Hi, I’m Grațian.I work with cities, institutions and communities to turn ideas into practical urban projects.

Founder of UrbanizeHub. Member of the European Commission’s Mission Board for 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities.

My story
Portrait of Grațian Mihăilescu

Orașe,oameni,idei în mișcare

Cities,people,ideas in motion

My work starts from a simple idea: a good city cannot be built from a distance. It is shaped around the same table, with public administrations, specialists and the people who live there.

I began my journey in Brussels, working on European policy, structural funds and regional development. There, I learned how European decisions connect with the everyday reality of cities. I returned to Romania to turn expertise into concrete projects.

Since 2016, I have been building UrbanizeHub with a team that connects public administrations, specialists and communities. Since 2022, I have served on the European Commission’s Mission Board for 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities.

Journey

From ideas to institutions, then back to the street.

2007

European Studies and International Relations scholarship

Studies at Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany.

2008

Project Management and Community Advisor

An intensive programme in Brussels covering European affairs, project management and community practice.

2012

Erasmus Mundus Master

Interdisciplinary Studies in Comparative Local Development.

2016

UrbanizeHub platform

Launch of the interdisciplinary platform for urban innovation and sustainability.

2016

Hive Global Leadership

A programme in San Francisco.

2017

Urban Talks and Urban Innovation Hackathon

The first edition takes place in Timișoara.

2019

PhD in urban governance

West University of Timișoara.

2021

Urban Innovation Hub SRL

A company dedicated to participatory urbanism and urban regeneration projects.

2022

Mission Board: 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities

Connecting the experience of cities with the European Commission’s strategic direction.

2023

Urban Lab for Green Cities

Launch of a multidisciplinary research and co-creation lab for sustainable urban solutions.

2025

New Urban Habits

Launch of the international festival dedicated to urban culture, architecture and sustainable cities.

2026

Săsăuș Transylvania Hub

The hub’s first activation through a design thinking camp.

What I do

Urban regeneration

I transform underused spaces and infrastructure through co-design, public consultation and people-centred projects.

Urban innovation and sustainability

I test and scale solutions for greener, more resilient and more liveable cities.

Strategy and vision

I connect public administrations, ministries and European institutions with the tools, evidence and direction cities need to develop.

Major initiatives

Education & training

Communication and Public Relations

Bachelor’s degree: West University of Timișoara, Romania.

West University of Timișoara

European Studies and International Relations

Master’s degree: West University of Timișoara, Romania; Erasmus mobility at Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany.

West University of Timișoara Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen

Comparative Local Development

Joint European Master in Comparative Local Development (CoDe), an Erasmus Mundus programme jointly delivered by the University of Trento, Corvinus University of Budapest, the University of Ljubljana and the University of Regensburg.

University of Trento Corvinus University of Budapest University of Ljubljana University of Regensburg

Project Management

Postgraduate programme in project management and community advisory: Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgium.

Université libre de Bruxelles

Hive Global Leaders Program

An intensive leadership and entrepreneurship programme for purpose-driven leaders, joining an international cohort of around 80 participants from 40 countries. San Francisco, USA, December 2016.

Hive

Urban Governance

Doctorate: Doctoral School of Sociology, Philosophy and Political Science, West University of Timișoara, Romania.

West University of Timișoara

Publications

Media

Interviews (18)

Video & audio (48)

Contributions (5)