Selected projects
EUI-IA 2nd Call

Gemeente Amsterdam

ERDF Budget: €4,986,925.12 

Ground for Wellbeing (GfW) addresses urban challenges in the historical 'garden city' neighbourhood of Tuindorp Oostzaan (TO). This area faces climate, water, poverty, and health challenges. Indeed, many homes, initially intended as temporary in the 1920s, leave residents vulnerable to health issues such as chronic indoor mould and flooding during heavy rain. 

Employing a novel approach to urban design known as Soil & Water Sensitive Urban Design (SWSUD), GfW integrates social, spatial, and ecological measures, treating soil and groundwater as crucial urban infrastructures. By implementing this approach through a street redesign, a square renovation, and improvements to private homes and gardens, GfW aims to enhance climate resilience, address health concerns, and ensure community wellbeing. 

Furthermore, GfW pioneers the Zoöp model to represent non-human interests in decision-making and promote ecological regeneration. Through co-creation, GfW seeks to improve foster community trust and promote long-term sustainability. 

Partnership: City of Amsterdam, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS), One Architecture, Muzus, University of Amsterdam (UvA), Knowledge Center for Subsidence and Building Foundations (KBF), Waternet, Ymere.

Δήμος Αθηναίων

ERDF Budget: €4,998,733.44 

Athens grapples with the escalating challenges of climate crisis, namely the extreme urban heat that scorches the city during the summer season and the periodical floods from the increased sudden heavy rainfalls. The situation is worsened by the complete absence of water elements on the surface of the city and the lack of water-sensitive urban design solutions with 80% of its total urban area consisting of impermeable surfaces. The project proposes to install a series of water-powered public interventions to create new blue and green infrastructure inside the city. These interventions will not only act as natural cooling agents but will also serve as community engagement and educational platforms that raise awareness for water conservation, connect water to community life and history. The focus is not merely on water conservation but on bringing the water element back into the city, turning it into a key feature of public spaces and incorporating a water-centric ethos into the city's urban planning and lifestyle. 

Partnership: Municipality of Athens; 4 Private enterprises: Athens Development and Destination Management Agency S.A. (ADDMA), Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company - EYDAP S.A. (EYDAP), ECOSCAPES PC, ATP architects and engineers (ATP); 2 SMEs: Alchemia-nova Greece Private Company (Alchemia Nova), DIPYLON Society for the Study of Ancient Topography (DIPYLON); 2 NGOs: ELLINIKI ETAIRIA-Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ELLET), Impact Hub Labs (IHA); 1 Higher education and research organisations: National Technical University of Athens (NTUA); 1 Private: Company of Insurance And Consulting Services Development Organization S.A. (AEASY) 

Àrea Metropolitana de Barcelona

ERDF budget: €3,676,724.80

Addressing jointly the urban challenges linked to climate change externalities and waste generation, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona proposes with TOP SEC to strengthen urban resilience in the adaptation to climate change by implementing self-sustaining naturalised green roofs with no need for irrigation. On top of exploring different water retention techniques and plant species selection, the project will test an innovative and local (km 0) circular substrate mix, using municipal organic waste sludge as raw material. This new product is expected to enhance vegetation growth conditions, while reducing environmental impact and maintenance needs and maximizing ecological performance and resources usage.

The main benefits will notably lie in carbon sequestration through biochar, increased biodiversity, thermal insultation opportunities, reduced urban heat island effect, or better rainwater management in extreme episodes, all contributing to inhabitants’ wellbeing. The acceptance of the solution is supported by extensive community engagement and awareness-raising activities about nature-based solutions and greening of cities.  

Partnership: 2 Local public Authorities: Barcelona Metropolitan Area, Cornellà Municipality; 2 non-profit private entities: Catalonia Institute of Construction Technology, Cíclica; 1 Higher education and research organisation: University of Lleida; 1 Public sectoral agency: Metropolitan Institute of Land Development and Property Management; 2 SMEs: INGELIA, Bruc Jardí SL; 1 NGO: Spanish Association of Green roofs; 3 transfer cities – to be selected. 

