The Lombardy Region has for some time now begun a process aimed at establishing aggregations on some of the key issues related to the future competitiveness of our economy.
Among the various issues identified there is Green Chemistry, meant as the bioeconomy engine key for the sustainable use of renewable raw materials.
Within this process, 4 entities – Consorzio Italbiotec, Innovhub-SSI, Milan Polytechnic, University of Milan – founded the Lombardy Green Chemistry Association-LGCA, which gave life to the Green Chemistry Cluster promoted and officially recognized by the Lombardy Region.
The development of the bioeconomy, the heart of which is represented by the green chemistry, is a compulsory step to face major global challenges: climate change, resource scarcity, environmental protection, multifunctional agriculture, health, improvement of living conditions of the population, new opportunities for growth and employment, strengthening the competitiveness of businesses.
Technological and scientific challenges, but also economic, social and political ones, as recognized both at European and national level, which require concrete and synergistic initiatives.
The Lombardy Green Chemistry Association proposes itself as an active part of this convergence in the process of involvement of all stakeholders interested, through the promotion of meetings, opportunities as well as interlocutor of the Region, national government and the European Union in the definition of policies and initiatives to support innovation, competitiveness and the bioeconomy.
Mission
LGCA is open to all Lombard stakeholders interested in the development of the bioeconomy and aims to:
- To create favourable conditions for the development of bioeconomy at regional level;
- To become the reference point and the interlocutor of regional and national authorities for the definition and implementation of policies to support innovation in the bioeconomy field;
- To establish a meeting and planning place for all Lombard subjects interested in the subject.
History
Context
LGCA is part of the network of Technological Clusters wanted by the Lombardy Region, to strengthen the thematic areas considered to be a priority at national and international level.
The Technological Clusters are organized aggregations of companies, universities and other public and private research / innovation institutions, capable of contributing to the international competitiveness of both the territories of reference and the national economic system (Article 1, paragraph 4, Call MIUR D.D. 30.5. 2012, No. 257).
Assignment
For the Lombardy Green Chemistry Cluster, the Lombardy Region has identified the Consorzio Italbiotec as the leader subject. With a letter to the leader subject, the Lombardy Region has decided to support the development of the Lombardy Green Chemistry Technology Cluster. Together with the Polytechnic of Milan, the University of Milan and Innovhub-SSI, the Consorzio Italbiotec founded the Lombardy Green Chemistry Association.
Foundation
LGCA was set up with the Lombardy Region call at the end of 2011 to collect applications for the upgrading and/or creation of high-tech districts.
In response to the call, 144 applications (for a total of 3,315 subjects) were recognized as suitable to support regional governance.
During the application process, in May 2012, the MIUR approved the Notice for the development and strengthening of National Technological Clusters in the following technological areas: green chemistry, agrifood, technologies for living environments, life sciences, technologies for smart communities, means and systems for land and sea surface mobility, aerospace, energy and smart factory.
Development and Consolidation
With Resolution X/707 of September 20, 2013, the Lombardy Region has given its contribution to support the complementary and functional activities for the launch and development of Regional Clusters, allocating to each entity an annual funding of 50,000-100,000 euros.
On 17 October 2013 the non-profit association called “Lombardy Green Chemistry Association” was established. On November 30, 2016 the Association received legal recognition from the Lombardy Region with decree n. 543. On 1 December 2016, the consolidation plan of the Association, called “CONSOLIDA”, approved by the Lombardy Region under the “Call for the Consolidation of the 9 Lombardy Technological Clusters (CTL)” for a period of 2 years with a total regional contribution of 115,000 euros.
