also been equipped with additional tools/technologies.
The new project, TECH FOR FASHION, was launched in 2022, also with contributions from the Emilia-Romagna Region and the strengthening of partnerships.
Through the TECH FOR FASHION incubator, the aim is to primarily support ideas related to digitalization and sustainability in the fashion world, to further drive innovation in the territory, particularly in the fashion and creative industries, while also further enhancing the Villa Torlonia site.
While keeping the CERCAL LAB project open, the goal is to also support more “traditional” ideas to safeguard the artisanal component, which is so important in high-end footwear.
The role of the Municipality of San Mauro Pascoli is, therefore, to support and sustain the district, as an actor in local politics, in the development and promotion of incubators for innovative ideas, teams, and startups focused on the fashion sector. Additionally, the Municipality is interested in focusing all experimental actions on accompanying the green transition of the sector, as well as promoting new talents, new ideas, and new businesses to maintain the district’s competitiveness and innovative management, ensuring product excellence, quality of work, and the well-being of the entire community.
Based on these goals and experiences, the Municipality of San Mauro Pascoli has joined the TASK4ISI project to exchange experiences and launch further experimental actions both locally and provincially, together with the OPEN partner, aimed at supporting inclusive entrepreneurship and attracting new startups and groups interested in self-employment, potentially geared towards the fashion industry or craftsmanship but also towards other sectors.
The Municipality of San Mauro Pascoli will therefore collaborate in promoting the Italian ISIHUB TASK4ISI, offering entrepreneurial training programs and services for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
This publication reflects the views of the author(s) only. The programme authorities are not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained herein.