Federica Belfanti

Purpose: This paper aims to develop a scalable, patent-based framework to map clusters' repositioning towards environmental technologies and to distinguish current green technological specialisation from transition readiness. Design/methodology/approach: The framework is applied to Italy by combining PATSTAT patent data with the Italian Cluster Mapping Project. Green technologies are identified through CPC-Y tagging. The authors compute cluster-level Revealed Technological Advantage (RTA) in environmental technologies (2000-2019) and estimate Potential RTA (pRTA) as a forward-looking indicator based on technology relatedness networks at CPC subclass level. The authors compare alternative predictive strategies (zero-inflated beta regression, Artificial Neural Networks, Random Forests) and retain the best-performing model to generate pRTA for 2020-2024. Finally, the authors classify clusters into a four-quadrant typology combining RTA and pRTA. Findings: Green inventive activity is geographically concentrated in a small set of regions, while it is more dispersed across cluster categories. Current green specialisation (RTA) varies substantially across region-cluster combinations and does not fully overlap with transition readiness (pRTA). The combined mapping reveals four profiles: green pioneers, emerging green clusters, mature green and green laggards, enabling a trajectory-oriented interpretation beyond static rankings. Originality/value: The study offers one of the first cluster-level, forward-looking measures of environmental-technology transition readiness in Italy, combining cluster mapping with relatedness-based prediction to support more differentiated research and place-based policy design.

Entrepreneurial ecosystems are powerful engines of regional innovation, competitiveness, and transformation. While established hubs like Silicon Valley and Shenzhen are well studied, identifying emerging ecosystems with high growth potential remains a challenge. This study introduces the Surge Ecosystems Index, a forward-looking tool for detecting surging entrepreneurial activity at the sub-regional level. The index evaluates six dimensions - Innovation Capacity, Capital Fluidity, Skills Development, Market Reach, Entrepreneurial Culture, and Visibility - over a five-year period. Using Italian provinces (NUTS-3) as the empirical context, we integrate official statistics and web-scraped data to construct and validate the index. Results reveal geographical heterogeneity, with several provinces showing strong upward momentum despite not being traditional entrepreneurial hotspots. The index correlates positively with high-growth firm density, confirming its potential as an early-stage detection tool for policymakers and investors. This study advances entrepreneurial ecosystem theory by integrating temporal and micro-foundational perspectives, shifting from static assessments to dynamic, predictive analysis. The Surge Ecosystems Index offers a novel approach to identifying and supporting emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems, with implications for both research and policy. Future work should explore cross-contextual validation and refinement for broader applicability.

Nell'ultima edizione del Social Progress Index, elaborato dagli esperti dell'Institute for entrepreneurship and competitiveness della LIUC - Università Cattaneo, la provincia varesina avanza di 6 posizioni classificandosi al 22esimo posto in Italia per capacità di offrire ai propri cittadini benessere e opportunità di realizzazione, così come di garantire i bisogni fondamentali. Tutti elementi su cui costruire una nuova attrattività per persone, talenti, investimenti e startup.