Green economy and innovation in Trentino

There is a place in Trentino where start-ups, established companies, research and education work side by side. And in this case, sharing the same space is more than a figure of speech.

Progetto Manifattura, in Rovereto, has transformed the former tobacco factory into a technology hub focused on the green economy. Today it is one of Europe’s largest incubators for green economy start-ups, as well as a business park for established companies working on sustainable technologies.

At the heart of its newer spaces is Be Factory, 25,000 square metres of low-carbon buildings designed for production, research and business development. It gives physical form to an approach that brings companies, researchers, students and specialist expertise into the same environment.

Based in Rovereto, in the heart of Vallagarina, Progetto Manifattura is part of a wider innovation ecosystem that connects business, research and skills across Trentino.

From tobacco to sustainability: an industrial site transformed

What is now a technology hub was once Rovereto’s historic tobacco factory.

Rather than erase that industrial past, the regeneration of the former Manifattura Tabacchi gave its buildings and spaces a new purpose. Historic structures now sit alongside contemporary architecture, bringing together industrial heritage and new economic activity.

The result is a place where the history of manufacturing remains visible, but the work being done inside has changed.

Rovereto’s Tobacco Factory: discover the story of its industrial renewal.

Be Factory: sustainable innovation for Trentino’s green economy

Be Factory is the newest part of Progetto Manifattura. Its 25,000 square metres of low-carbon production and office space were designed with extensive use of timber and high standards of energy performance and comfort.

The wider hub focuses on areas including circular economy, smart building, sustainable mobility, clean energy, biotechnology and the sports industry. Companies can work alongside research organisations, university activities and other businesses operating in related fields.

But Progetto Manifattura is more than a collection of workspaces. Its historic buildings and newer facilities bring together companies and start-ups with organisations including Habitech, the COSBI bioinformatics research centre, the University of Trento’s CIMeC, the CeRiSM research centre, and the Master’s degree programme in Sports Science and Physical Performance run by the Universities of Trento and Verona. For professionals working in these fields, that concentration creates opportunities to encounter different skills, organisations and projects within the same environment.

A place to build what comes next

Innovation in Rovereto has deep roots, but it continues to change. Progetto Manifattura is one example of how an industrial site can take on a new role without losing the history that shaped it.

If you are considering where to develop a project, grow a business or build the next stage of your career, it offers a concrete example of the kind of work taking place in Trentino today.

Discover Rovereto, where innovation has a history and a future.

Explore current job opportunities in Trentino.