Primăria Municipiului Bistrița

ERDF budget: €4,267,076.80

B-CONNECT pioneers a biophilic-centred tactical urbanism approach to improve air quality and address challenges such as limited green mobility behaviours, underdeveloped green infrastructure (GI), and a dense urban fabric. The project aims to achieve this through a range of place-based activities, including small-scale tactical urbanism and community-driven interventions that bring impactful changes to the urban landscape.

These activities are supported by a real-time monitoring and response digital platform that combines hard data with community-driven insights, empowering residents and encouraging more eco-conscious behaviours through a city-level token system. To address challenges like biodiversity loss and enhance green infrastructure management, actions such as the implementation of hydroponic towers alongside pollinator-friendly and drought-tolerant nature-based solutions are planned. These interventions will enhance the city's green landscape, provide cleaner air, and revitalise urban spaces. 

Partnership:  Municipality of Bistrita, 2 SMEs: Indeco Soft, Urbasofia, 4 Higher education and research organisations: University for Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine Cluj Napoca, Babes-Bolyai University, ”Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urban Planning – Bucharest (IMUAUP), Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and 2 Interest groups including NGO: Bistrita - Youth for the Community, E-Civis Association

Comune di Bologna 

ERDF budget: €4,999,984.32

Significantly affected by the challenges of heat waves and heat islands at urban level, the climate resilience priority of the Municipality of Bologna is translated into the implementation of the TALEA project. The project will support the reintegration of urban areas into a continuous Green Infrastructure, putting in place the TALEA Green Cells: spatial units of green infrastructure (100 x100m), ultimately creating conditions for healthier livelihoods for citizens and fostering green justice. Standing apart from traditional nature-based solutions, these cells will also combine creative technological innovation, social and green/ blue components, involving site-specific and data-based monitoring, while harnessing the power of citizen-science data collection. Different combinations will be tested in three areas, selected according to a participatory process and re-activating new uses in underused urban spaces. These will result not only in climate shelters, but also in vibrant hubs incorporating new aesthetic, social and cultural values, offering socially just services, co-designed with and for the communities.  

Partnership: Municipality of Bologna; 2 private research centres: Foundation for Urban Innovation, Bruno Kessler Foundation; 2 higher education and research organisations: University of Bologna, CINECA Interuniversity Consortium; 2 private SMEs: R2M Solution s.r.l., R3GIS Ltd; 3 transfer cities – to be selected.

Stad Brugge

ERDF budget: €4,981,833.76

As world heritage city shaped by the role of water, the City of Bruges is also particularly vulnerable to water risks and calls for a holistic and preventative approach optimising the green-blue strategic management. Acknowledging the inner canals are vital to make the city climate change resilient, the Blue4Green project aims at improving the quality and quantity of water supply to mitigate flood, drought and water stress risks.

A digital policy dashboard will be developed to visualise in real time all water availability, quality and green stress-related data and allow for data-driven decisions. Besides, water management will be optimized by automating the control system and modernizing hydraulic structures, to allow for preventative measures on water buffering and supply for green infrastructure. In parallel, the project will test the reconnection to the underground historic network for additional buffer capacity. Finally, nature-based solutions will be tested to improve water quality for green maintenance and recreational use. 

Partnership: City of Bruges; 2 Regional public authorities: The Flemish Waterway, Farys; 1 NGO: Waterland; 1 higher education and research organisation: Ghent University; 3 University-related SMEs: Sumaqua, Kytos BV,  iFlux; 3 transfer cities – to be selected.

Mestna občina Celje

ERDF budget: €4,512,960.32

MAG-NET's primary objective is to establish an urban innovation network to reverse talent drain in Celje and Prebold, Slovenia. Both cities face the growing challenge of talents migrating to larger urban centres for education, employment, and quality of life. 

MAG-NET proposes a two-tiered approach: 

• Creation of a cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary, and inter-generational innovation and responsible entrepreneurship support space for the cities (MAG-NET Hub), enhanced by a digital platform. 

