eRural resilience

The project eRural resilience enables local authorities and business support organisations in rural areas to help SMEs increase their digital literacy in e-marketing of bio products and thus seize new business opportunities. Project develops a solution – a comprehensive approach to support the development of e-bio-businesses in rural areas. It provides local authorities and business support organizations with tools and methodologies to enhance digital competences, digitalization development and e-bio-product launching among SMEs.

The long-term vision of the eRural Resilience project is to empower rural communities in the BSR to become leaders in sustainable bio-based economies. By enhancing digital competencies and supporting the growth of e-bio-businesses, the project aims to contribute to the EU Green Deal’s objectives, promote economic diversification, and improve the quality of life in rural areas. Through continued collaboration and innovation, the project envisions a future where rural communities are resilient, economically vibrant, and integral to the region’s sustainable development.

Read more on the project’s official website: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/erural-resilience/

Key activities:

• Development of solutions and online tools
• Solution testing and piloting
• Development of knowledge hubs
• Stakeholder engagement

Key results:

• Methodology for Assessment of e-bio-business supporters: A solution, which allows local business support institutions to assess their capacity and competences to support rural businesses in their transition into e-bio-businesses.
• Methodology for supporting e-bio-business launching, incl. online tool: A solution, which facilitate business support centres to evaluate rural businesses capacity to change into bio-business, and to provide a personal roadmap for the e-bio-business launching. The methodology for supporting e-bio-business launching will create a link between the SMEs necessities and the business centres new capacities and will be tested through 200 visits to rural SMEs/individuals in bio-business sector.
• A transnational net of knowledge based on two knowledge hubs: Bio-knowledge Hub and Digitalization Hub: Transnational network of knowledge and experts allows business support institutions to provide wide-range of specific advice for bio-businesses in rural areas, involving sectoral experts internationally to share specific thematic knowledge.

Project details:

• Project web page: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/erural-resilience/
• Funding instrument: Co-funded by European Union (Interreg/ERDF)
• Schedule: November 2023 – September 2026
• Budget: €2.92M (total)
• Consortium: Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (FI), Into Seinäjoki (FI),  JPYP (FI), Digitaleus (EE), Tartu County Development Association (EE), Association of Municipalities of Tartu County (EE), Business Development Council of Toender Municipality (DK), RegioVision GmbH Schwerin (DE), Valmiera Development Agency (LV), Vytautas Magnus University (LT), Association for the Development and Promotion of Podkarpacie “Pro Carpathia” (PL), Bieliny Commune (PL), ProVarde Business Development (DK)