Unlocking rural innovation: webinar highlights report available online
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
- Research and innovation
- LEADER/CLLD
- Smart and start-up villages
- Digital
- Connected rural areas
- Stronger Rural Areas
- Resilient rural areas
- Nature and environment
Rural innovation needs to be recognised in all its forms: from social and ecological solutions; to digital tools; and small-scale experimentation. Innovation measurement frameworks and funding instruments must reflect rural realities and support local capacities, skills, and community engagement – read the highlights report of our dedicated webinar of 22 May 2025.
Image by Andres-Victorero on Canva
The event highlighted the importance of fostering multi-actor partnerships and building strong place-based ecosystems through intermediaries such as innovation brokers and clusters. Flexible, long-term funding – such as cascade models under Horizon Europe or the EIP-AGRI – is essential to support experimentation and scale promising ideas.
Read the highlights report for a range of inspirational initiatives from across Europe, including Spain’s territorial innovation centres, Austria’s rural innovation systems, and Ireland’s ACORNS initiative for female entrepreneurs. Discover projects such as the Rural ClimAccelerator, Digital Rural, and RURAL RiSE, demonstrating how digital, ecological, and social transitions in rural areas can be supported through tailored, bottom-up innovation approaches.
Find a wealth of resources – event videos, presentations, tools, organisations, and publications – on the webinar web page. Browse through the latest Rural Pact resources on rural innovation.