Rural innovation ecosystems refer to the networks of individuals, organizations, and institutions in rural areas that work together to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic development. In a rural innovation ecosystem, these actors collaborate to identify and develop new ideas, products, and services that address local challenges and opportunities. Successful rural innovation ecosystems typically have several key characteristics, including strong community engagement, supportive policies and regulations, access to capital and resources, and a culture of experimentation and learning. InnovationGUIDE objectives closely align with the European Commission Communication on a New European Innovation Agenda objectives by increasing the inclusion and interconnection of less represented regions and actors into a more strongly integrated European ecosystem.

With this starting point InnovationGUIDE designed to pinpoint regional needs and possibilities for connecting them into international ecosystem which can be a driver of regional economic development, attract and retain talent, build local businesses, and create new jobs and industries.

InnovationGUIDE will use 12 months to map the geography covered by the partners and design roadmaps and bi-annual plans for future to serve rural communities overcoming the disparities with proper services and activities compared to urban ecosystems. InnovationGUIDE will have a focus for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners interested in promoting sustainable, inclusive economic growth in rural areas.
Connecting Dutch, Spanish, Maltese and Turkish experience and ecosystems InnovationGUIDE will enable information and knowledge diffusion from stronger innovator ecosystems to moderate innovator ecosystems.

• Partners

TURKISH EXPORTERS ASSEMBLY (Coordinator, Turkey), FUNDACION EMPRESA UNIVERSIDAD GALLEGA (Spain), MALTA COLLEGE OF ARTS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Malta), SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS ASSOCIATION MALTA (Malta), STARTUP EGITIM DANISMANLIK YAZILIM HIZMETLERI ANONIM SIRKETI (Turkey), UNIVERSITEIT MAASTRICHT (The Netherlands).