The third day of the study visit to Cluj-Napoca: clusters, innovation, and urban development

As part of the final day of the “Exchange of Experience across the EU – Steering Committee – Good Practices & Formalization” program, participants in the EUroBRIDGE_UA_MD project learned about successful practices in cluster cooperation, the innovation economy, and modern municipal governance in Romania.

The first stop was the Smart Transylvania / Excellence Furniture Centre platform, which brings together key clusters in northwestern Transylvania around shared goals of development and competitiveness. Participants were shown examples of inter-cluster collaboration, joint implementation of international projects, and the development of business ecosystems.

The scale of the infrastructure drew particular attention: an area of approximately 18 hectares, more than 40 resident companies, approximately 600 employees, modern hubs, open-space areas, production sites, solar power, as well as a school and a daycare center for employees. Particular emphasis was placed on supporting creative industries and innovative entrepreneurship.

The second part of the program was a meeting with representatives of the Cluj-Napoca municipality, during which they discussed the city’s international project portfolio, approaches to implementing urban initiatives with EU support, and the interaction between local government bodies, regional development agencies, and the business community.

Such exchanges of experience are an important source of practical knowledge regarding the creation of modern innovation hubs, the development of clusters, business support, and the effective use of European funding opportunities. At the same time, they help forge new partnerships, share successful solutions, and identify tools that can be adapted for the development of Ukrainian regions.

We sincerely thank the project partners, representatives of the host country, members of the Monitoring Committee, and all participants for their openness, professional dialogue, and collaborative efforts to develop international partnerships between Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania.

The EUroBRIDGE_UA_MD project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of the project partners and does not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union.