• Piloting of five scalable urban sandboxes (Urban Real-Life Learning Labs) focused on critical areas for talent attraction & retention: affordable housing, sustainable mobility, industry 4.0, urban atmosphere, community energy.

This innovative solution incorporates three key elements for transforming shrinking cities into thriving and talent-driven ones: 

• Providing a dynamic platform for youth to engage with urban challenges, apply skills, and acquire new competencies. 

• Encouraging businesses and other stakeholders to contribute challenges, participate in a collaborative process, nurture talents, and support new ventures. 

• Engaging citizens in co-creating tangible improvements in urban aspects, fostering green and people-centred cities. 

Ultimately, the project will create a sustainable, participatory framework and support tools for urban authorities, fostering innovation in urban areas, boosting the demand for and supply of talents, and nurturing inclusive local development. 

Partnership: Mestna občina Celje, Občina Preblod, Inovacijsko-razvojni inštitut Univerze v Ljubljani, Poligon, zavod za razvoj kreativnih industrij, socialno podjetje, Inštitut za ekonomsko demokracijo, Inkubator Savinjske regije, d.o.o., Inštitut za politike prostora, Nepremičnine Celje, upravljanje, gospodarjenje in trgovanje z nepremičninami d.o.o., Celjski mladinski center, ETRA proizvodnja, trgovina, storitve d.o.o.

Câmara Municipal de Coimbra

ERDF Budget: € 4,902,468.80

The touristic activity in Coimbra is mainly concentrated at the UNESCO site and due to its growth over the last 10 years, it has generated unprecedented challenges for the city, in such areas: mobility, job creation, quality of service provided and residents’ perception of tourism impacts. COIMBRA ST LLM will pilot a Sustainable Tourism Web Portal based on Large Language Models, enriched with real and valuable data about the destination (over 300 products), that proposes personalized itineraries for tourists creating conditions for better management, planning and sustainability of tourism activities and their impact on the environment, local communities and cultural heritage. A Labor Observatory will support the upskilling and reskilling in the Tourism sector, fostering local and regional competitiveness. An international certification model will be developed to promote sustainable tourism in cultural heritage destinations. This model will support informed decision-making by consumers and acknowledge sustainable practices made by tourist companies.

Partnership: Municipality of Coimbra; 1 Local public authority: Intermunicipal Community of Coimbra Region; 1 National public authority: Tourism of Portugal; 3 Higher education and research organisation: Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Coimbra University, Instituto Pedro Nunes; 2 SME: Present Technologies, INOVA+; 3 transfer cities – to be selected.

Københavns Kommune

ERDF Budget: € 3,753,409.28

Being one of the fastest growing metropolitan destinations in Europe, the City of Copenhagen faces a pressing need to sustainably manage tourism flows and prevent over-tourism, while aligning locals’ needs and visitors’ expectations. CULTIGEN will pioneer a data-driven and community-focused tourism governance fed by local communities and tourists, to better understand their grievances and better inform decision-making. As backbone of the solution, the project will develop a participatory photo-voice app to engage, collect and analyse users’ data on their urban experience. The singularity of this tool lies in merging quantitative and qualitative dimensions to offer new modes of empirical understanding of tourism impacts. The unique urban insights generated, together with the support of local ambassadors, will foster tourism dispersion (rebalancing the tourist flows by empowering non-central neighbourhoods with enhanced cultural identity), and redistribute the economic benefits from the tourism sector (extending the touristic offerings through support to local economy).

Partnership: Municipality of Copenhagen; 1 Higher education and research organisation: Aalborg University; 2 public Museums: Museum of Copenhagen, The National Museum of Denmark; 3 private entities: Wonderful Copenhagen, StoryHunt ApS, We Do Democracy; 3 transfer cities – to be selected.

