Fulvio Zamponi was born in Pescia on 17 February 1901, the son of Gino, a socialist saddler, and Enrichella Vezzani, a housewife. He lived in Monsummano and, between the ages of 15 and 16, joined first the Italian Socialist Party, then founded the Socialist Youth Federation, becoming its secretary. In 1921, he joined the Communist Party of Italy and took part in meetings of the Arditi del Popolo Pesciatini (People's Ardites), taking sides against the squadrist danger. Because of fascist threats, he was forced to go first to Asti, then to Turin (where he collaborated with the Ordine Nuovo), and finally to Milan where he was a member of the National Communist Trade Union Committee. Returning to Monsummano, he emigrated to Marseille in 1922.

The Fascist regime registered him in the Casellario Politico Centrale (CPC) as a person kept under special surveillance and 'warned'. In 1923, his wife, Giulia Faldi from Monsummano, was also reported to the CPC as an 'assiduous propagandist [...] among women'. During the years he was abroad, he managed to evade fascist repression, living as a fugitive and constantly moving between Germany, Spain, France and Switzerland, where he continued his political activities. In 1933 he returned to Monsummano for good with his wife and son Bruno. After being arrested and interrogated, he was released, but did not provide any compromising information. He led a secluded existence and maintained diligent behaviour until the German occupation, when he resumed work in the Communist Party.

On 9 September 1944, after the liberation of Monsummano, he was appointed Mayor by the local National Liberation Committee of which he was president. At that time, there was considerable conflict with the Allied administration. A few days later, he was imprisoned because of a poster devised by young communists that 'asked women not to behave with the Allies as they did with the Germans', which had been found to be subversive. Zamponi was beaten and imprisoned. He was released by the Allied governor after a fortnight. Later, he held positions in the Lucca and Pistoia federations of the PCI, in some Chambers of Labour and in various Tuscan towns as councillor and alderman. From 1953 to 1958 he was elected to parliament as a PCI deputy.

Zamponi died on 18 July 1991. A street and the ANPI section in Monsummano were dedicated to him.