LEAding a Digital social Entrepreneurship in Rural areas in Central Europe

Start Date: 02\02\2026
End Date: 31\01\2028
Website: https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/leader-ce/

LEAding a Digital Social Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas – LEADER strengthens innovation and competitiveness among social enterprises in peripheral rural areas of Central Europe. From the Alpine valleys of the Metropolitan City of Turin to the County of Drniš in Croatia and the Regions of Banská Bystrica in Slovakia and Olomouc in the Czech Republic, many communities face depopulation, economic fragility and limited access to services.

In these territories, social enterprises play a crucial role in sustaining local development and social cohesion. Yet digital gaps constrain their ability to innovate and scale their impact. LEADER addresses this challenge through an integrated, co-designed capacity-building programme grounded in a participatory, place-based approach inspired by Community-Led Local Development (CLLD).

The project supports social economy organisations in developing tailored digital roadmaps, strengthening digital skills and accessing basic ICT equipment. The process culminates in a Transnational Action Plan providing practical recommendations for local and regional authorities, ensuring long-term sustainability and replicability.

By fostering cooperation among partners from Italy, Croatia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, LEADER delivers a shared model to drive the digital transformation of the social economy and empower rural communities across Central Europe.