From innovation the push for Pavia

Pavia has established itself as a national centre of excellence for innovation thanks to a constantly evolving ecosystem. The University, the IUSS, the Colleges of Merit, the three IRCCSs, the CNAO, and the HPC6 Supercomputer form the basis of a solid, articulate network, cohesive in identifying development prospects and capable of close collaboration with companies. Strategically important projects, such as Parco Cardano and the Chips-IT Foundation, are strengthening the area's vocation, especially in the fields of microelectronics, life sciences and sustainability.

Too little, however - reports the Strategic Plan - progress has been made on the infrastructure front, which remains the territory's real critical node. There are a few positive signs - from the financing of the Becca Bridge project to the launching of calls for tenders for the Vigevano-Malpensa motorway - but concrete works are still a long way off. And in the meantime, with the Bressana Bridge in alternating directions for months, the province remains effectively split in two. "A decisive acceleration is needed, on priorities that have long since been well identified,' remarked Rossini.

To further strengthen the Pavia area's vocation for innovation and enhance its identity, a further project is being developed: a Festival of Innovation, to be held in Pavia in 2026. The initiative is part of a system logic, shared and built together with the Municipality of Pavia, the University of Pavia, Arexpo and the Chamber of Commerce of Pavia, Cremona and Mantua. The aim is to realise an event of international scope, able to celebrate Pavia's productive and scientific fabric, the fruitful dialogue between knowledge and enterprise, and the territory's ability to attract new networks, relations and investments. The Festival of Innovation is the project glue that

President Rossini announced the evaluation of a project to enhance the territory through cycling and cycling tourism, with contacts with L'Eroica. The objective is to identify the most coherent event for the Oltrepò lands to promote heroic cycling and the values associated with it, which are also very much in vogue today in great cycling.

For Vigevano, the President of the Pavia branch announced that the creation of the Footwear Production Chain with Assomac, Assocalzaturifici and Confindustria Alto Milanese was in the pipeline. This will be fundamental for the growth of the sector's critical mass and for the sharing of project choices to be pooled, including training and infrastructure.

The economic data of the Pavia area

In 2024, the persistent weakness of global demand and the European stagnation weighed particularly heavily on Pavia's economy, leading to a flattening of growth in the province. Pavia's GDP in 2024 was, in fact, unchanged (+0.0%) and a moderate recovery is estimated for 2025 (+0.5%), sustained by the services sector and the return of consumption, in line with the trend in Lombardy.

Pavia's manufacturing output saw a new drop in 2024 (-1.5%) and a further decrease at the beginning of 2025 (-2.9%, compared to Q1 2024), leading to a further widening of the gap compared to the average trend in Lombardy, which is also shrinking in 2024 but to a lesser extent.

On the other hand, the performance of local companies on international markets remains positive. Exports in 2024 reached an all-time record of 4.6 billion euros, with growth of +3%, higher than both the Lombardy (+0.6%) and Italian (-0.4%) averages. The driving sectors were mechanics (+12.6%) and pharmaceuticals (+12.4%), which together account for over 40% of Pavia's exports. Despite the drop recorded in the first quarter of 2025, exports are confirmed as the territory's most dynamic and competitive sector.

Encouraging signs are also emerging on the labour market: employment in 2024 rose to 237,000, slightly higher than in 2023 (+0.4%) and above pre-Covid levels. Advanced services, healthcare and scientific professions in particular are growing, gaining 6,000 jobs in just one year. The unemployment rate drops significantly, from 4.7% to 3.5%, below the regional average, with female unemployment plummeting to 2.1%.

On the youth front, the situation is also improving: unemployment among 15-24 year olds is down from 19% to 12.8%, in line with the Lombardy figure and well below the national average (20.3%). However, the number of inactive people is also growing (+4,000), a sign of disenchantment that requires attention.

Critical issues persist in the manufacturing sector, which has been declining since 2023, and in the difficulty of finding key figures: in 2024, 51.1% of the profiles sought were difficult to find, with peaks of 78% for health technicians and 81% for doctors. A challenge that requires active policies on training and orientation.