MetaHeritage – Enhancing Cultural & Corporate Heritage and Tourism through Digital Technologies

The MetaHeritage project is a forward-looking initiative that aims to boost innovation and economic growth across Europe. It combines advanced technologies with cultural heritage to create new business models and promote sustainable tourism. MetaHeritage aims to create a dynamic, interregional ecosystem that fosters sustainable growth, innovation, and economic resilience.

Networking events, collaborations across industries, and participation in innovation ecosystems will connect a wide range of stakeholders across Europe. These activities will enhance regional networks, provide access to resources, and open new opportunities for growth.

MetaHeritage focuses on two main areas:

1. Heritage and Cultural Routes: MetaHeritage supports the development of thematic networks that link culturally and historically significant sites across regions and borders. By linking these sites, the project aims to boost tourism and innovation development.
2. Metaverse Based on Corporate and Cultural Heritage: Harnessing immersive technologies such as 3D modelling, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), MetaHeritage creates engaging digital experiences rooted in Europe’s rich cultural heritage. These innovations are designed to attract investment, foster digital skills, and enhance regional innovation capacities.

By bridging tradition and technology, MetaHeritage strengthens the EU’s commitment to prioritising digital innovation in Cultural and Corporate Heritage and Tourism.

The project is co-funded by the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA) and is implemented by a consortium of 10 partners and 5 associated partners from across Europe.

Join the ecosystem and become part of MetaHeritage. We invite you to position your organisation on an interactive map that connects key players in cultural heritage, tourism, technology, innovation and business development across sectors and regions. This allows you to make contacts and meet new partners.

Engage if you are a:

• Long-lasting companie with their own corporate heritage or business that leverage cultural heritage
• Local and regional cooperative
• Digital provider
• Investor
• Research institution
• Gallery, Library, Archive or Museum (GLAM)
• Destination management organisation
• Public administration
• Cluster, civil society organisation or other stakeholder

The map will be made available shortly.

The MetaHeritage project is implemented by:

• Universidade de Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro
• Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
• Associazione Clust-ER Turismo
• European Historic Houses
• Conferencia de Rectores de las Universidades del Suroeste Europeo (CRUSOE)
• Clust-ER Innovatzione nei servizi
• European Clusters Alliance
• Universidade dos Acores
• Dresden University of Technology
• Time Machine Organisation

Project Coordinator:

• Orquidea Ribeiro, Universidade de Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro
• contact(at)metaheritage.eu

Communication:

• Antonia Bobik, Time Machine Organisation
• antonia.bobik(at)timemachine.eu

Participate in the MetaHeritage Questionnaire and position your organisation on an interactive map that connects key players in cultural heritage, tourism, technology, innovation and business development across sectors and regions. This initiative is designed for:

• Long-lasting companies with their own corporate heritage & businesses that leverage cultural heritage : Strengthen your brand through heritage-based innovation, discover new revenue streams and expand your market reach.
• Local and regional cooperatives: Unlock new opportunities by connecting heritage with community-driven business models, innovation and sustainable development.
• Digital providers : Connect with heritage organisations and other businesses in need of cutting-edge solutions.
• Investors : Identify emerging opportunities in heritage-driven economy.
• Research institutions : Collaborate in projects that bridge heritage and innovation.
• Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) : Collaborate across sectors to transform heritage into a driver of innovation and inclusive growth.
• Destination management organisations: Enhance regional tourism strategies through digital and experiential innovation.
• Public administrations : Support S3, policy development and cross-sector initiatives.
• Civil society organisations and other stakeholders : Play an active role in shaping inclusive, community-driven heritage initiatives.

Take this opportunity to put yourself on the map and become part of a transformative movement that unlocks the power of heritage for sustainable economic growth.

Why participate?

This initiative bridges the supply and demand sides, offering direct benefits for companies, institutions and investors looking to expand their networks and opportunities.

Demand-Side Benefits:

• Discover cutting-edge heritage-driven solutions that align with your needs.
• Build relationships with industry leaders in tourism, technology and heritage sectors.
• Strengthen your regional and international positioning by engaging in a growing innovation ecosystem.

Supply-Side Benefits:

• Showcase your expertise and services to relevant stakeholders.
• Find potential clients, partners and investors who value heritage-based innovation.
• Gain access to new funding streams and cross-sector collaboration opportunities.

By joining this initiative, you will become part of a new cross-sector value chain that leverages cultural and corporate heritage for innovation, branding and market positioning.

Your participation will:

• Enhance your visibility among industry leaders, researchers, investors and policymakers.
• Foster networking and collaboration with like-minded organisations across Europe and beyond.
• Open new business opportunities based on integrating heritage into innovative projects, products and services.
• Gain access to capacity-building initiatives that support knowledge exchange and skill development.

By filling out the questionnaire, you are actively shaping the future of heritage-driven innovation and securing your place in an emerging and dynamic ecosystem that connects heritage, technology and business.

The MetaHeritage is an I3 (Interregional Innovation Investments) capacity building project designed to test innovative business models and explore ‘out-of-the-box’ approaches (such as Heritage Routes and the Metaverse), to mobilize cultural as well as corporate heritage and digital technologies for innovation and economic growth across European regions. Heritage innovation involves applying creative and forward-thinking strategies to businesses with their own corporate heritage or those deeply rooted in cultural heritage. By integrating tradition, historical assets and modern technologies, heritage innovation creates new business models, strengthens strategic branding and market positioning, enhances brand value and fosters sustainable economic growth…

Key aspects of heritage innovation:

• Interdisciplinary Collaboration : Bringing together heritage and brand experts, businesses, digital providers and policymakers to create new industrial value chains.
• Digital Transformation : Using AI, VR/AR, blockchain, 3D scanning and the Metaverse to digitise and enhance cultural as well as corporate heritage experiences.
• Business Model Innovation : Developing new revenue streams through heritage branding, experiential tourism and heritage-based product development.
• Creative & Cultural Industries : Applying design, storytelling and digital tools to transform heritage assets into globally competitive brands and services.
• Sustainability & Adaptive Reuse : Finding eco-friendly and innovative ways to restore and repurpose heritage sites, buildings and businesses.

Why is Heritage Innovation Important?

• Boosts economic growth by creating new business and investment opportunities.
• Preserves and revitalises cultural assets while making them more accessible and engaging.
• Strengthens brand identity for companies with a strong corporate heritage.
• Enhances tourism and destination competitiveness through digital and immersive experiences.