RT Journal Article
T1 Startup Hubs, Cultural and Creative Industries, and Tourism: A Comparative Analysis of European Cities.
A1 Del Pino Rodriguez-Veras, Ainhoa
A1 De-las-Heras-Pedrosa, Carlos
A1 Jambrino-Maldonado, Carmen
K1 Industria cultural
K1 Turismo
K1 Nuevas empresas
K1 Liderazgo femenino
K1 Información de sostenibilidad
AB This study examines the roles of startup hubs within the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) and their implications for cultural innovation and tourism in European cities. Despite the growing importance of CCIs in urban development and destination branding, few studies have explored the organisational, social and communicative dynamics of cultural startup hubs. To address this gap, a comparative mixed-methods approach is applied to analyse 91 incubated startups in three European hubs: 104factory (Paris, France), Makerversity (London, UK) and A Lab (Amsterdam, The Netherlands). This study integrates structural variables (sustainability and institutionalisation), social variables (gender representation in leadership) and communication variables (activity and engagement on Instagram). The results reveal distinct organisational models, from highly institutionalised structures to more flexible, community-oriented approaches, with notable differences in terms of sustainability and gender distribution. In terms of communication, greater engagement is associated with content focused on community, identity and collective creativity, rather than promotional strategies. These findings highlight the role of startup hubs as hybrid intermediaries that not only support cultural entrepreneurship, but also contribute to the symbolic positioning and tourist appeal of the cities in which they are located. This study offers theoretical and practical insights for the development of more inclusive, sustainable and effectively communicative cultural ecosystems.
PB MDPI
YR 2026
FD 2026-04-25
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/46519
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/46519
LA eng
NO Rodríguez-Vera, A.d.P.; de las Heras-Pedrosa, C.; Jambrino-Maldonado, C. Startup Hubs, Cultural and Creative Industries, and Tourism: A Comparative Analysis of European Cities. Systems 2026, 14, 466. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14050466
NO Proyectos de Generación de Conocimiento 2022, financiando por MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER,UE; PID2022-139037OB-I00 Gestión de la comunicación en startups lideradas por mujeres. Estrategias competitivas para la diferenciación y la innovación
NO SEJ-628/FEDER Research Group (Open communication in women-led startups: Competitive strategies for differentiation and innovation) at the Junta de Andalucía.
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 4 may 2026