HUB-IN is an EU funded project that wants to transform and regenerate Historic Urban Areas (HUAs) while preserving their unique cultural and social identity and the environment.
We want to: reverse trends of abandonment and neglect of historic heritage; create new sustainable opportunities for local traditional businesses; develop new creative skills and jobs.

Eight city pilots (Belfast, UK; Brasov, Romania; Genova, Italy; Grand Angoulême, France; Lisbon, Portugal ; Nicosia, Cyprus; Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenia Utrecht, The Netherlands) will work on their selected historic area and transform it in a “Hub of Innovation and Entrepreneurship” by co-developing new business models and innovative solutions that will bring together sustainability and cultural heritage. HUB-IN cities will develop actions plans for their HUA based on the needs and values of the local community, according to the principles of circular and sharing economy. They will make sure local stakeholders and citizens will be able to contribute to the regeneration of their HUA by using engagement methods, innovative tools and developing alternative financing models and acceleration programs for start-ups.

With eight Historic Urban Areas of diverse geographic locations, socio-economic characteristics and local ecosystems, a rich and fertile ground for cross-fertilisation is present. Collaborating across eight cities, expert organisations, universities, city networks and regional agencies to design and test the HUB-IN Place concept, we will develop the tools and methods to support sustainable implementation, before upscaling the network through Follower Cities and the HUB-IN Alliance; a wider network of historic urban areas with a common interest in sharing views and experiences in delivering sustainable hubs of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Adopting a human-connected approach, we envisage long-term impacts such as the revitalisation of historic heritage, the creation of new sustainable opportunities for local traditional businesses, and the development of new creative skills and jobs through the cross-sector collaborations in three clusters of innovation activities:

1. Cultural & Creative Industries
2. New Lifestyles
3. Resilient & Human-Connected Places

With this mission in mind, we hope to answer the following question:

“To what extent can networks of hubs in Historic Urban Areas incubate and unlock innovative and entrepreneurial actions that contribute to the sustainable transformation and urban regeneration of the Historic Urban Area and its cultural heritage?”

DURATION (From/to): Sept 2020 – Aug 2024

PROJECT CONSORTIUM: Energy Cities, Heritage Europe, Future Cities Catapult, Crowdfunding Hub, Municipality of Nicosia, Cyprus Energy Agency, IRE Liguria, Municipality of Genova, Nova School of Science and Technology, Municipality of Lisbon, Brasov Agency for Energy and Sustainability, Municipality of Slovenska Bistrica, eZavod, Grand Angouleme, Belfast City Council

PROJECT COORDINATOR: Lisboa E-nova Agencia De Energia E Ambiente De Lisboa