The purpose of this working paper is to provide an overview of the current context within which the HUB-IN Mission and Vision will be developed and delivered. It presents an analysis of the current state of play of heritage-led regeneration that is already taking place in Historic Urban Areas throughout Europe, and highlights the role that innovation and entrepreneurship play in the realisation of their transformation.

The findings presented in this paper are based on an analysis of 40 cases across 17 European countries. The paper presents descriptive characteristics of the cases analysed, illustrates the state of play across ecosystem elements, and highlights some of the current conditions, barriers, and opportunities faced by those striving for heritage-led regeneration in a historic urban context. The paper furthermore provides insight into fifteen examples of good practice.

Our data confirm that innovative and/or entrepreneurial initiatives have the potential to contribute to heritage-led regeneration in a historic urban setting. The good practice examples presented in this paper provide inspiration on the different routes that can be taken to utilise material and/or immaterial heritage to fulfil a wide range of needs from different actors and transform Historic Urban Areas. We conclude that establishing connections between actors and conditions of the entrepreneurial ecosystem is an important way forward in creating inclusive and sustainable regeneration of Historic Urban Areas.