The Tuscany Region has presented the results of its investment attraction call, a €14 million initiative funded by the EU Regional Programme ERDF 2021–2027, aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of the regional productive system and fostering innovation-driven industrial development.
The event, titled “The Tuscany that attracts: research, development and innovation projects tell their story”, was held at Palazzo Strozzi Sacrati in Florence and brought together regional and European institutions, companies and stakeholders. The initiative is implemented through Invest in Tuscany, the regional structure dedicated to promoting Tuscany as a strategic destination for investment and business expansion.
The programme supports projects in advanced technological fields, including generative artificial intelligence, robotics, circular economy applications, and advanced sensor systems for railway and nuclear safety. The objective is to transform research and innovation into pre-commercial industrial solutions within 15 months, strengthening the region’s attractiveness for high-value investments.
A total of 12 projects were selected, involving large enterprises, SMEs and research organisations.
Selected projects
- Archa Srl (Project FENICE) – Circular economy solution transforming plastic waste into new materials for foundries, replacing fossil carbon in casting processes.
- Fucina Italia Srl (Project CyberTank) – Smart containers for nuclear, medical and industrial waste equipped with IoT sensors for real-time safety monitoring.
- Inovyn Produzione Italia Spa (Project IDROCAT) – Advanced chemical process innovation improving catalytic efficiency and reducing external supply dependence.
- LCI Italy Srl (Project RE-CARBON) – Recycling of fishing nets and carbon waste into high-performance thermoplastic composites for sustainable industrial applications.
- JSW Steel Italy Piombino Spa (Project PrediRail) – Smart railway infrastructure system with self-powered sensors and predictive maintenance based on machine learning.
- Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie Srl (Project CARES) – AI and robotics-based system for energy infrastructure inspection and emissions monitoring.
- Solvay Chimica Italia Spa (Project ECO-VALUES) – Recovery of spent carbon materials for reuse in industrial production cycles.
- Techa Srl (Project AI-LABS) – Application of generative AI for environmental laboratory management and sample traceability.
During the event, President Eugenio Giani highlighted the strategic importance of the programme for Tuscany’s industrial development and reiterated the need to safeguard EU cohesion policy resources and regional managing authorities in the upcoming 2028–2034 programming period.
Regional Councillor Leonardo Marras underlined the success of the call in attracting high-quality investment projects and the importance of supporting research and development activities led by multinational companies operating in Tuscany.
Representatives from the European Commission (DG REGIO) and the ERDF Managing Authority also contributed to the discussion, emphasising the role of cohesion policy in strengthening regional competitiveness and innovation ecosystems.
