Frequently asked questions

The HUB-IN Atlas is developed as part of the EU H2020-project HUB-IN. In HUB-IN we support historic urban areas in creating hubs of innovation and/or entrepreneurship that contribute to local regeneration while preserving their unique heritage and environment. We have developed the Atlas to showcase innovative and/or entrepreneurial initiatives that are already taking place in historic urban areas throughout the European territory. The goal of the Atlas is twofold. First, we want to inspire others about what can be achieved in historic urban areas. Second, we want to draw learnings from these examples about the conditions that foster innovation and entrepreneurship in a historic urban setting. All to aid the utilisation of heritage to create a brighter and sustainable future. The Atlas was developed between June 2021 and February 2022.

All cases have been selected based on their expected ability to add to our understanding of the shape and conditions of innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystems in Historic Urban Areas. Cases have to show a contribution to the regeneration of historic urban areas; utilise innovative and/or entrepreneurial elements, and actively draw on (tangible or intangible) heritage. More information about the selection procedure that we followed can be found on the methodology page. We have looked for cases in existing databases, in the outputs of other European projects and through the HUB-IN city and partner networks. Do you know of an initiative that is in line with our selection criteria? Don’t hesitate to let us know via our contact form.

Information about the initiatives has been collected through an extensive survey of almost 100 questions. This survey was used by researchers from the HUB-IN project to collect information about initiatives. A range of publicly available information from official and semi-official sources have been utilised for each case, including output from policy, business and community organisations, research projects, newspapers, and organisational websites. After all information was summarised in a case profile, we have sent this profile to a contact person of the respective initiative to confirm and validate the information presented. More information about data collection can be found on the methodology page. Is your initiative presented in the Atlas and would you like to add or adjust information? Let us know via our contact form.

Thank you for contributing to keeping the Atlas up to date. Please get in touch via our contact form and let us know what changes/additions you would like to see. We are happy to receive (weblinks to) documentation, like project plans or impact evaluation reports, that we can add to the list of references of your initiative. That way, those who are interested in your approach can easily access additional information and learn even more from you.

We are happy to hear you want to contribute to the Atlas. Please take a look at the selection criteria described in our methodology section. Is the initiative you have in mind in line with these criteria? Then let us know via our contact form. It is helpful if you could add a few sentences on the mission and activities of the initiative, the way it utilises heritage and a contact person (if that is not you) so we can know who to get in touch with for more information. Also feel free to add some weblinks, so we can have a browse.

All initiatives featured in the Atlas have been selected based on their expected ability to add to our understanding of the shape and conditions of innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystems in Historic Urban Areas. Included in the Atlas are cases that we perceive as ‘good practices’, e.g. cases that conduct activities and show practices that provide positive learnings for others who wish to embark on a similar journey. At the same time, we acknowledge that heritage-led regeneration is a complex process that can involve different perspectives that are shaped by the historic and socio-economic circumstances connected to a specific locality. Because we have to rely on publicly available information about initiatives, we are not in the position to judge the overall impact of an initiative. Hence, being featured in the Atlas is not a certification label or quality stamp. The Atlas provides an overview of examples of heritage-led regeneration in Historic Urban Areas that we believe can provide inspiration to others.

Well, you have already started by taking a look at our Atlas! We hope you have gained some inspiration from that. On the main HUB-IN website, you can find lots of other resources, so we advise you to take a look at those. There you can for example find information about the HUB-IN Alliance. Through the alliance we will select 20 follower cities with which we extend the international network of HUB-IN cities. You can also take a look at the HUB-IN Academy, where lots of learning resources for heritage-led regeneration will be bundled. We will also build a Match & Ignite programme, through which you can learn about opportunities for cooperation and investment in the HUB-IN community. In the HUB-IN library, you can find different papers and reports made by project, like the HUB-IN framework and the Business and Finance Model Guide.

Because the project is still ongoing, you might not find all of the above tools available at the moment. Please know that we are working hard to have them available for you as soon as possible. Via our contact form you can subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to know when new tools appear online.

We have built the Atlas to inspire you with innovative and/or entrepreneurial initiatives that contribute to heritage-led regeneration in cities and towns throughout Europe. You can browse through the initiatives in the Atlas in different ways. There is the Atlas button, which shows the initiatives on a map. You can browse through this map by zooming in and out. You can also expand the filters and select cases that way. The orange pins represent the initiatives. By clicking on one of them, you’ll be brought to the Atlas page of this initiative where you can learn more about the heritage, mission, activities, governance and business model utilised. Via the overview presented under the Cases button, you can also filter your search. The difference with the Atlas button is that you won’t find the initiatives presented on a map but in a neat list. In the main menu, you can also find the search option, presented by the little looking glass. If you, for example, know the name of an initiative you want to revisit, you can type it in there and be brought directly to the case page.

Hence, we have tried to give you different possibilities to browse through all of the initiatives in the Atlas. Give it a try, and see which one works best for you. Throughout the Atlas, we will also point out other interesting HUB-IN deliverables, like the Business and Finance Model Catalogue. So make sure to follow those links as well to learn more about how heritage-led regeneration can contribute to vibrant and sustainable cities.

The information presented in the Atlas has been gathered between June 2021 and February 2022. Is an initiative you are representing part of the Atlas and would you like to update the presented  information? Then please get in touch via our contact form. Do you know of an initiative that could complement the Atlas? Don’t hesitate to let us know via our contact form.