On February 21, 2025, the second regional meeting of the Inclusive and Sustainable Innovation Hub (ISIHUB) took place in Krakow, organised as part of the TASK4ISI project. The meeting was attended by representatives of key institutions and organisations involved in supporting entrepreneurship and social innovation, including: Krakow University of Economics, Municipality of Krakow – Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Department of Social and Health Policy; University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Sacz – Center for Research, Knowledge and Technology Transfer; Krakow Festival Office; Krakow Technology Park; The Mamo Pracuj Foundation; The Małopolska Izba Samorządowa Foundation; Statistical Office in Krakow; Social Welfare Centre in Krakow; Association for the Development of Community Psychiatry and Care; IB Poland Multicultural Center; The Foundation for Public Economy and Administration; Voivodeship Labour Office in Krakow; Social Integration Center as well as many other institutions working for the development of the social market economy.
The meeting began with a summary of the current activities of ISIHUB in Krakow, which was presented by the team of the Municipality of Krakow and the Krakow University of Economics. The participation of local stakeholders and the first activities supporting inclusive entrepreneurship were discussed. Then there was a presentation of the framework of the educational programmes to be implemented at ISIHUB Krakow. The discussion focused on the identification of training needs and potential target groups, including people at risk of social exclusion and young entrepreneurs. The participants shared their experiences and proposed directions for the development of training programmes as well as their evaluation. In the next part of the meeting, participants engaged in activities, aimed at strengthening cooperation between key stakeholders of ISIHUB Kraków. The discussion focused on identifying potential synergies, exchanging best practices, and exploring opportunities for joint initiatives to support inclusive entrepreneurship. Representatives from different sectors shared their insights on challenges and needs within their respective fields, fostering a collaborative approach to developing innovative support mechanisms.
The main point of the meeting was a networking session, during which participants had the opportunity to discuss the possibilities of future cooperation and exchange experiences in the field of supporting social innovation and inclusive entrepreneurship. The participants of the meeting emphasised the importance of integrating ISIHUB with regional public policies and the need to build a long-term strategy to support inclusive entrepreneurship. In the coming months, more work is planned on the development of educational programmes, the organisation of workshops, and the establishment of new partnerships with the public and private sectors. The meeting was another step towards strengthening ISIHUB as an important support center for innovative and socially responsible entrepreneurship in Małopolska.
The TASK4ISI project is supported by the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme with co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund.
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