Δήμος Ελληνικού - Αργυρούπολης

ERDF Budget: €2,998,576.00

Being an emerging tourism destination, the Municipality of Elliniko – Argyroupoli looks for anticipating the pressing challenges of overtourism, cross-cultural conflicts, and environmental stress. GreCO proposes a proactive urban tourism planning solution to shape emerging urban destinations into sustainable, resilient and inclusive tourism hubs, ensuring the well-being of their residents. The project relies on an innovative and collaborative data-driven digital solution, proposing personalised itineraries to visitors tailored to their cultural background and preferences. This tool will provide them with immersive and unique experiences, while guiding towards less-explored areas, turning them into active participants in the destination’s life, and encouraging their responsible behaviours. Based on real-time data, but also intercultural conflicts’ measurement systems and advanced assessment of traffic aspects, the solution is characterized by its holistic approach aimed at fostering collaboration and social harmony between all stakeholders, balancing economic inequalities between the different parts of the city, preventing environmental degradation and promoting sustainable mobility.

Partnership: Municipality of Elliniko – Argyroupoli; 1 public company: Elliniko Anelixis SA; 1 public union: Union of Protection and Development of Imittos; 3 Higher education and research organisation: University of Piraeus Research Center, National Technical University of Athens (Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering, and School of Rural and Surveying & Geoinformatics Engineering), National Observatory of Athens; 1 private SME: Zelus Ike;

City of Ghent

ERDF budget: € 4,999,488.16

Rewilding cities is a concept that aims to bring more nature and wildlife into urban areas, and to restore the natural processes that sustain them. To rewild a dense, historic and industrial city such as Ghent, de-sealing dense areas and avoiding further land take and soil sealing is key. REWILD will explore a relatively new concept, incentives for de-sealing in private and public space in the context of a climate adaptation programme. REWILD aims to overcome barriers hindering rewilding and desealing initiatives, to implement successful pilots and test solutions in three Ghent’s most vulnerable neighbourhoods, and to develop a strategy to realise “No Net Land Take” and reduce soil sealing.

Partnership: City of Ghent; 3 Higher education and research organisations: University of Ghent, University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Hogeschool Gent), University of Antwerp; 2 private NGOs: Breekijzer, Environmental Front of Gent.

Municipality of Haskovo 

ERDF Budget: € 4,007,584.00 

CARE-GET project envisions a future where health, wellness, technology and nature approaches harmonise to create a vibrant and sustainable urban life.  
The municipality of Haskovo aims to leverage its existing cultural, educational and economic assets to propose an innovative MedTech Hub, harnessing talents to resolve skills gaps, long-term youth unemployment, brain drain and lack of job possibilities for young employees.  
CARE-GET project harnesses the power of the existing medical sector to provide holistic services and educational opportunities.  
The project supports the municipality in its transition toward a sustainable local economy driven by the digital and medical sector, being able to generate new jobs, with young talents to grow and produce added value in the local market.  
CARE-GET's commitment is not just nurturing innovations and startups but also enriching the talents behind them. The project offers attractive workplaces for modern, alternative and advanced healthcare services in a flamboyant environment melting nature and heritage.  

Partnership: Haskovo Municipality, 2 Private SMEs: URBASOFIA, LIP TRADE LTD; 3 NGOs: Bulgaria Economic Forum, Association of General Practitioners in Haskovo, Alliance for Regional Cooperation and Development; 1 Higher education and research organisation: TRAKIA UNIVERSITY – STARA ZAGORA 

Δήμος Κοζάνης

ERDF Budget: € 4,903,680.00

EcoZani aims to propose an alternative approach for achieving a just work transition in Kozani by empowering the city’s productive social capital and preserving its socio-cultural identity, aiming to combat unemployment, outmigration and under-skilling, particularly among young people. The project will employ a popular local annual event (Fanoi Carnival) with strong ties to the local communities as a vehicle and testing bed to activate local ecosystems. The goal is to harness and retain talent, while the event is turned into the first zero-waste, zero-emission, zero-exclusion (3 Z) Carnival. A local Talent Booster will reinforce local youth entrepreneurship and accelerate existing professionals. Two legacy structures, the UpCycle Creative Reuse Center and the Municipal Circu-Tech Hub, will be set up to produce new 3 Z products for the rebranded Carnival. EcoZani’s vision for Kozani will be realised through participatory processes, upskilling and reskilling training programmes, and capacity-building initiatives.

