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Cluj-Napoca has often been thought of as being “different” than some other cities across Romania. It seems that the iCapital awards (European Capital of Innovation Award) are also taking notice of the way Cluj-Napoca stands out in this part of Europe.
The title of European Capital of Innovation 2020, was awarded to the city of Leuven in Belgium, and the city was awarded €1M under Horizon 2020. The runner-up cities, of which Cluj-Napoca was included, alongside Espoo (Finland), Helsingborg (Sweden), Valencia (Spain) and Vienna (Austria) – received €100,000 each.
But Why Cluj-Napoca?
Well, Emil Boc, the mayor of Cluj-Napoca, might have something to do with it. The city has the highest absorption rate of European funds compared to any other city in Romania, however, this money is only awarded by EU, when it satisfies a number of criteria.
A major new investment in a technical university cements the reputation of the Romanian city of Cluj as a hotbed of talent, innovation and technology.
The Transylvanian city of Cluj, which earlier this year became the first in emerging Europe to make it to the final stage of the European Capital of Innovation Award, has for some time been viewed as Romania’s leading hub of technology and innovation.
In a nod to this success, and with a view to building on it, the city’s Technical University, UTCN, last week received a loan worth 21 million euros from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The loan is the first granted under the EIB’s 100 million euros Romania Higher Education Programme and is guaranteed by the European Fund for Strategic Investments, the core of the Investment Plan for Europe – also known as the Juncker Plan after its chief architect, former European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.