Where innovation is produced for the city’s services, urban spaces, and sustainable territorial development through a collaborative and multi-stakeholder approach.
The Urban Economy Clust-ER is an association accredited by the Emilia-Romagna Region that brings together universities, research centres, training institutions, companies, trade associations, third-sector organisations and local authorities. It pools expertise, ideas and resources to enhance the competitiveness and innovation of the regional economy by promoting on the topics of urban and rural regeneration, social innovation, sustainable mobility, commerce and local services.
The cluster focuses on key areas of innovation, including:
- Digital transformation of services, through data-driven approaches that monitor how urban spaces are used and function;
- Proximity-based infrastructure, with particular attention to the sharing economy and sustainable mobility;
- Equity, sustainability, and inclusion, as the core values of new collaborative business models that generate positive impact across communities.
Clust-ER Urban Economy is structured around five dedicated working groups:
- Mobility and Territory;
- Urban Markets;
- Regional Law on Urban Economy;
- Just and Inclusive City;
- Tourism and the City.
Our members
University-based research and innovation centers
Non-university research and innovation centers
Companies
Accredited training institutions
Local and regional authorities
Trade and professional associations
Third sector entities
Consortia and networks of companies
To drive local innovation, new ideas are not enough. We need new partnerships
Innovation never happens in isolation. It emerges from the coming together of ideas, expertise, resources and people, and takes shape when these energies turn into collaboration.
Clust-ER Urban Economy brings together local and regional authorities, companies, universities, training institutions, foundations, business associations and third-sector organisations to develop new solutions and jointly address the transformations reshaping cities, inner areas and peripheral territories.
Our goal is to drive innovation across the Urban Economy value chain: from sustainable mobility to urban and rural regeneration, from social innovation to local commerce and proximity services. We build relationships, foster collaboration and develop projects capable of creating new development pathways and providing concrete responses to the challenges faced by local communities.
The challenges facing our territories today are increasingly complex. They require different perspectives, complementary expertise and a shared sense of responsibility — bringing together institutions and public bodies, businesses and the research community, alongside the energy and expertise of the third sector.
It is through the collaboration of the public sector, private sector, third sector and local communities that more innovative, inclusive solutions can emerge — solutions capable of creating tangible impact.
Because in the face of complexity, collaboration is not simply an opportunity: it is the foundation for shaping the future of our territories.