Po.in.tex is an association of Companies, research organizations, foundations and associations, with a focus on textile, founded in 2009 by Piemonte Region and managed by Città Studi Biella. Since its foundation, its aim is to promote competitivity and cooperative innovation, favoring the constant exchange between innovation demand and offers. The Textile Innovation Cluster gathers and works with many participants, belonging to every part of the textile chain, such as:

• Clothing
• Textile machinery
• Technical textile
• Leather industry
• Footwear industry
• Automotive
• Upholstery
• Medical
• Chemical industries
• Research centers connected to this field

More in detail, the Cluster has now 100 associates, including 95 companies (13 large entreprises, 30 middle-sized and 52 small), 2 research organizations and 3 foundations/reference associations; many Piedmont companies are represented, but there are also companies from other Italian regions with a textile background (Trentino Alto Adige, Veneto, Lombardia, Toscana, Abruzzo).

The Cluster aims at the involvement, as thorough as possible, of all textile stakeholders, at a local, national and international level, in order to develop relationships, projects and partnerships which can increase the competencies of the single Companies and of the entire sector, increasing its added value.

Moreover, Po.in.tex works on the constant in-depth study of business needs, tutoring and mentoring activities, and constantly monitors technology offers, providing targeted assessments and problem-solving on members projects. It also plays a strategic role in in-depth analysis and disclosure regarding regional, national or European funding calls, evaluating the feasibility of the project ideas and supporting the participation of member companies.

The multi-year experience of the staff, the experience in events planning such as the Innovation Days, the constant support to the companies involved in challenging projects or in national and foreign funding calls, and the hundreds of visits to the companies have helped the Cluster to establish a relationship of mutual trust and dialogue with key stakeholders in the textile industry.

Textile Innovation Cluster’s activities are managed through a governance model which includes a General Assembly of members, and a Steering committee that supervises and controls the Cluster’s activities.

Achievements: