Smart and start-up villages

10 nov 2025

European Startup Village Forum: scaling up rural innovation through trust, coordination, and investment

Rural innovation is already delivering – but scaling it requires better data, simpler rules, coordinated funding and empowered local actors, concluded the European Startup Village Forum 2025 of 29 October. The Forum brought together policymakers, researchers, financiers and local leaders to turn rural innovation from isolated success stories into a mainstream driver of competitiveness and cohesion.

16 Juil 2025

Unlocking rural innovation: webinar highlights report available online

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.

23 mai 2025

Rural innovation: explore the presentations and videos from our latest webinar

“We need to make rural innovation visible, viable, and valued,” said the OECD’s Eduardo Montemayor at our dedicated webinar of 22 May 2025. Discover a range of national, regional and local initiatives promoting technological, ecological and social innovation in rural areas – browse through the presentations and video recordings.