MAKECAMPUS

What MAKECAMPUS does

MAKECAMPUS is an Italian academy of higher education in fashion and design, founded in 2018 by Fondazione Antonio Lombardi Onlus and operated as a nonprofit philanthropic initiative. It is headquartered legally in Chiusi (Siena) and delivers its program at an immersive campus in Cetona, Tuscany, housed in the 1873 Palazzo Minutelli and an atelier on Piazza Garibaldi. The academy admits only 14 students per cohort through a fully-funded competitive scholarship (preselezione), with applicants evaluated on CV, motivational letter, and portfolio. Selection feeds into a 9-month specialization program covering four curricular areas — Cultural (fashion anthropology, history, sustainability), Managerial (marketing, strategy, supply chain), Design (figurine, digital design, textiles, knitwear), and Laboratory (pattern making, CAD 2D/3D, garment construction) — followed by a 6-month work experience placement with fashion industry partners.

The technical stack combines traditional Italian garment-making craftsmanship (Brother mechanical knitting machines, tailoring ateliers, and a partnership with the historic Antico Setificio Fiorentino textile house) with CLO3D virtual prototyping software and CAD 2D/3D pattern-making tools. Students are exposed to digital design workflows alongside artisanal techniques, bridging Made in Italy heritage with contemporary product development. Workshops and seminars feature marquee industry figures including Giovanna Ferragamo (Ferragamo Foundation), Ermanno Scervino, Giancarlo Giammetti (Valentino Garavani Foundation), Ferruccio Laviani (Kartell), Rita Airaghi (Fondazione Gianfranco Ferrè), and Grazia D'Annunzio (former Vogue Italia editor-in-chief), anchoring the curriculum in live industry practice.

The business model is grant-funded rather than tuition-based: 100% of students receive full scholarships, with operating costs absorbed by Fondazione Antonio Lombardi Onlus. Revenue (if any) is incidental, generated via placement of graduates with partner companies and a small CLO3D virtual prototyping service offered to industry partners. Strategic partnerships with Ermanno Scervino, Champion, Mila Schön, Ferragamo Foundation, Valentino Garavani Foundation, Fondazione Gianfranco Ferrè, Antico Setificio Fiorentino, Kartell, Studio Cataldi, and RE_HASH serve both as placement channels and as curriculum credibility. The go-to-market relies on event-driven recruitment through workshops, the makecampus.it website, social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube), and earned press. The academy is GDPR-compliant under the Fondazione's data controller role and operates without external venture or private equity capital.

Name

MAKECAMPUS

Legal name

Fondazione Antonio Lombardi Onlus

Website

https://makecampus.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MAKECAMPUS is a nonprofit Italian fashion and design academy in Cetona, Tuscany, awarding 14 full scholarships annually for a 9-month specialization program plus 6-month industry placement, funded and operated by Fondazione Antonio Lombardi Onlus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fashion Design Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Industrial Design Services (54142), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMALAH

Arts & Design Camps (Visual Arts, Crafts, Design Thinking)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

Keywords

• Fashion design education
• Made in italy training
• Luxury fashion academy
• Design scholarship program
• Fashion industry training

Headquarters

HQ city

Chiusi

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Scholarship-based Education: MAKECAMPUS operates as a scholarship-funded academy where selected students receive full funding for their education. The academy is funded by Fondazione Antonio Lombardi Onlus and industry partnerships. Revenue is generated through the placement of graduates with partner companies following the program completion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

MAKECAMPUS provides a fully scholarship-funded, 9-month intensive specialization program in fashion and design that combines theoretical lessons with laboratory practice across four areas (Cultural, Managerial, Design, and Laboratory), followed by a 6-month work experience at fashion industry partner companies. The program is delivered residentially at the Cetona campus in Tuscany and admits only 14 scholars per cohort through a competitive preselection process.

