Living Lab Berlanga de Duero - Soria
Soria Living Lab is an open research environment set up for the experimentation of services aimed at fostering local entrepreneurship, the promotion of business and economic activities. The underlying goal is to help these rural areas in minimizing depopulation disadvantages, improving the final services for rural inhabitants, contributing with their integration in the knowledge-based society.
Description of Concept
Soria LL aims to support and impel local entrepreneurs and emerging SMEs in the development of innovative projects as the basis to create new local business along with fostering the region development. In order to support this vision, the LL organizes its activities regarding the following strategic axis:
- To support initiatives committed with the development of innovative projects and employment generation.
- To improve the quality of life of the rural environment by means of promoting business opportunities, endorsing local production, and protecting and emphasising the value of the regional natural resources.
- To support collective and individual investments aimed at propping up small business and local services.
- To arrange and conduct any needed activities and local actions to bring up to date all collectives linked to the regional development.
- To acquaint the social tissue of the region with the resources, activities, problematical issues and projects which contribute to their development interest.
- To advise in and promote collaboration between public institutions and private initiatives.
Soria LL is common place for all interested parties to cooperate and share innovative ideas and projects on a collaborative environment set up by regional companies, individuals, public institutions and associations.
References and Track Record
Soria Living Lab is led by ADEMA, a Local Action Group, which counts on more than a hundred public and private business companies and institutions. ADEMA has been included within the UE initiative LEADER II, a programme oriented to Rural Development, whose objectives are also to foster innovative activities through Local Agents either public or private. The stakeholder involvement at the LL ranges from strategic, to more technical parties, to user communities, gathering altogether a representative set of the region population. The activities and objectives o this Living Lab are matched in accordance with the global Spanish government policies on inequalities compensation and development support in run-down rural areas, both under social and economic points of view.