Partnership: Municipality of Kozani; 1 Enterprise: Cluster of Bioeconomy and Environment of Western Macedonia; 1 Regional public authority: DIADYMA - Waste Management of Western Macedonia Region; 1 Higher education and research organisation: University of Western Macedonia; 1 Business support organisation: Entrepreneurship Support Foundation – JOIN4CS; 2 Interest groups including NGOs: Impact Hub Labs, CIVINET CY-EL Secretariat NPO; 3 SME: Symbolo GP, Cocoon Modules, CHLIAPAS SA; 3 transfer cities – to be selected.

Gmina Miejska Krakow

ERDF Budget: EUR 4,998,091.10

Krakow, a historical city boasting a rich cultural heritage is willing to improve the sustainability of its touristic offer. Following the concept of agile tourism management, the city aims to tackle issues such as social tensions and competition among industry entrepreneurs, overtourism, tourist traffic concentration in culturally rich districts, and a decline in the quality of tourist services and local culture.

The solution is a system that transitions cultural tourism towards sustainability and enhances the cultural and tourist offer. This system will be an innovation lab: Sustainable Cultural Tourism Hub, operating under a participatory cooperation model and a unique methodology for innovation production. It involves:

- Gathering research data

- Living lab and participatory activities with stakeholders

- Utilising the knowledge of residents and industry experts

- Prototyping and testing solutions with digital tool support.

Managed by the city, this system will focus its activities in a central area of Krakow, which, despite its appeal, remains relatively unknown to residents and tourists. SCT HUB is innovative as it combines elements from previous individual projects: a participatory approach (via the living lab) with participatory research methods centred on art and digital support in the prototyping process.

Partnership: Gmina Miejska Krakow , Krakowskie Biuro Festiwalowe, Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Agencja Rozwoju Miasta Krakowa sp z o.o., Stowarzyszenie Organizacja Turystyczna Stołecznego Królewskiego Miasta Krakowa, Fundacja Polish Heritage

Comune di Milano (CdM)

ERDF Budget: € 4,999,840.64 

GOCCIA is an innovative Interspecies Playground where environment becomes a stakeholder in the development of interspecies design thinking. It will recover an area contaminated by former industrial activities and spontaneously re-naturalized. Until 1994 and for the previous 85 years, the area, located in the NW part of Milan, was used to produce gas for urban services, causing very high levels of chemical contaminants in the soil. In the last 30 years it has become a wild urban woodland. Since 2000 CdM has developed studies and analysis for the area regeneration and it is now designing a process of land reclamation. Nearby POLIMI Campus is expanding with the Master plan by Renzo Piano. GOCCIA involves a study of the plant-microorganism system of contaminant degradative processes, as spontaneous phytoremediation whose results will be used to design new NBS. Indeed, differently from most phytoremediation projects, it starts from an existing spontaneous ecosystem, with an interspecies collaborative relation, structuring monitoring of biodiversity and environmental ecosystem services to develop innovative forest management and governance. Expected results are a) accessibility to a new large green area for Milan citizens; b) validation of a highly innovative reclamation process; c) involvement of citizens in scientific processes; d) consolidation of a quintuple-helix governance model, which includes the environment as a stakeholder; e) development of interspecies design thinking. 

 
Partnership: Municipality of Milan; 4 SMEs: Climateflux GmbH, FROM Srl, Ambiente Italia Srl, Open Impact; 1 NGO: Eutropian Association; 2 Higher education and research organisation: La Goccia Observatory, Polytechnic of Milan; 3 transfer cities – City of Malaga, City of Rijeka, Est Ensemble Grand Paris. 

Comune di Prato

ERDF Budget: 4,091,200.00

The Experience Prato Industrial Culture (EPIC) project aims to leverage tourism to foster just, productive, and green growth. It seeks to achieve this by utilising the city’s local industrial heritage to develop an innovative, competitive and sustainable tourism offering, through a “never-ending” tourism approach. In collaboration with stakeholders from the tourism ecosystem, economic actors such as the local Textile and Clothing (T&C) industry, and civil society, the project will co-design new tourism products. The integration of advanced technology, such as AI-powered virtual reality content combined with real life experiences, will support the development of an immersive all-encompassing experience for visitors available before, during, and after their visit (“never-ending” tourism). This will facilitate knowledge exchange, planning and improved accessibility and sustainability in the local tourism sector. This approach aims to attract tourists out of season, rebalance tourism flows within the region, and foster just and green growth in the city, while developing deeper, longer-term engagement from visitors.

