Sella Group and MagnoLab launch a partnership to create the first innovation ecosystem for the textile supply chain
Innovating products and company processes in terms of greater sustainability and digitalization is key to staying competitive, especially in a sector like textiles, which is characterized by a fragmented supply chain and environmental impacts. It is from these assumptions that the partnership between Sella Group and MagnoLab - a network of companies promoting innovation in the textile supply chain - was born, with the aim of facilitating the sustainable transformation of businesses in the sector, connecting them with startups through an open innovation approach, and creating a model ecosystem in Italy and Europe with a positive impact on the territory, the environment and society as a whole.
MagnoLab is a network of companies set up to develop new solutions for the textile sector from a circular economy perspective, create value and work together on current and future needs. Its strength lies in its collective know-how and a physical network of state-of-the-art industrial facilities, located in Cerrione near Biella, where innovative products and processes can be developed in collaboration. This unique context makes it possible to concentrate prototyping activities and rapidly try out cutting-edge solutions to be transferred directly to partners' plants, to then go on to scale production.
Sella Group, through Sellalab, the Group's impact innovation platform, as an ecosystem partner, supports participating companies in accessing its community and fostering business opportunities.
Also participating in the project is dpixel, which supports the growth of startups and the innovation of businesses within Fabrick, the company specializing in open finance, providing MagnoLab with its know-how to foster interconnection with startups and innovative companies, promoting co-creation and open innovation processes, developing circular economy projects and improving the sustainability of products and processes.
The “Texploration” initiative
To achieve the goal, MagnoLab and Sella have launched “Texploration,” a nationwide and international call for PoCs (Proof-of-Concept) aimed at innovative startups, scaleups and SMEs capable of developing new solutions for the textile industry based on the analysis of companies' needs. The initiative aims to identify useful and effective solutions that can improve, for example, energy management, digitization of production processes, reduction of consumption, and use of recyclable and biodegradable materials, all the way up to the use of Artificial Intelligence to optimize the supply chain. The program includes opportunities to engage with key players in the textile supply chain. The MagnoLab network companies participating in Texploration are Canalair, Dbt Fibre, De Martini, Di.Vé, Filidea, Maggia, Marchi&Fildi, Pinter Group, Stamperia Alicese and Tintoria Finissaggio 2000.
The stages of the program
“Texploration” will take place over about 9 months and will involve four distinct stages: scouting, selection, co-creation and final presentation. During the first scouting stage, startups will be analyzed, followed by the actual selection involving companies from the MagnoLab network.
In the co-creation stage, prototypes will be created from the initial ideas through PoC co-development with key industry players. Program participants will be able to test and refine their innovations using state-of-the-art textile machinery, while benefiting from the combined experience of industry professionals and entrepreneurs. The selected startups will benefit from the support of mentors at dpixel and Sellalab during the call for PoCs period. The final stage will consist of the presentation and promotion of the projects developed, with the aim of accelerating their access to the market.
For more information about Texploration and sending applications, go to magnolab.com/texploration
