Cluj-Napoca will run for the title of European Capital of Innovation

The city of Cluj-Napoca will run for the title of a European Capital of Innovation, Mayor Emil Boc announced today in Cluj, at the fifth edition of the International Conference on Open Innovation 2.0, (13-14 June), organized by the European Commission.

It is the first time that this event takes place in Eastern Europe, and more than 500 innovation specialists, decision-makers and representatives of European companies came to Cluj-Napoca to participate.

This Conference proves once again that the City of Cluj has the potential to become the European Capital of Innovation, says Mayor Emil Boc.

Emil Boc: For the next ten years, we are targeting to run for and win a title of European Capital of Innovation that has been awarded so far to Barcelona, Amsterdam and, I think, Vienna. So it's a European competition and we have to work to get there, but we have the ingredients. This is the most important thing. We have talents in the field, we have a city that focuses on this area, we have a dynamic expanding business environment and at one point we can aspire to have the infrastructure, the capacity to create the necessary ecosystem to win the title of European Innovation Capital.

Today, there is a public debate where citizens are encouraged to express their views on how new technologies can change the interaction between taxpayers and the public administration. This debate is organized by the Committee of the Regions and the Cluj-Napoca City Hall.

Source: RRA. Translated by Miruna Matei