PART III - Main actors contributing to the development of innovative capability and entrepreneurship of the region
Âť upholstered furniture industry (Matera); Âť corsetry pole (Lavello); Âť building The automotive cluster, although settled throughout the region, has a high concentration of companies in the province of Potenza. There are both enterprises designing and manufacturing diesel engines, including ships and aircrafts engines for important companies (such as Peugeot, Porsche, etc.), and companies connected to SATA-FIAT cluster in San Nicola di Melfi. It counted 7971 employees in 2001 (Industry Census 2001) and 8192 employees in 2004 (ISTAT survey). The fate of the pole is essentially tied to FIAT sales trends. The cluster, which focuses primarily on components, mechanics, electronics, spare parts and maintenance services, records a positive trend in terms of motor vehicles exports. The Region gives a strategic importance to the sector of earth observation, since it aims at monitoring the area, in order to prevent natural risks and/ or mitigate damages through the acquisition and the processing of satellite data. One element supporting this regional policy is the frequency with which atmospheric and environmental phenomena occur on the territory, threatening its hydrogeological integrity. That being so, the Region signed (2005) a Scientific Research Framework Program with the Ministry of University and Research and the Ministry of Economy and Finance for the creation of a Technology District in the field of detection technologies, systematic monitoring, reporting, prevention and repairing of environmental risks related to hydrological, climatological and seismic structure of the territory. This agreement provided for public and private funds aiming at the construction of a public-private technological platform for the development of innovative technologies and methodologies. In particular, it is expected to develop: anti-seismic building technologies and detection and monitoring systems of hydrological risk in the area of Tito - Potenza; aerial and satellite detection technology for climatological and hydrological risk in the area of Valbasento Matera. In the field of risk forecasting-prevention-security- mitigation, the use real time (RT) or near-real time (NRT) data is essential; moreover, the fact that, in many cases, the same data interest different applications and can be shared on multi-media platform, closely links these issues to Information and Communication Technologies, within which many of the SMEs of the two provinces operate.
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The agri-foodstuffs industry, although extending over the entire region, is essentially made up of two major districts: the district of Metaponto and the district of Vulture. In agricultural products processing there are about 1,289 companies, while in the agricultural sector there are about 21,000 businesses. Both districts have been certified through Regional Laws. The district of Metaponto is the largest regional horticultural centre, characterized by a high production capacity, a high degree of process mechanization and the ability of companies to create important networks with the scientific and technological system (ENEA). The food district of Vulture is specialized in the Study of the innovative potential of Basilicata