LIVERUR is a pioneering H2020 project which addresses living lab concepts, circular economy and new business models creation inside the rural communities in Europe and beyond. The short-term objective of LIVERUR project is to ameliorate the knowledge of business models growing in rural areas, including an understanding of their potential in the future using multiple tools such as surveys and reports. Furthermore, it aims at bringing rural innovation along with high impact to the wide spectrum to the agricultural activities, entrepreneurship, job creation, digital skills improvement, shared and circular economies along new business models and prototypes for better decision-making and community engagement.
In the frame of the aforementioned project a report was released on the identified weaknesses and challenges.
This study was carried out to answer questions like:
- What are the potentials and limitations of rural development?
- What are the common realities and differences of the business models presented by the Consortium?
- Which obstacles should be overcome to develop appropriate strategies of effective utilization of strengths and opportunities, removing weaknesses and threats, in order to achieve circular rural development?
For the report’s research purposes was used systematic SWOT analysis of the existing business models in the countries of the Consortium partners based on the regions’ reviews in order to support the development of the new value creation mechanism in correlation with the circular economy at the further stage of the project.
The following countries & the specific regions have participated in the research:
- Spain: Andalucia, Murcia
- Portugal: Azores
- Greece: Thessaly
- Slovenia: Styria
- Italy: Veneto, Umbria, Emilia Romagna, Sicily
- Malta: Gozo,
- Latvia: Latvia
- Turkey: Manisa,
- Tunisia: Gabés,
- Germany: Brandenburg
- France: Provence – Alpes – Cote d’Azur, Pays de la loire,
- Czech Republic: Western Bohemia
- Austria: Südburgenland
The business models examined, were retrieved from the following categories:
- Conventional farming
- Diversified farming
- Food and drink industry
- Rural SMEs
- Rural Tourism
- Services
As a result, highlight of the similarities and differences between the territories coming from the SWOT analysis can support creation of directions for the rural Living Labs strategies and business models. These results, as well as the benchmark criteria will be integrated and consolidated in the last task of the WP2, aiming at providing a useful benchmark tool for rural entrepreneurs.
To read the report on identified weaknesses and challenges click here
Learn more about the project and its objectives and activities in the official webpage http://www.liverur.eu/.