Product overview

Makecampus is an Italian academy of higher education in Fashion and Design that offers a single unified educational program. The core offering is the Fashion Design Academy Program, a 9-month intensive course covering four study areas (Cultural, Managerial, Design, and Laboratory) with a 6-month work experience component. The academy also provides CLO3D virtual prototyping services to partner companies through its collaboration arm. The program curriculum and study plan form the foundation of the educational offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Makecampus Fashion Design Academy Program An intensive 9-month specialization program in fashion and design covering four study areas (Cultural, Managerial, Design, and Laboratory), followed by a 6-month work experience placement with fashion industry partner companies. Awarded to 14 selected scholars per cohort as a fully funded scholarship.
• CLO3D Virtual Prototyping Services Virtual prototyping and garment study services using CLO3D software, offered to partner fashion companies for research, experimentation, and fashion design projects through the academy's collaboration arm.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates of first edition (2018/20) were placed in prestigious Italian fashion companies

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ermanno ScervinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProminent Italian fashion house and one of MAKECAMPUS's key industry partners. The President of Ermanno Scervino participates in workshops and seminars, providing students with insights into luxury fashion brand management and design.
• ChampioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal athletic apparel brand partnering with MAKECAMPUS to support fashion education and provide industry exposure for students.
• Mila SchöncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric Italian fashion house Mila Schön collaborates with MAKECAMPUS, bringing heritage fashion brand perspective to student education.
• Antico Setificio FiorentinocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric Florentine textile workshop providing access to traditional Italian fabric production knowledge and materials for student training.
• Studio CataldiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign studio partner contributing to student education through specialized design expertise and project collaboration.
• Giovanna Ferragamo (Ferragamo Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresident of Ferragamo Foundation participates in workshops, bringing insights from one of Italy's most prestigious luxury fashion houses to MAKECAMPUS students.
• Giancarlo Giammetti (Valentino Garavani Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresident of the Valentino Garavani Foundation contributes to educational programs, sharing expertise from another major Italian luxury fashion house.
• Ferruccio Laviani (Kartell)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKartell Artistic Director participates as workshop instructor, providing cross-disciplinary design perspective for fashion students.
• Fondazione Gianfranco FerrècoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ferrè Foundation contributes to educational programs, connecting students with Italian fashion heritage and design philosophy.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal College of Art: UK-based postgraduate design school with strong fashion, textiles, and product design programs. Comparable as a high-end design educator producing graduates placed in luxury fashion houses, at significantly larger scale.
• Central Saint Martins: One of the most globally recognized fashion schools, part of University of the Arts London. Comparable as a fashion-design educator serving the same end-market of luxury and ready-to-wear brands, but at vastly larger scale and broader scope.
• Parsons School of Design: Top-tier US fashion school feeding the global luxury industry. Shared DNA in design-thinking, fashion product development, and industry placement, though with a different geographic and credentialing profile.

Direct peers

• IED (Istituto Europeo di Design): Italian design and fashion school with multiple campuses across Italy and internationally. Overlaps directly with MAKECAMPUS in fashion design, product development, and styling education, with broader program portfolio and global footprint.
• Polimoda: Major Italian fashion school based in Florence with a strong focus on Made in Italy craftsmanship and design. Directly comparable to MAKECAMPUS in target market (young designers) and curriculum (fashion design, branding, product development), though at much larger scale.
• Domus Academy: Milan-based post-graduate design school with strong ties to Italian luxury houses. Comparable to MAKECAMPUS in target student profile (career-changers and young professionals) and design-management hybrid curriculum.
• Accademia di Costume e di Moda: Rome-based Italian fashion school specializing in costume design, fashion design, and tailoring. Comparable to MAKECAMPUS in its Italian heritage focus and emphasis on high-craftsmanship training for careers in luxury fashion.
• Istituto Marangoni: Premier Italian fashion school with campuses in Milan, Florence, Paris, London, and beyond. A direct competitor in luxury fashion education with strong luxury-house placement pipelines and international brand recognition.
• Koefia: Boutique Italian fashion and design academy in Milan focused on Made in Italy craft traditions. Closely comparable to MAKECAMPUS in small-scale, craft-focused, Italian fashion education positioning.

Regional players

• Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Arts: Belgian fashion school famous for the Antwerp Six and the Ann Demeulemeester/Margiela/Maison Martin Margiela lineage. Comparable in producing fashion designers with strong individual creative voices, though operating in a different European geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=YobToT7WlZc
• Facebookfacebook.com/accademiamakecampus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/makecampus
• Instagraminstagram.com/makecampus

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MAKECAMPUS