Urban Inno is addressing the challenge to make central Europe more innovative and competitive by maximizing the innovation potential of smaller and medium sized urban ecosystems, by a betterlinkage of its actors through establishment ofquadruple helix clusters/networks in the partnerregions and by development and implementationof new participatory methods and tools with theobjective to have educated and motivated users –smart users.
Urban Inno is a transnational cooperation project funded by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE and aims to improve sustainable linkages among actors of the innovation system for strengthening regional innovation capacity in central Europe.
Innovation Networks and Tool Box
Through the implementation of Urban Inno project following outputs will be achieved: 5 urban innovation clusters/networks established, 2 training workshops for core teams, trainings for tool facilitators, training on good regional practices for cluster and ecosystem development, 1 toolbox of smart innovation participatory methods and tools, 9 Urban Inno pilot projects, 6 urban innovation action plans and 1 transnational urban innovation cooperation strategy.
Our project is funded by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme that encourages cooperation on shared challenges in central Europe. With 246 million Euro of funding from the European Regional Development Fund, the programme supports institutions to work together beyond borders to improve cities and regions in Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
In 5 target regions, a new quadruple helix cluster/network (UI4) dedicated to urban innovation shall be established, involving the most relevant stakeholders. In order to guarantee high quality and high innovative networks/clusters, each core team in 5 target regions will receive 2 training workshops. They will be organized to improve competencies and skills, supporting knowledge transfer in the area of management, communication, trust building and innovation. The project aims to implement durable clusters/networks with a clear mandate to develop urban innovation processes.
A toolbox of smart urban innovation participatory methods and tools will be developed in a form of a publication and virtual on-line toolbox. It will consist of: participatory methods described for different scenarios, tools available to support methods implementation and their implementation guidelines, list of qualified facilitators who can assist the use of methods. It will be available in English and in languages of participating countries.
Pilot Projects & Action Plan
Implementing and evaluating smart participatory methods in urban innovation processes will be implemented through pilot projects - innovative solutions in urban environments which will be developed in close cooperation with end–users(citizens-customers-civil societies) and private sector (investors) to make them operational and commercially viable.
Participatory methods and tools will be tested in different scenarios: pilots in the field of mobility (Vorarlberg), energy (Karlsruhe, Pinkafeld, Hartberg), smart user and smart user/ innovative governance (Trento and Maribor), agriculture (Kosice), integrated infrastructure (Rijeka) and SMEs economic growth (Kielce, Vas County).
Urban innovation action plans (UIAPs) will be developed within 6 target regions. The 6 UIAPs will set objectives and priorities, including actions, responsibilities, timeframes, indicators, sources of funding and budget allocations. Time horizon for the UIAPs will be 5 years, contributing to stable efforts for urban innovation in each target region. A transnational urban innovation cooperation strategy, including financing and implementation plan, will be developed jointly and agreed upon by the partners. It will describe, in addition to common strategic goals, a number of actions to be implemented on transnational level, including roadmaps for implementation with responsibilities, budget and timeline.
Find out more at: www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/URBAN-INNO.html or follow us on social media.
