Request for Applications: RURACTIVE Innovators Programme

Objectives

• To further achieve its objectives, the RURACTIVE consortium is launching an Open Call for Innovators. This competitive process invites innovators from across Europe to co-develop smart and tailored solutions that address the challenges presented by RURACTIVE’s twelve pilot areas (Dynamos).

Aims

• RURACTIVE aims to unlock the innovation potential of rural communities by addressing six integrated Rural Development Drivers (RDDs):
  • Sustainable agri-food systems and ecosystem management,
  • Nature-based and cultural tourism,
  • Culture and cultural innovation,
  • Sustainable multimodal mobility,
  • Energy transition and climate neutrality,
  • Local services, health and wellbeing.

Focus Areas

• RURACTIVE is a project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme, aiming to foster a just and sustainable transition of rural areas. The project focuses on developing smart, tailor-made, place-based, and inclusive solutions within local MultiActor Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs) in twelve pilot areas, known as the Dynamos:
  • Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland
  • Südburgenland, Austria
  • Diputación Zamora, Spain
  • North-East Scotland, UK
  • Andalucía, Spain
  • Zagori, Greece
  • Zakarpattya, Ukraine
  • Fiastra Valley, Italy
  • Zadar, Croatia
  • Abruzzo, Italy
  • Gotland, Sweden
  • Törbel-Moosalpregion, Switzerland.

Benefits

• RURACTIVE has a 1.2 million EUR fund to be distributed in FSTP. Selected applicants to the Open Call will gain access to the first stage of the RURACTIVE Innovators Programme, and gain the opportunity to be selected later onto its second stage:
  • Stage 1 (Duration: two (2) months)
    • From the Open Call applicants, 36 projects will be selected to enter stage 1. The programme beneficiaries – the RURACTIVE Innovators – will receive a wide range of value-added services and funding.
      • Funding and Initial Support: Receive funding of €5.000,00 (per project idea) to present your innovative project to the consortium and support the travel to Dynamo’s territory you want to support.
      • Direct Collaboration: Work closely with rural dynamos to co-develop solutions that meet real community needs. Participate in a local workshop to get involved with local community members, fine-tune and present your solution.
      • Expert Guidance: Benefit from a mentor who will guide you through the entire programme, ensuring alignment with RURACTIVE objectives and supporting your project’s development.
      • Opportunity to be selected to stage 2: through the development of the detailed implementation plan after the workshop at the Dynamos.
  • Stage 2 (Duration: eighteen (18) months – six (6) months for development and implementation + twelve (12) months validation and impact assessment)
    • At the end of stage 1, up to 24 innovators (up to two per dynamo) will be selected to enter stage 2, being invited to develop, deploy and assess their solutions.
      • Additional Funding: Receive additional funding up to €55.000 for single applicants or € 85.000,00 for consortia to further develop your project.
      • Development and implementation: six-month period to develop and implement the solution adapted to the Dynamos territories.
      • Validation and impact assessment: Period to be defined by applicants to run pilot validation, depending on the solution.
      • Extended Deployment: Engage in a programme for pilot development, focusing on the deployment of your solution. Develop a sustainability plan to ensure that the solution will be operative for at least one year after the end of the stage 2.
      • Capacity Building: Participate in comprehensive training and capacity-building activities with experts (tech and rural), enhancing your skills and knowledge. In specific, the teams will avail of 2 online design thinking workshops (half a day each) focusing on providing support in the development of the solutions. The themes covered in the workshops will be “Need Statement Development” and “Mission Model and Value Proposition”.

Eligibility Criteria

• The RURACTIVE Open Call for Innovators is open to:
  • Single applicants (SMEs/startups): Single entities which are SMEs/startups eligible under Horizon Europe rules for participation and who are a solution provider may apply to the RURACTIVE Open Call.
  • Consortia led by SMEs/startups: In addition, RURACTIVE is open to projects developed by a consortium of maximum two entities, out of which the coordinator must be an individual SME/startup. The second consortium member may be:
    • SMEs/startups,
    • mid-caps,
    • researchers/academia;
      • Note: research institutes and academia are eligible for funding up to 40% of the sub-project budget.
    • rural associations (legally registered) Natural persons applying alone are not eligible.

For more information, visit European Commission.