TESSLabs laboratories: Agreement signed with FBK and the University of Trento for launch in Rovereto

The equipment for the TESSLabs laboratories is expected to be up and running within a few months, inside the spaces of the Progetto Manifattura in Rovereto. The laboratories will be jointly managed by Trentino Sviluppo, Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), and the University of Trento. Objectives, governance, and organization were formalized in a framework agreement signed today in Trento by Trentino Sviluppo President Giuseppe Consoli, FBK President Ferruccio Resta, and University of Trento President Flavio Deflorian, with the Vice President of the Autonomous Province of Trento signing for the record. At the same time, a new cooperation agreement was signed by the heads of these institutions and Confindustria Trento President Lorenzo Delladio to support the development of the ProM Facility laboratories at Polo Meccatronica for the 2026–2028 period.

The Vice President of the Province highlighted that the agreements signed today reaffirm Trentino’s commitment to a dynamic and open research and innovation ecosystem built on solid and concrete foundations. At TESSLabs, as at ProM Facility, the combination of complementary expertise and state-of-the-art equipment will create a network of excellence for the benefit of Trentino companies, within an environment capable of attracting and retaining talent.

“The agreements signed today,” said FBK President Ferruccio Resta, “operationally strengthen the link between research, local area, and the production system. With the new TESSLabs and the renewed commitment to ProM Facility, we are connecting scientific expertise, advanced infrastructure, and technology transfer capabilities, turning them into a development, testing, and validation platform available to companies and researchers. For FBK, this means contributing to technologies for sustainability and industrial innovation, while strengthening joint work with the University of Trento, Trentino Sviluppo, the Province, and Confindustria.”

“With these agreements,” noted President Flavio Deflorian, “the University of Trento strengthens and expands its presence in Rovereto as a strategic site for collaboration with the business world. The renewal of the commitment to ProM Facility goes hand in hand with the launch of TESSLabs, laboratories focused on sustainability, a core theme of the University and a strategic priority for society as a whole. Located in Rovereto alongside established hubs such as Meccatronica and Progetto Manifattura—and looking ahead to the future Life Sciences hub—the project strengthens the local innovation ecosystem and serves as a focal point for collaboration among universities, research centers, and industry, in synergy with Trentino Sviluppo, FBK, and other local partners. TESSLabs and ProM Facility represent strategic infrastructures in which teaching, applied research and technology transfer are integrated and in spaces like these the University can contribute to sustainable innovation by supporting, with its skills, the business world in the technological challenges of the future. “

“In recent years,” said Trentino Sviluppo President Giuseppe Consoli, “I have seen firsthand the prototypes designed and built at ProM Facility and their industrial applications, from the circular economy and sports technologies to quality of life and human health.  We therefore welcome the launch of Progetto Manifattura’s second complementary strategic infrastructure, TESSLabs, which—thanks to partners such as FBK and the University of Trento—can become a reference point for the local supply chain and an attraction at the national and European level.”

TESSLabs, technology and services for sustainability. The first agreement to establish the Laboratories of Technologies and Services for Sustainability (TESSLabs) dates back to 2018, with the aim of offering companies and researchers an open, collaborative, and cutting-edge infrastructure for designing future green technologies. Activities focus on sustainable development, construction, mobility infrastructure, energy—particularly hydrogen and batteries—and quality of life.

To support this initiative, Trentino Sviluppo has renovated the historic Stampati building within the Progetto Manifattura sustainability hub in Rovereto.   The research infrastructure will provide services to industry, engaging companies and startups in technology development and validation activities to accelerate market readiness and value creation.

Under the management model, Trentino Sviluppo will oversee building operations, communications, and engagement with the Trentino production ecosystem. FBK, through its Center for Sustainable Energy, will manage the laboratories, equipment, and maintenance and, together with the University of Trento, assume scientific and safety responsibility. FBK and the University will manage projects and consulting activities, while the University will also offer training initiatives involving students, interns, and PhD students.

Alongside the TESSLabs framework agreement, the new cooperation agreement for ProM Facility for 2026–2028 was signed. The agreement provides, at the direction of the Provincial Council, for the renewal of the ProM Facility Steering Committee, which will serve as an advisory body responsible for proposing and evaluating the laboratories’ strategic guidelines. The Committee may be supported by external advisors chosen at national and international level. The agreement also strengthens the organizational structure of the center and aligns with the completion of the new ProM headquarters at Polo Meccatronica.

“At this moment,” said Confindustria Trento President Lorenzo Delladio, “companies must invest in process efficiency and product innovation to strengthen competitiveness, including in international markets, for the benefit of regional growth. That is why we strongly supported the creation of a laboratory where research and companies can work together to develop innovative solutions.”

Trentino Sviluppo Press release