Innovation is helping to:
Improve service delivery
Simplify administrative procedures for firms and residents
Improve internal government operations
Critical success factors:
Dedicated funding
Dedicated innovation team
Leadership from Mayor
Ljubljana
Slovenia
Mayor
Zoran Janković
Population
279,631 (2016)
Innovation Website
Lead Innovation Officers
Tjaša Ficko, Janez Koželj, Jelka Žekar, Zdenka Šimonovič
Spotlight on innovation in Ljubljana
Ljubljana obtained the title of European Green Capital in 2016 as a city promoting sustainable development. One of the selected innovation examples is the “innovative paper”. In response to the issue of Japanese knotweed (an invasive non-native plant), the project aims to prevent excessive overgrowth of the plant and reuse it for beneficial purposes. The project was jointly developed by the municipality, the Pulp and Paper Institute, Snaga, the University Botanic Gardens and the Re-generacija collective. The program has produced paper out of Japanese knotweed collected by citizens. As a result, the city has collected 3,200kg of plants and produced 415kg of paper. Furthermore, the city now produces paper bags, notebooks and city magazines.
Note: The City Innovation Snapshot (PDF version) was produced in 2019 and some aggregate findings have been updated with the latest survey results below.
Vision and approach to innovation capacity
Along with 50% of cities surveyed, Ljubljana does not have an explicit innovation strategy. Similar to 24% of cities surveyed, Ljubljana approaches innovation capacity in specific policy areas/domains.
Policy areas that Ljubljana is focused on
Policy areas by number of cities
Ljubljana utilizes 7 different innovation skills or roles
Innovation roles by number of cities
The experts work relate to circular change, smart city, energy efficiency, and economic development.
Terms Ljubljana most associates with innovation
Ljubljana's most common innovation activities
- 1
Taking risks or testing new ideas
- 2
Data-driven analytics/public data management
- 3
Engaging residents in new ways
- 4
Developing new solutions based on digital technologies
- 5
Organizational change within the municipality
- 6
Human-centered design
- 7
Rethinking your city’s approach to financing partnerships
How is innovation funded here?
Like 81% of cities surveyed, Ljubljana has dedicated funding to support innovation capacity.
Top sources of funding
Activities being funded
47 cities
Launching or sustaining a project
79 cities
Idea generation & brainstorming
51 cities
Investing in digital systems
36 cities
Investing in physical infrastructure
30 cities
Paying for services
Ljubljana also invests in digital systems and physical infrastructure.
How is innovation measured?
Ljubljana has developed partnerships to promote its innovation capacity with other public agencies, private firms, not-for-profit organizations, city residents/resident associations, and international partners from EU co-funded projects.
To improve data use, the city has also developed data partnerships with the private sector, academia, and think tanks to collect and analyze data, as well as with other cities.