How It All Began
It’s October 2020, and the world is still reeling from the pandemic. People are mostly confined to their homes, and remote work has become the daily routine for countless workers. The inland areas and small villages of the Apennines have been suffering from depopulation for years.
Two young people from Pontremoli ask themselves a question: how can we bring people back to the Apennines?
That’s when an idea emerges: if Pontremoli doesn’t provide work, then work should come to Pontremoli.
After all, Lunigiana is one of the ideal places to live and work at the same time. It’s located just one hour away from eight provincial capitals, surrounded by nature and peace, with a railway station and a highway exit. The community is vibrant, with cultural, sports, and social associations, and all the essential services.
So what’s missing?
Remote workers.
Everything started with a website, lots of word of mouth, some online communication, and the determination of people with a dream they truly believed in.
The initiative, launched as a non-profit, immediately received the support of the Municipality of Pontremoli and the backing of Lions Club Pontremoli Lunigiana and Rotary Club Lunigiana.
People began arriving—first a few, then many more—until we were overwhelmed with requests from all over the world. Some are still here, and Lunigiana has become their home. Others stayed for several months, and others came later on.
The Project Today
Today, Start Working is a hub of people and ideas, cross-pollination and innovation.
We believe in the impact that good practices can have on a territory. We try to take care of Lunigiana and integrate ourselves into the local community. We work to raise awareness among institutions and public administrations about the importance of attracting not only tourists to the inland areas, but—above all—temporary residents (remote workers, digital nomads…).
We want to imagine the future of this territory without forgetting the context we are in.
We chose a smart life, yes—but also a slow one.
The Association
The work of the community—now a true support network—led to the creation, in August 2023, of the **Start Working Pontremoli APS association**, which formally brings together all the people who arrive through the project, as well as supporters who share its goals and contribute to its initiatives.
il 1° Festival della Lunigiana sulle professioni digitali
Festival Futuro (da) Remoto
In May 2024, the Association organized Futuro (da) Remoto, the first festival in Lunigiana dedicated to digital professions.
Throughout the day, digital-industry speakers, workshops, and companies took turns on stage, and four scholarships were awarded to young people from Lunigiana wishing to attend advanced training courses in digital fields.
The project received funding from Fondazione Carispezia through the Welfare 2023 call, along with the support of Lions Lunigiana, Rotary Pontremoli Lunigiana, and the Municipality of Pontremoli, which allocated resources for the scholarships.
And Tomorrow?
Our dream is that Lunigiana and all inland areas “are not only places of consumption (of nature, traditions, tourism), but above all places of production: of new cultures, social innovations, knowledge, renewed ways of practicing welfare, and interacting with the environment.”
(cit. Riabitare l’Italia)
With the Start Working project, we are trying to turn this dream into reality.
