Upskill Piemonte 2026: Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, Upskill 4.0 and UniCredit join forces to enhance Piedmont’s high-end craftsmanship districts through innovation and young ITS talent
The fourth edition of the Upskill Piemonte project is underway, focusing on the textile, jewellery and confectionery sectors. Nine artisanal businesses and three ITS academies from Piedmont will take part in a co-design programme aimed at making local districts more attractive to younger generations, strengthening the connection between education, business and the local area.
Creating cultural and economic value for the region, fostering connections between businesses and young talent, and supporting innovation in the flagship districts of Piedmont’s Made in Italy excellence: these are the objectives of Upskill Piemonte 2026, the fourth edition of the initiative promoted by Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT, the impact-oriented entity of Fondazione CRT, in partnership with Upskill 4.0 and UniCredit.
Building on the experience gained in previous editions, the project takes a further step forward by focusing on three emblematic sectors of Piedmont: Biella’s textile industry, Valenza’s jewellery district, and the confectionery and chocolate sector between Alba and Cuneo. These industries represent a manufacturing, cultural and productive heritage of great value and are now called upon to strengthen their appeal to younger generations.
Piedmont’s industrial districts continue to demonstrate strong economic relevance and internationally recognised excellence. The challenge, however, is to make them increasingly attractive places where young people can build their future, develop skills and professional identities, and achieve personal fulfilment. Upskill Piemonte 2026 was created precisely with this purpose: transforming Piedmont’s high-end craftsmanship into a driver of innovation, career guidance and local development.
The project will involve nine artisanal businesses selected through a call for expressions of interest and will activate nine co-design workshops in collaboration with three Higher Technical Institutes (ITS Academies): ITS TAM Biella, ITS Tourism and Cultural Activities, and ITS Agrofood Piemonte. Students will work on real challenges proposed by companies, developing prototypes, design solutions and new technological tools.
The programme will unfold in several phases. The first phase, focused on engaging companies and defining challenges, includes company visits, interviews, strategic workshops and discussions within local communities. The second phase, scheduled between September and November 2026, will involve co-design, prototyping and methodological support alongside ITS students. The project will conclude with a final event on 2 December 2026 at UniCredit Corporate University, where results will be publicly presented.
Using the design thinking methodology and supported by the Upskill 4.0 team, participating companies will address customised challenges ranging from storytelling and digital content to packaging, customer experiences, new services, processes and new ways of engaging with markets and younger generations. The aim is not only to develop prototypes but also to activate a process capable of strengthening the positioning of individual companies and enhancing the value of the districts as a whole.
The project also includes the creation of a dedicated website, editorial content and corporate video interviews, providing communication tools to showcase participating businesses, their expertise and their vision for the future. In this way, Upskill Piemonte 2026 seeks not only to foster innovation, but also to build a new narrative around Piedmont’s high-end craftsmanship as a vibrant, contemporary and generative ecosystem.
For students, the project represents a concrete opportunity to engage with the world of work and with companies rooted in local identity; for businesses, it offers the possibility of opening up to new skills, languages and perspectives; and for the territory, it strengthens the bond between manufacturing, education and development.
“With the fourth edition of Upskill Piemonte, Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT aims to foster a virtuous synergy between the excellence of our productive districts and the energy of young ITS Academy talents,” said Cristina Di Bari, Chair of Fondazione Sviluppo e Crescita CRT. “Through the project ‘The Districts of the Future’, we seek to modernise production processes in sectors ranging from textiles and jewellery to confectionery, ensuring that craftsmanship is no longer perceived merely as a precious legacy but as a dynamic and innovative ecosystem capable of attracting younger generations. Investing in the encounter between traditional know-how and young people’s digital skills means generating lasting social and economic impact and building the competitiveness and attractiveness of our region for the future.”
“The districts of the future emerge when manufacturing traditions are not simply preserved, but revitalised through new energies, skills and visions,” said Stefano Micelli, Chair of Upskill 4.0 and Professor at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. “In Piedmont, this means bringing together the artisanal knowledge of businesses and the talent of young people, so that craftsmanship is seen not as a legacy of the past but as a living resource capable of evolving and generating innovation. Upskill Piemonte moves in this direction by helping businesses enhance their productive and cultural identity while opening it up to the contribution of new generations, thereby strengthening attractiveness, competitiveness and the ability to imagine tomorrow.”
“With Upskill Piemonte 2026, we are reinforcing our commitment to micro-enterprises and SMEs and supporting the textile, jewellery and confectionery districts in an innovation journey that connects businesses, education and local communities,” said Paola Garibotti, Regional Manager North-West at UniCredit. “Strengthening dialogue with ITS students means reinforcing the competitiveness, attractiveness and future of Piedmont’s high-end craftsmanship.”
