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Biography Luca is a Professor of Urban Innovation at Edinburgh Napier University’s Business School, where he leads both the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Subject Group and the Urban Innovation Policy Lab. This research lab hosts over 25 academics whose expertise connects social sciences with engineering and technology disciplines. Additionally, Luca holds the position of Professor of Urban Innovation at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), where he supports the development of the FinEst Centre for Smart Cities, a €32 million investment through the European Commission’s Horizon Europe program.

With 15 years of experience in conducting multidisciplinary research that bridges urban studies, computer science, and innovation management, Luca constantly introduces new theoretical and practical advancements in the field of smart city development. His scholarly work has been widely published in prestigious journals, including Organization Studies, Public Administration Review, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Technovation, Government Information Quarterly, Regional Studies, and Nature Cities.

He has been serving as an academic consultant for several intergovernmental organizations such as the European Commission, the United Nations, and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. In this capacity, he authored three major United Nations reports on digital transformation governance in urban areas. Luca's efforts have contributed to generating over €40 million through research and consultancy projects, predominantly supported by European funding schemes.

In addition to his research and consulting work, Luca is an active member of the editorial boards for the Journal of Urban Technology and IET Smart Cities and serves as Executive Editor for Technological Forecasting and Social Change. He has also been a guest editor for seven Special Issues on smart city development in notable academic journals.
Research Interests technology-driven urban and regional innovation dynamics; technology-driven urban sustainability processes; smart city development projects and strategies; Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3); and strategic planning for smart cities and RIS3.
Teaching and Learning Creativity, innovation and enterprise
Managing innovation
PhD Supervision Availability Yes
PhD Topics technology-driven urban and regional innovation dynamics; technology-driven urban sustainability processes; smart city development projects and strategies; Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3); and strategic planning for smart cities and RIS3.