PROJECT
Join us in this journey as we redefine what’s possible for rural communities in Europe.
Our vision is nothing short of transformative: we’re fostering change in rural areas across Europe!
Picture this – vibrant communities bustling with energy, where innovation meets tradition, and opportunity knows no bounds. We’re leveraging the digital age and smart strategies to breathe new life into these regions, turning challenges into opportunities. From revitalizing infrastructure to fostering entrepreneurship, we’re creating practical solutions that make a real difference. With every step, we’re building a future where rural areas are attracting talent and investment, and setting the stage for sustainable growth.
Join us in shaping a tomorrow where rural isn’t just a place to live – it’s the heart of innovation and possibility.
TOGETHER, WE’RE NOT JUST DREAMING OF A BRIGHTER FUTURE – WE’RE BUILDING IT, ONE SMART SOLUTION AT A TIME.
RURAL TRANSFORMATION OUTCOMES IN SMART ERA:
Rural empowerment
Empowering rural communities with skills and resources to drive innovation and positive change.
Solutions for rural needs
Offering comprehensive solutions spanning social services, health, energy, mobility, and more to address diverse rural needs.
Smart village networks
Fostering strong networks and knowledge exchange between smart villages and rural innovators to enhance innovation processes and promote shared learning.
4 STEP APPROACH
Let’s get practical about rural development!
Introducing Smart Innovation Packages (SIPs): a framework addressing rural challenges with interconnected technological and non-technological solutions. Aligned with sustainable business models, SIPs ensure durable innovations and include recommendations for replication in similar regions, paving the way for sustainable rural development.
Our journey begins with a deep dive into our project’s framework. We’ll gather information from various sources, including latest knowledge generated, insights from related projects and initiatives, and the specific needs and expectations of rural communities and stakeholders. Drawing from experiences and lessons of rural innovators, we’ll craft a multidimensional methodology. This will guide us in assessing the smartness of rural areas effectively and selecting the most suitable innovations to integrate into our SIPs
With our methodology in hand, we’ll dive into the development phase. Here, our focus will be on delivering key outputs and components that align with the goals of our SIPs. To kick-start this process, we’ll launch the first Open Call, inviting third parties such as SMEs and tech providers in pilot regions to propose solutions. Financial support will be provided for the development of these solutions.
As we move into the piloting phase, our efforts will be cantered on validating our solutions to ensure they meet the evolving needs of rural communities within the pilot regions. By continuously tracking these requirements and needs, we’ll ensure that our SIPs remain viable and relevant. By the middle of this phase, the pilots will have verified the effectiveness of our SIPs. By the end, enhanced versions of the SIPs will be in place, ready for further evaluation.
As we leave the piloting phase, our focus will shift towards capitalising on the results and lessons learned. We’ll use this knowledge to foster knowledge exchange, inform policy, and develop a toolkit for dissemination at both national and EU levels. Our aim is to ensure that the tested solutions and methods are spread out to further rural areas and communities in Europe. We’ll therefore initiate a second Open Call, inviting further technological solutions to integrate into our SIPs. By deploying these innovations in four additional rural regions, we aim to trigger an exponential adoption pattern, fostering sustainable development.
Consortium
The SMART ERA consortium hosts 25 entities from 10 countries, recognizes the need for strategic interventions.