Partnership: MUA: Municipality of Prato, 2 Social enterprise: LAMA Social Enterprise, Cristoforo Social Cooperative, 2 Non-profit Organisations: Prato Textile Museum Foundation, Fondazione Sistema Toscana, 1 Higher education and research organisation: National Research Council -  Institute of Bioeconomy, 2 SMEs: Immerxive srl, Flod srl, and 1 NGOs: Eutropian Association,

Comune du Ravenna 

ERDF Budget: €4,999,946.56 

The FOOTPRINTS model is based on an enabled community providing sustainable environment, solutions and facilities and taking the tourist hand in hand towards sustainable choices by mechanisms of gaming, nudging, sustainability by default and community engagement.  

FOOTPRINTS partnership and community will offer a temporary citizen experience, enhance innovative offers based on low carbon, circular economy and positive social footprints. It will make it easy and enjoyable by integrating the whole offer into a sustainable by default system, promote it in a gaming and nudging system for tourists’ responsible choices, and implement digital platform and tools. The project will enable a truly sustainable stay to develop new, authentic experiences with social and environmental relevance with the collaboration of socio-cultural local associations and empower innovation and environmental performance capacities of tourism sector SMEs. The project will develop an integrated welcoming, accessible soft mobility system to make tourists and citizens softly move around Ravenna. 

Partnership: Municipality of Ravenna; 4 Private SMEs: Ravenna Incoming Convention & Visitors Bureau, VISTA Technologies, SAN VITALE Social Cooperative Enterprise, ATLANTIDE Social Cooperative Enterprise; 1 NGO: Eutropian Association; 2 Privates: AZIMUT S.P.A., ART-ER - Joint Stock Consortium Company 

Unione della Romagna Faentina (URF)

ERDF Budget: 4,388,293.92

The floods of May 2023 in Romagna Faentina Union highlighted the devasting impact of climate change. AQUAGREEN will test innovative solutions to make urban areas more resilient to these increasingly frequent and dangerous extreme weather events. The project will field-test blue/green infrastructure in a Multifunctional Resilience Park Living Lab (MRPLL) located in a public area particularly devastated by the floods. Various solutions, often implemented individually, will be integrated including permeable pavements, rain gardens, tanks for rainwater collection (during water scarcity periods) and a green roof combined with a photovoltaic plant linked to a storage system to ensure electricity for water drainage during blackouts. The MRPLL will use a digital interface to support constant citizen involvement. The pilot site will also be complemented by two tools operating at a wider territorial level: a Decision Support System that reviews real-time data and an innovative Early Warning System to better enable public authorities to alert the population to severe weather events.

Partnership: MUA: Romagna Faentina Union, 2 Higher education and research organisations: Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, IUAV University of Venice, 2 Infrastructure and (public) service providers: HERA Group, Multiservice Inter-municipal Enterprise Consortium, 1 Private Enterprise: CAE S.p.A. and 1 interest group including NGO: BORGO DURBECCO APS

Gemeente Rotterdam

ERDF Budget: €4,937,664.32 

As a port city, being 85% below sea level, land subsidence and rising water levels are leading to increased flood risks, while (public) green spaces suffer tremendously from heat and droughts as well. Rotterdam desperately needs more effective green space to combat these challenges, yet 60% of the potential land is privately owned. Greening Without Borders is a public-private approach to raising and greening as much land as possible by targeting private gardens in a collective-action green infrastructure project. Piloted in a deprived port neighbourhood, an innovative, integrated model will create social and economic opportunities through the greening of 4 large communal spaces and 50 individual gardens. A community cooperative enterprise will offer green skills and employment opportunities to 95 residents and deliver shared-use projects to the wider community in the rehabilitated green spaces. The project will be sustained by an innovative green fund designed to incentivize and aims to change the way cities and individuals take action to increase both environmental and social resilience in a neighbourhood. 

