Setting-up quadruple-helix urban innovation clusters/networks
in target regions

WP T1 objective was to establish 5 new urban innovation quadruple helix (UI4) networks (= mentored partners in target regions, together with local municipalities) with the support of mentoring partners. As planned, Rijeka (HR) & Hartberg (AT) were supported by CyberForum (DE), Vas County (HU) by InfoTrento (IT), and Kielce (PL) & Kosice (SK) by e-Zavod (SI). During the project lifetime these five UI4 networks developed their urban innovation action plans (UIAPs) including timeline for implementation, responsibilities, budget, identification of funding models for implementation of innovation actions with a time frame of 5 years. So did Maribor for a cluster that was just established before the project started.

This was composed of 4 activities:

1) A mapping of urban ecosystems in the target regions in order to map the key innovation actors in urban ecosystems took place.

2) Core team agreements in the target regions had been setup including roadmaps for UI4 networks.

In detail, the following activities by mentored partners in each target regions took place:

  • Two bi-lateral mentoring/training workshops to establish core teams and instruct on general and customized cluster good practices
  • Agreement of a core team of local stakeholders
  • Development of a common understanding through personal meetings with stakeholders
  • Development of urban innovation roadmaps for UI4 networks.

3) The UI4 networks have been established – starting with a launch event, an urban innovation  networks memorandum has been signed in each region.

4) 6 Urban innovation action plans have been developed:

Urban innovation action plan - Burgenland

Urban innovation action plan - Kielce

Urban innovation action plan - Košice

Urban innovation action plan - Maribor

Urban innovation action plan - Rijeka

Urban innovation action plan - Vas county