The SMART ERA project was recently presented at the Digital Alps Conference in Izola, Slovenia, where it was highlighted as a prime example of collaboration for the digital transformation of rural areas. The event featured two key workshops:

• “Opportunities for Digital Transformation of Rural Territories”, moderated by Peter Niederer (SAB), showcased SMART ERA as a successful case of cooperation among macro-regional strategies (MRS). Esa Kokkonen (BIF) discussed how the project will contribute to MRS Action Plans, while Denis Goja (ROTUNDA) presented the cross-border pilot in Padna/Šmarje.
• “The Potential of Dataspaces & AI in the Alpine Area” included a presentation by Matteo Gerosa (FBK), SMART ERA coordinator, who shared how the project and its Smart Innovation Packages (SIPs) are driving digitalization in rural and mountain regions.

SMART ERA continues to be a leading example of innovation for rural communities across Europe.