Study visit in the Basque Country: european synergies for urban innovation
From 5 to 7 May 2025, the Clust-ER Economia Urbana took part in the Innovation Tour in the Basque Country, a mission promoted by ART-ER that offered a valuable opportunity to explore the cluster development model within one of Europe’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems.
Three days of meetings, visits, and exchanges strengthened the dialogue between the regional system of Emilia-Romagna and some of Spain’s most advanced realities in the fields of urban mobility, city regeneration, energy transition, and social innovation.
Strategic collaborations for a more connected Europe
During the mission, we met with organisations working on issues fully aligned with our regional priorities:
- MLC-ITS – Urban Mobility and Last-Mile Logistics
- Build-INN – Construction, Urban Regeneration and Social Innovation
- Cluster de Energía – Energy Transition
- Aclima – Environmental Sustainability and Public Sector Living Labs
An open exchange that revealed strong synergies on which to build shared European projects in the coming years.
Governance, finance, and centres of excellence
The visit also included institutional sessions curated by Basque Trade & Investment, which provided an in-depth look at multilevel governance tools and financial support policies for clusters.
Particularly inspiring were the visits to leading centres of excellence such as:
- IDOM – Engineering and Design for Urban Regeneration
- BAIC – Basque Artificial Intelligence Center
- Basque Cybersecurity Centre
- Basque Hydrogen Corridor
These structures stand as benchmarks for integrated approaches to urban innovation, cybersecurity, and the energy transition.
A step forward towards internationalisation
This experience confirmed the importance of strengthening the international positioning of Clust-ER Economia Urbana and consolidating bilateral relations with strategic European partners. The ultimate goal is to expand our ecosystem’s participation in European cooperation and funding programmes.
The Innovation Tour in the Basque Country concluded with a wealth of insights, connections, and shared visions, marking a step forward towards more sustainable, inclusive, and intelligent cities.