The UMANE project aims to foster institutional change, and develop innovative services and methodologies to support human-centred innovation and entrepreneurship within the universities of the consortium. The project relies on a human-centred approach aimed at considering the full human spectrum to design solutions that are supportive, meaningful and empowering for people. This human-centred approach, in a broad sense, pursues entrepreneurial growth and humane development for opportunity realisation and sustainable organisations.

This approach is consistent with the humane entrepreneurship framework, which relies on an inclusive and sustainable approach to entrepreneurship. By focusing on both economic generation and the needs of individuals, a successful implementation can lead to a continuous increase in wealth and quality job creation.

UMANE also offers solutions to address global challenges related to climate change, digital and social transformation, demographic shifts, emerging healthcare needs and the future of food, which are at the heart of the EIT Strategy and Horizon EUROPE pillars.

The consortium’s main objectives are to:

• develop an impact-driven international partnership between higher education institutions (HEIs), incubators, businesses and other knowledge triangle actors;
• develop and share a human-centred methodology for innovation and entrepreneurship within the consortium;
• develop innovation and entrepreneurial educational programs based on human-centred methodologies;
• develop supporting tools, mechanisms, external partnerships and services in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship within each HEI that can lead to a real entrepreneurial mindset change;
• reinforce the collaboration with EIT Raw Material and EIT Manufacturing;
• develop a set of key performance indicators that can measure those competencies generated and the new mindset activated by the initiative, both at individual and organisational level.

Project coordinator

 Bernardo Balboni, Associate Professor, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (contact)

Project website

umane.unimore.it