Partnership: City of Rotterdam (Rotterdam), 3 Private: Food Garden Rotterdam Foundation (Food Garden), Learning Station Foundation (Learning Station), Mathenesse at the Meuse Foundation (MadM); 1 SME: Serendipity Holding BV (Serendipity) ; 2 Higher Education and research organisations: Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) 

Gmina Stalowa Wola

ERDF Budget: € 4,981,907.20

Stalowa Wola faces the challenge of attracting and retaining talents as it risks losing its socio-economic functions. SPACE 4 TALENTS aims to create favourable conditions for space industry development by establishing a new attractive, modern and multidimensional specialisation for the city. It seeks to strengthen the perception of Stalowa Wola as a place of young, ambitious and talented professionals. A Spacelab will act as a creative place for science and research and will include a remote work center for the space industry. The Space Academy will support citizens in developing the necessary skills and competencies for the space industry through hackathons, postgraduate studies, workshops, competitions, mentoring, advisory services and internships. Both spaces will be supported by pentahelix cooperation, bringing together the public, educational and scientific sectors, space industry, space NGOs and youth.

Partnership: Municipality of Stalowa Wola; 2 Interest groups including NGOs: Regional Chamber of Commerce in Stalowa Wola, INNSPACE Association; 1 SME: ENERGO - TEL S.A.; 2 Higher education and research organisation: Rzeszow University of Technology, Kozminsky University; 1 Sectoral agency: Industrial Development Agency S.A.; 3 transfer cities – to be selected.

Szeged Megyei Jogú Város Önkormányzata

ERDF Budget: € 2,460,678.40

Szeged is facing the growing urban challenge to maintain and expand the city's green spaces in the face of climate change and severe desertification. To address this challenge, ReGreenX proposes a city-level framework for coordinated experimentation with climate-resilient greenery in both public and private areas of Szeged. ReGreenX introduces a new model for a city-wide involvement in climate-resilient greenery that encourages citizens to recognise, understand and take action on the growing threat of desertification to the city’s greenery. By empowering city dwellers to embrace a societal mindset shift, Szeged aims to initiate in a new era of sustainable urban greening that sustains its urban green spaces for all generations to come.

Partnership: Municipality of Szeged; 1 Infrastructure and (public) service provider: Szeged Environmental Management LTD; 1 Higher education and research organisation: University of Szeged; 3 SME: Fontos Design Stúdio, Alsótekeresi Tree Nursery, HBH Strategy and Development Ltd.; 2 Interest group including NGOs: CSEMETE Association of Nature and Environmental Protection, Elephant in the Room; 1 Business support organisation: Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Csongrád-Csanád; 3 transfer cities – to be selected.

Valencia City Council

ERDF budget: € 4,201,844.80

Around 25% of travel in the world is accounted for business trips. The MICE sector (tourism related to business trips for Meetings, Incentives, Congresses & Events) has significant externalities on urban sustainability. Cities and MICE planners are concerned about reducing the footprint of events but not sufficiently attending to how to measure it and enhance the legacy for citizens. Valencia aims to test a new MICE concept to foster connections with the city by using an urban entropy approach beyond sustainability. Zentropy will contribute to optimizing tourism externalities value. A new way of measuring entropy elements through an innovative calculator (measured before and after new events) and applying 9 new programs aiming at building exchange flows of the entropy elements (energy, matter & information) piloted into 2 different events (4100 visitors) hosted by the Convention Center (PdC) while a monitoring tool is launched to assess the tourist experience and data is collected for better understanding.

Partnership: Valencia City Council; 1 public entity: Valencia Conference Centre (PdC); 1 private entity: Las Naves Foundation of Valencia region for strategic promotion, development, and urban innovation; 1 Higher education and research organisations: Technical University of Valencia; 1 local public authority: Visit València Foundation of the Valencian Community; 1 private SME: Khora Urban Thinkers.