Business Incubators for improving Creativity & Enterpreneurship in historical - centre clusters

December 2008

Project end date

November 2010

Contributing country

Italy

Covering cities

Maddalena-Pre (Genoa – Italy), Eminonu (Istanbul-Turkey), Historical centre of Graz (Austria), Historical centre of Kalamata (Greece), Historical centre of Cluj-Napoca (Romania), el Raval (Bacelona-Spain)and Historical centre of Warsaw (Poland).

Background information

The concept of the project is in line with the Bruges-Copenhagen process which harmonizes European training policies and tools. It also refers to the Community Strategic Guidelines for a Sustainable urban development in European regional Policy 2007 – 2013 which encourages an “integrated approach” to Cohesion Policy (economic growth and creating employment, but also social and environmental objectives). The guidelines aim to tackle urban issues such as social exclusion, un-employment, deterioration of the environment and urban sprawl by stimulating innovation, spirit of enterprise and economic growth. Experiences of transnational partnerships resulted into 7 innovative urban clusters and a common approach. The approach can be used by each local development practitioner who is willing to regenerate urban areas by supporting micro-clustering processes and new business initiatives.

Summary

The project is divided into 5 working phases (Area ID, Key-idea, Macro & Micro Plan, Training Module and Mainstreaming) and supports business initiatives. For this, it develops an innovative methodological pathway which bridges the gap between labour-market, human-resources, training systems and public goals. The overall objective is to revitalise areas by supporting and encouraging micro-clustering processes among trade, service and handicraft companies. The approach is based on partnerships with municipalities, associations and companies. Click here for the list of " LearnInc" partners.

Issue

During the project each partner selected a different key-idea and operative structure for its pilot area. Nevertheless, these partnerships shared a common problem: a dilapidated historic centre, and a common philosophical approach: the revitalisation of an area through sustainable economic micro-clusters. However, the implementation of this approach varies per country and depends on the following factors:

• Political conditions (i.e. former dictatorships encouraged traditional activities but just as a facade while the real knowhow was getting lost);
• Replacement with other activities (night life, closed down activities, lowamount immigrants businesses, cheaper products);
• Traditional Market saturation.

The project aimed to tackle to the following issues:

• Loss of traditional craft know-how;
• Loss of quarter identity;
• Under-exploitation of traditional know-how.

Approach

Phase 1: comprised the following actions

• a transnational approach aimed at defining a common framework for data collection named “Area ID”;
• creating a shared cultural position among the partnerships through a state of art analysis (the “Matrix of Approaches”);
• developing a local stakeholders net.

Phase 2: selecting a key –idea/ approach based on the outcomes of phase 1 (the Area ID, stakeholders net and the matrix of approaches).

Phase 3: developing a plan:
The main objective of the plan was to set up an integrated strategy for economic revitalisation of urban areas through cooperation among local actors (key-stakeholders) and the creation of a synergic strategy for curricula development system.

Phase 4: creating a training and business Module design (one for each area), selecting participants, implementing the Module and evaluating the whole process: in order to allow comparison and develop a shared methodology among the partners a format for the Module design and documentation was established.

Phase 5: was devoted to dissemination and sustainability actions; planned and carried out by the partners.

Results

• The practice produced a common pathway and 7 urban clusters:
• the Sea-side Urban cluster of Genoa;
• The Khans Region Cloth Cluster of Istanbul;
• The micro-clustering design-driven businesses of Barcelona;
• The Creativity Cluster of Graz;
• The Old Guilds’ Cluster of Cluj-Napoca;
• The daytime stories of Kalamata;
• The music quarter of Warszawa.
  

In addition, the 7 pilot cases drew attention to the need to implement these kind of coordination and training activities. Many entrepreneurs are available and happy to work in clusters. They see the benefits coming from such cooperation’s. On the other hand, public authorities are responsible for revitalising their cities and already invest money in entrepreneurial trainings and business start-ups. However, the success rates of these new-born activities are quite low. LearnInc project stimulates these activities by providing information, networking and training possibilities, creating ideas and developing opportunities.

Resources used

The whole cycle was designed for developing and implementing local actions, which included a joint stakeholders cycle. The participatory approach was quite crucial for the success of the local actions. In fact, in order to achieve a “revitalisation” goal for an area the administrative but also the “popular” support should be guaranteed. The only way to achieve successful results is to involve stakeholders. For municipalities it was not difficult to reach mainstreaming and strategic stakeholders. However, it was more complicated to develop a real bottom-up approach. On the other hand, smaller partners like neighbourhood associations who communicate closely with residents have difficulties in reaching public offices. Therefore, it is crucial to create partnerships with stakeholders by involving three categories: Mainstreaming, Strategic and Operative.

EU involvement

The project was co-financed by the European Commission by means of the Lifelong Learning Programme – Leonardo da Vinci – Development of Innovation.

Organisation

Team Srl (www.team.it)

Contact information

Raffaella Rovida
Function: Project manager
Phone: +39 010 591441
E-mail: r.rovida@team.it
www.learninc.eu