Heritage Europe has been part of HUB IN, an EU funded project that wants to regenerate Historic Urban Areas whilst preserving their unique cultural identity, since 2020. Eight pilot cities have been working on their selected historic areas to transform them into a “Hub of Innovation and Entrepreneurship” by co-developing new business models that will bring together sustainability and cultural heritage.

Now, 17 follower cities have joined the programme through the HUB IN Alliance, to follow the project and learn from pilot cities to potentially develop their own hubs of innovation.

In our recent consortium meeting in Utrecht, several follower cities presented their ideas and how they planned to take advantage of the HUB IN Alliance. One such city is Fundão, characterised by its Jewish heritage and important history of wool making. The city’s Historic Urban Area features Centeio Milling Interpretation Centre, which explores the city’s milling heritage, as well as important religious buildings such as the 18th century Mother Church.

Historically, Fundão’s challenges have included an ageing population, the abandonment of rural areas and the decline of the urban centre. In 2012, an innovation plan was developed, which aimed to provide the infrastructures for urban regeneration, attract investment and provide professional training. As a result, 1000 new jobs were created, and the city has attracted digital nomads, IT companies and start-ups. The city’s 2030 vision focuses on sustainability, inclusion and innovation.

Fundão are joining the HUB IN Alliance in order to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration with other innovation hubs, learning from their successes and challenges. They’re also looking to develop local entrepreneurial ecosystems by adopting best practises and networking with established innovation hubs and to explore.

You can read more about the HUB IN Alliance on their website: https://hubin-project.eu/the-project/