Empowering Smart Cities Through Start-Ups: A Sustainability Framework for Incubator-City Collaboration

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cris.lastimport.scopus2025-08-15T03:13:07Z
dc.abstract.enThe rapid advancement of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies presents unprecedented opportunities to align start-up incubators with smart cities’ sustainability goals, fostering innovation and addressing complex urban challenges. This study introduces the Smart City-Incubator Sustainability Framework (SCISF)—a structured conceptual model that integrates sustainable business model innovation, digital transformation, and circular economy principles into incubator practices. Through an integrative literature review, conceptual framework development, and empirical application, the research identifies six key components essential for aligning incubators with smart city objectives: strategic vision alignment, technological integration, circular economy practices, public engagement, scalability, and impact monitoring. The framework’s empirical application to the Gdańsk Entrepreneurship Foundation (GEF) incubator demonstrates its effectiveness in assessing incubator contributions to urban sustainability. The findings highlight strengths in public engagement and strategic vision, alongside opportunities to enhance Industry 5.0 integration, cross-sector partnerships, and ESG-driven impact reporting. By bridging the gap between city objectives and start-up ecosystems, the SCISF provides actionable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and incubator managers to foster smart, circular, and resilient urban environments.
dc.affiliationWydział Interdyscyplinarny w Krakowie
dc.contributor.authorBerniak-Woźny, Justyna
dc.contributor.authorSliż, Piotr
dc.contributor.authorSiciński, Jędrzej
dc.date.access2025-03-22
dc.date.accessioned2025-08-13T10:58:37Z
dc.date.available2025-08-13T10:58:37Z
dc.date.created2025-03-20
dc.date.issued2025-03-22
dc.description.abstract<jats:p>The rapid advancement of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 technologies presents unprecedented opportunities to align start-up incubators with smart cities’ sustainability goals, fostering innovation and addressing complex urban challenges. This study introduces the Smart City-Incubator Sustainability Framework (SCISF)—a structured conceptual model that integrates sustainable business model innovation, digital transformation, and circular economy principles into incubator practices. Through an integrative literature review, conceptual framework development, and empirical application, the research identifies six key components essential for aligning incubators with smart city objectives: strategic vision alignment, technological integration, circular economy practices, public engagement, scalability, and impact monitoring. The framework’s empirical application to the Gdańsk Entrepreneurship Foundation (GEF) incubator demonstrates its effectiveness in assessing incubator contributions to urban sustainability. The findings highlight strengths in public engagement and strategic vision, alongside opportunities to enhance Industry 5.0 integration, cross-sector partnerships, and ESG-driven impact reporting. By bridging the gap between city objectives and start-up ecosystems, the SCISF provides actionable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and incubator managers to foster smart, circular, and resilient urban environments.</jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.issue4
dc.description.physical1-25
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume13
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/systems13040219
dc.identifier.issn2079-8954
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/1651
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/4/219
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationnauki o zarządzaniu i jakości
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOPEN_JOURNAL
dc.subject.ensmart cities
dc.subject.enstart-up incubators
dc.subject.enIndustry 4.0
dc.subject.enIndustry 5.0
dc.subject.encircular economy
dc.subject.ensustainable business models
dc.subject.endigital transformation
dc.subject.enESG compliance
dc.subject.enurban resilience
dc.subject.enSmart City-Incubator Sustainability Framework (SCISF)
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleEmpowering Smart Cities Through Start-Ups: A Sustainability Framework for Incubator-City Collaboration
dc.title.journalSystems
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle