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eRural resilience logo. Interreg Baltic Sea Region. Co-funded by the European Union.
Green leaves in a branch

eRural resilience

eRural Resilience – Creating Resilient Rural Communities through Digital Bio-Businesses

Branch: Digitalisation

Duration: 1.11.2023 – 31.10.2026

Region: International

Financed by: Interreg Baltic Sea Region

Budget: Project budget: EUR 2.92 mln. ERDF co-financing: EUR 2.34 mln.

https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/erural-resilience/

Project Manager: Leni Forsberg

Empowering Rural Economies with e-Bio Business Solutions

Rural authorities and corporate advocacy bodies are championing local businesses in rural areas to convert renewable biological resources into higher-value products. However, limited local markets necessitate a digital transformation to reach urban and international customers. The eRural Resilience project offers a comprehensive set of tools to support this transition, enabling rural communities to thrive by integrating green and digital transitions.

The attractiveness of rural living has grown, especially with the rise of telework and the impact of COVID-19. Yet, rural areas in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) still face challenges that prevent people from staying, widening the urban-rural divide. To address this, the eRural Resilience project, implemented by 14 partners from seven countries around the Baltic Sea, aims to bolster rural economies by promoting e-bio businesses.

Key solutions include methodologies for assessing and supporting e-bio business supporters, and launching e-bio businesses with online tools. The project will also establish a transnational network of knowledge hubs, providing rural business support institutions with access to sectoral experts and specific knowledge.

By empowering rural communities to promote e-bio businesses, the project enhances the management of renewable biological resources and their conversion into food, livestock feed, and bio-based products. This initiative not only improves the resilience and self-sufficiency of rural areas but also opens new markets for these valuable products, contributing to a stronger rural economy and society.

The project is implemented by 14 partners from 7 countries around the Baltic Sea.

Lead Partner: Association of Municipalities of Tartu County (Estonia).

Partners: Business Development Council of Toender Municipality (Denmark), ProVarde ERHVERVSUDVIKLING (Denmark), Tartu County Development Association (Estonia), DIGITALEUS OÜ (Estonia), RegioVision GmbH Schwerin (Germany), JPYP Business Service (Finland), Centria RDI (Finland), Into Seinäjoki Ltd (Finland), Valmiera Development Agency (Latvia), Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania), Creativity Works Europe (Poland), Association for the Development and Promotion of Podkarpacie “Pro Carpathia” (Poland), Bieliny Commune (Poland).

Project Coordinator: Piret Arusaar (piret.arusaar@tartumaa.ee)


News

In mid-June, the eRural resilience project’s Community Support Group in Finland held its second meeting, marking an important milestone as the first reporting period of the project came to a close. This meeting provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the project’s initial progress and set the stage for future developments.

Reflecting on the Start

As the project partners reviewed the initial phase, the main focus was on evaluating the competence profiles of business support organizations and validating the methodology for assessing e-bio-business supporters. The assessment revealed that the key areas of expertise required for these organizations are:

  1. Business and Management
  2. Digital Know-How
  3. Biological Processes
  4. Networking

A four-step assessment tool was utilized to gauge the competence levels of each organization and identify areas for improvement. The Finnish Community Support Group praised this comprehensive approach. “There are many different ways to assess the competence of organizations, and this is certainly one good way to approach the issue,” said Jukka Oravainen, Development Director from YritysKannus.

However, the group also acknowledged the high level of expertise required. “If someone can handle all that, she or he is quite a superperson,” noted Reijo Virtanen, Project Manager from Kase.

Looking Forward: Transnational Seminars

The Finnish Community Support Group is eager to participate in upcoming transnational seminars, which will offer a platform to enhance their capabilities further. Learning from international peers and networking across borders presents a significant opportunity for growth and collaboration. “Learning from each other and networking over borders will be a great opportunity for all of us,” the group stated collectively.

Strengthening Local Networks

Beyond international collaboration, the Community Support Group also serves as a networking platform for Finnish stakeholders. During the meeting, attendees were introduced to new bioeconomy projects launched in Central Ostrobothnia. Additionally, an interesting initiative called Suurhanketoimisto (suurhanketoimisto.fi/en) was highlighted. This initiative consolidates major investments and support services in the Kaustinen and Lestijärvi region, effectively combining a website and ERP system to support the local business network and SMEs in their development efforts.

Conclusion

The second Community Support Group meeting of the eRural resilience project underscored the importance of assessing and developing the competence profiles of business support organizations. With a clear focus on business management, digital know-how, biological processes, and networking, the project is well-positioned to support the growth of e-bio-businesses. As the Finnish Community Support Group looks forward to future transnational seminars and continues to strengthen local networks, the eRural resilience project is set to make a significant impact on the bioeconomy sector in Finland and beyond.

Hanna Holtinkoski, into Seinäjoki


Contact

Leni Forsberg