Paola, Malta – InnovationGUIDE, a collaborative project aimed at fostering rural development and innovation, recently organized a highly successful event titled “Thriving Entrepreneurship: Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism, and Bioeconomy.” The event, held in Paola, Malta, was led by project partners The Malta College of Arts, Science & Technology (MCAST) and Social Entrepreneurs Association Malta (SEAM).

The event brought together stakeholders from various sectors such as MALTAccelerate, Blue EcoTech LTD, Natura Snacks, Malta Food Agency, and more. The attendees engaged in insightful discussions and contributed to making the event a resounding success.

The event kicked off with an introduction to InnovationGUIDE and its objectives, followed by engaging presentations by project partners. Adriana Frank, from SEAM, shared inspiring case studies, highlighting successful rural innovation initiatives and their potential impact.

A key highlight of the event was an interactive session on opportunities and barriers in promoting rural entrepreneurship. Attendees were guided through practical exercises, including an introduction to the World Bank Ecosystem Model and the use of Mentimeter to identify initiatives and challenges in agriculture, tourism, and bioeconomy.

Representatives from the agriculture, tourism, and bioeconomy sectors shared their insights, needs, and priorities, leading to vibrant discussions and valuable outcomes. The event concluded with a networking lunch, providing attendees with further opportunities to connect and collaborate.

For those who missed the event, InnovationGUIDE encourages them to stay tuned for future opportunities and updates. Interested parties can follow their social media channels for the latest news and developments.

Funded by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA), InnovationGUIDE will power rural areas by enabling innovators including deep tech and social innovation startups to take better advantage of the single market and attract new institutional investors to strengthen financial and capital markets to commercialise and scale companies in their countries.

The project is integrated by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TIM), Universiteit Maastricht, Fundacion Empresa-Universidad Gallega (FEUGA), Malta College of Arts Science and Technology (MCAST) and StartupCentrum.