CoCreate2Innovate Kicks Off to Boost Co-Creation in Smart Mobility Across Europe
PISA, ITALY – The CoCreate2Innovate project kicked off with its first official meeting on February 12 and 13 in Pisa, marking the start of an exciting journey to build a dynamic co-creation ecosystem for startups, incubators, and corporate innovation managers in Italy, Bulgaria, and Germany.
Led by the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship (SCE) at the Munich University of Applied Sciences, the University of Pisa, and The Edge, the project is supported by EIT Urban Mobility and aims to drive B2B and B2G innovation projects in the smart mobility sector.
During the kick-off meeting, hosted by the University of Pisa, project partners got the chance to connect with startups such as Relief srl, SoundSafe Care srl, ABZero srl, and Weabios srl. The event also welcomed key ecosystem players, including the Polo Tecnologico, Normal School of Pisa, and Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, who participated in discussions. "Their involvement adds significant value to the project, bringing expertise and resources that will benefit startups and spin-offs as they receive tailored training to refine their co-creation strategies, secure their first customers, and launch pilot projects" indicates Prof. Alessio Cavicchi, director of the Contamination Lab and Rector's Delegate for the Promotion of Entrepreneurial Culture and Social Innovation at the University of Pisa.
The CoCreate2Innovate project also focuses on incubators, equipping them with advanced methodologies to better support their startups. At the same time, corporate and public sector innovation managers will learn how to engage with new ventures, integrating agile innovation into their organizations to stay ahead in a rapidly changing market.
The project will roll out intensive training programs, mentorship, and three co-creation pilot projects—one in each partner region—to showcase real-world innovation solutions. "Through these efforts, CoCreate2Innovate aims to create a strong and lasting network of co-creation leaders, accelerating innovation and strengthening cross-border collaboration between Bulgaria, Germany and Italy", noted Malvina Ilieva, Managing Director of The Edge.
Pavlina Vujovic, Head of Internationalization at the SCE, emphasized that while "investments remain essential, it is equally important to raise awareness about the need for creating pre-seed support structures for startups to prioritize co-creating and collaborating with their potential customers".
Stay tuned for more updates on upcoming opportunities, training sessions, and pilot projects in collaboration with EIT Urban Mobility.