Metaverse and Heritage Routes as Innovative Approaches for Networking, Capacity Building and Interregional Investments
An international European consortium comprising 10 full and 5 associated partners has launched a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming interregional development, innovation, and economic growth across Europe. The MetaHeritage Project, funded by the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA), combines cutting-edge technologies such as the Metaverse with cultural heritage to create new business models, strengthen regional innovation ecosystems, and promote sustainable tourism.
What is MetaHeritage?
Digitisation has become a central priority for the EU and its member states, particularly in the cultural heritage and tourism sectors. MetaHeritage capitalises on this momentum by leveraging the European Digital Innovation Hubs network, established in 2023, to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adopt digital innovations. As an evolution of the S3 Pilot Action, the Interregional Partnership “Virtual and Smart Cultural Tourism”, recognised by the European Commission in 2023, MetaHeritage underscores the EU’s commitment to advancing digital innovation in cultural heritage and tourism.
Rooted in smart specialisation principles, MetaHeritage empowers less-developed regions through interregional networking and coordinated investment strategies. By focusing on heritage and cultural routes and Metaverse applications, the project fosters innovative, tailored solutions that address the unique challenges and opportunities of each region.
Transforming Innovation Across Regions
MetaHeritage integrates the value chain across regions at different stages of development, ensuring equal participation and tailored interventions. The project focuses on:
- Less-developed regions: Northern Portugal
- Outermost regions: Azores
- Transitional regions: Thuringia, Saxony, and Galicia
- More-developed regions: Emilia Romagna, Brussels, and Vienna
This inclusive approach ensures participation across all regional categories, promoting sustainable heritage tourism, particularly in rural areas, while advancing digitisation and competitiveness in Europe.
Our Goals
- Promoting Sustainable Growth – Integrating digital and sustainable innovation with heritage tourism and entrepreneurship.
- Enhancing Regional Collaboration – Connecting businesses, academia, government agencies, and cultural institutions to foster interregional and intersectoral partnerships.
- Tackling Regional Disparities – Providing tools and resources for underrepresented regions to access EU innovation networks and funding opportunities
This collaboration strengthens capacity building, innovative business cases, and consultancy services, further reinforcing the EU’s commitment to digital innovation in cultural heritage and tourism.
Looking Ahead: A Vision for Sustainable Innovation
By merging corporate and cultural heritage with advanced technologies, MetaHeritage is building a dynamic interregional ecosystem that fosters sustainable growth, innovation, and economic resilience. The project’s framework empowers less-developed regions to create business cases that combine heritage routes with Metaverse technologies, offering immersive and interactive cultural experiences.
