The Ticino State Council has approved financial support of 1 million Swiss francs for the Lifestyle Tech Competence Center (LTCC). The funding is the first public contribution for one the competence centers of the Switzerland Innovation Park Ticino. The contribution is granted based on the model called matching funds, whereby the sum of the investment supported by the canton must be covered by an investment of equal or greater size by the partner companies of the competence center.
“In this way, the state becomes an activator of private investment in innovation,” according to a statement from the Innovation Park. Further aid of this kind will also be available in the future. The LTCC is home to local, national and international companies, as well as members like the University of Italien Switzerland (USI), the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI) and the City of Lugano. As well as the LTCC, the Park has recognized the Swiss Drone Base Camp at the Riviera Ticino airport as a competence centre. A third, for Life Sciences, is currently being defined in Bellinzona.
According to City Councillor Filippo Lombardi, who also sits on the LTCC's board of directors, Lugano is planning to support the forthcoming relocation of the LTCC from Manno in the canton of Ticino to Lugano, as well as its operation, over the next five years with 250,000 Swiss francs each. A corresponding message to the city council is currently being prepared. Together with the "important" contribution of the canton, this "will allow us to further consolidate our operational structure, develop our research laboratories and attract major new investments and talent," commented LTCC President Carlo Terreni in the statement.
The management of the Switzerland Innovation Park Ticino has decided to move the business premises to the new LTCC location in Lugano until the headquarters in the SBB workshop quarter of Bellinzona are completed. As such, it is geographically apart from the canton's innovation agency, Fondazione Agire, which still manages the park.
