LEADER-CE

Project overview

LEAding a Digital social Entrepreneurship in Rural areas in Central Europe

Many rural areas lag in digitalisation and social innovation, leading to shrinking services, jobs and population. LEADER-CE aims to boost social enterprises as local champions of the digital transition. Partners from four countries run a place-based, community-led capacity-building programme that delivers tailored digital skills, tools and coaching and bring stakeholders together in local labs. By comparing pilots and co-developing a shared action plan, they create methods other rural areas can use to strengthen services and inclusive growth.

0,75m €

Project Budget

80%

of the Budget is funded by ERDF

Layer 1

4

Countries

4

Regions

5

Partners

1

Pilots

Duration

Start date

End date

Project progress

39%

About the project

The LEADER-CE project aims to empower rural social enterprises by overcoming digital barriers and boosting their local competitiveness. Key activities include mapping regional needs, providing "Digital Roadmaps" and essential IT equipment, and testing a practical capacity-building program through pilot implementations. These efforts will result in a functional transnational network for sharing best practices, the LEADER-CE Support Tool for mentoring, and a Strategic Action Plan designed to guide future social economy policies across Central Europe.

Project partnership

Project partners

Italia (IT)

Lead partner

Local Action Group Escartons and Waldensian Valleys

Address
Corso Lombardini 2
10066 Torre pellice
Country
Italy (IT)
Web
https://www.evv.it/en/

Project partner

Address
Via Pier Carlo Boggio 61
10138 Torino
Country
Italy (IT)
Web
https://linksfoundation.com/en/
Total partner budget
132,500 €
IMPACT Strategic Office for the Development of Innovation Programmes in the Euro-Mediterranean Region
Address
Ul. Alberta Ognjana Štrige 1A
10000 Zagreb
Country
Croatia (HR)
Web
https://zaklada.civilnodrustvo.hr
Total partner budget
155,000 €
Banska Bystrica Regional Chamber
Address
Nám. Š. Moysesa 4
97401 Banská Bystrica
Country
Slovakia (SK)
Web
https://www.sopk.sk/
Total partner budget
133,000 €
Address
V Zátiší 810/1
709 00 Ostrava
Country
Czechia (CZ)
Web
www.cpkp.cz/sm
Total partner budget
155,000 €

Roadmap

1

Context

In peripheral, rural, and mountainous regions across Central Europe, the social economy plays a vital role in maintaining essential local services and community well-being. However, these territories face growing structural challenges, including depopulation, digital divide, and limited resources.
2

Specific problem

Rural social enterprises often lack the necessary digital skills, strategic frameworks, and tools to modernize their operations and effectively meet local needs.
3

Idea

What if we could empower rural social enterprises through tailored digital transition strategies, cross-border capacity building, and innovative support schemes?
4

Solution

The LEADER-CE project develops a comprehensive transnational framework and digital support scheme to accelerate the digital transformation of social economy organizations in lagging regions.
5

How it works

Assessment & Capacity Building: We analyze territorial digital gaps and deliver targeted training modules to boost digital skills among social entrepreneurs and local stakeholders. Pilot Implementation: We co-design and test practical digital transition tools and pilot actions across regional ecosystems in Italy, Croatia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Policy Integration: We translate pilot results into joint strategic action plans to guide regional public authorities and foster long-term policy uptake
6

Proof

By bringing together 10 project partners across 4 pilot regions, LEADER-CE directly supports local social enterprises, develops 1 transnational digital support scheme, and establishes a strategic Action Plan for the digital transition of the social economy in Central Europe.
7

Impact

By bridging the digital divide, LEADER-CE enhances the resilience and competitiveness of rural social enterprises, ensuring sustainable service provision and community development in peripheral territories.

News

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P1 Smart

NEWS

02.09.2026

From Evidence to Action: Positioning the LEADER-CE Capacity-Building Recommendations.

European frameworks support digital transition in the social economy, yet regional policy alignment remains uneven. Translating LEADER-CE findings into four targeted recommendations - strengthening organisational foundations, data governance, modular training, and small software investments - the analysis highlights existing regional instruments as practical institutional anchors for capacity building.

By LEADER-CE
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NEWS

01.09.2026

Understanding the Digital Needs of Rural Social Enterprises: Evidence from the LEADER-CE Survey

Social enterprises drive inclusive growth in rural areas, where digital transition requires strategic, human-centred, and data-driven approaches. Surveying 20 rural social enterprises across Croatia, Italy, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, the LEADER-CE project reveals structural constraints - limited capacity and funding - alongside a universal demand for integrated digital ...

By LEADER-CE
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P1 Smart

NEWS

20.07.2026

Local Challenges, Digital Solutions: How Virtual Study Visits Inspire the Rural Social Economy

During May and June 2026, five partner organizations from the Czech Republic, Italy, Croatia, and Slovakia conducted Virtual Study Visits. This initiative explored practical digital solutions to preserve essential services and support the rural social economy across Central Europe.

By LEADER-CE

Outputs

Testing LEADER-CE capacity building scheme for digital transition of social enterprises

This Output represents the operational testing phase of the LEADER-CE project. It focuses on evaluating the real-world effectiveness, practical applicability, and adaptability of the jointly designed capacity building programmes tailored for social enterprises operating in lagging and peripheral rural areas.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
In development

LEADER-CE support tool/scheme for digital transition of social enterprises

Output represents the finalized, jointly developed support scheme designed to enable the digital transition of social enterprises in lagging and peripheral rural areas across Central Europe. This output translates pilot experiences and regional feedback into a structured, place-based framework for future policy measures and support tools.
Type of output: Solutions
In development

Action Plan on the digital transition of social economy in CE

Output represents the core strategic policy document of the LEADER-CE project. It defines a comprehensive Action Plan designed to guide project partners and regional stakeholders in the practical integration and implementation of digital transition measures for the social economy within relevant regional and national policy programmes.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans

LEADER-CE

Priority 1: Cooperating for a smarter central Europe

SO 1.2: Strengthening skills for smart specialisation, industrial transition and entrepreneurship in central Europe

The project lead partner is solely responsible for all content published on this project website, including, where applicable, content created with the support of AI tools and the appropriate labelling of such content. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE Programme, its programme bodies or the European Union.

Project on social media

Project Contacts

Project Manager

Remy Baltieri
Email: comunicazione@evv.it
Phone: +390121933708

Finance Manager

Susanne Nilsson
Email: progetti@evv.it
Phone: +390121933708

Communication Manager

Leona Krňávková
Email: leona.krnavkova@cpkp.cz
Phone: +420 702 134 380