IURC Torino-Nagoya

In the framework of the IURC European programme for the international cooperation among cities and regions, the City of Torino has been selected for a two-years cooperation project involving the City of Nagoya, Japan. The two territories, already counting on solid relations since their twinning agreement signed in 2005, have similar characteristics, considering their common background connected to the automotive industry. Moreover, they have a common vision with respect to the role of the public administrations as enablers of the local ecosystems and attractors of competences and know-how, in order to favor innovation and the transition towards more just, inclusive and smart cities.
Starting from this common ground, Torino and Nagoya are committed to develop a programme of exchanges, study visits, sharing of good practices on the topic of innovation applied to the urban context, involving all those local actors that can bring added value and share replicable experiences.

International partners

City of Torino (IT), City of Nagoya (JP).

The project in Torino

The City of Torino aims to offer its Japanese partners the possibility to know better the initiatives supported first of all by the city administration, but also those promoted by other local stakeholders, for the development of innovation at the urban scale.
Among the most relevant experiences:

• the Torino Social Impact ecosystem, whose evolution well represents the development of a local environment favorable to innovative initiatives with a high social impact;
• SEED, the project led by the City of Torino for the creation of an Italian Competence Center for Social Innovation;
• Torino City Lab as an initiative by which the City of Torino wants to attract innovative tech SMEs and start-ups, by offering the city as a testbed for the experimentation of smart solutions for the improvement of urban services;
• CTE Next, the House of Emerging Technologies. It is a large strategic partnership aimed at transforming Torino into a center for the technological transfer of emerging technologies into those strategic sectors for the local economy, including: smart mobility, industry 4.0 and urban innovative services.

Practical steps

During the 2-years exchange, Torino and Nagoya are committed to create a programme of mutual learning through online webinars, study visits and cluster activities also involving other cities interested in urban innovation.
The final goal is to present the Torino area as a favorable and attractive place for the settlement of Japanese companies interested to develop and test innovative tech solutions in the urban field, or to develop projects with a high social impact.
Moreover, the City of Torino intends to offer its local ecosystem of stakeholders the opportunity to better know the Japanese context, as a possible opportunity for new alliances and partnerships.

Numbers

• 2 partner cities
• 2 study visits
• 2 years of cooperation