Local event of the EU Industry week. Moving from Smart to Startup Village: challenges and possibilities in the local ecosystem

Today, each of us imagines what the concept of a smart village should look like and what its components are. On the other hand, do we know what a startup village should look like? What are its most important elements? How could the synergy between the youth and the startup village work? Recently European Commission has launched the Startup Village idea which is a part of the EU’s long-term vision for rural areas and the Commission Action Plan for Rural areas.

A targeted direction of startup village development could ensure the economic development of the regions, the wider adoption of digital solutions, the involvement of young people and women and the achievement of the goals of the Green Deal as well as a successful adaptation to changes in business and society. Also, the Startup Village concept implementation would boost research and innovation in rural communities and help build up a more innovative entrepreneurship that will attract more young and talented people.

Director of AgriFood Lithuania DIH Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė was invited as a keynote speaker in EC initiated conference “Startup Village Forum” in November. She said: “Startup Village concept is a great idea which has a lot of potential to create a lot of well-paid work places in rural areas. The technologies and innovative solutions have the potential to bring back more entrepreneurs – especially young people with startups – to the regions. We all have to work together and to ensure  the support for investments and funding, create an necessary infrastructure for startups in rural areas, help them to gain new competences, provide test-before-invest opportunities, provide the possibility to test startup products in real conditions. So there is a need to create a startup ecosystem with shared values in rural areas. All community members should be included: local business, farmers, research institutions, local public authorities and finally society. Such organizations as DIHs could be orchestrator for these ecosystems”, – strong support for Startup Village idea was expressed by director at AgriFood Lithuania DIH Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė.

The supply of sustainable, healthy and high-quality local products would enable the startup village to connect with the metropolis and ensure the sustainable development of the regions by supplying local products, promoting their consumption and fostering good relations between consumers and producers.

This would not only reduce food waste but also increase the economic capacity of regions, ensure good food quality, promote job creation and restore balance in the food chain. This would achieve many of the objectives of the common agricultural, regional development and youth empowering policies.

10:00 Opening of the webinar 

Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė | Director at AgriFood Lithuania DIH

10:05 “Startup Village”

Isidro Laso Ballesteros | Cabinet Expert at Commissioner Mariya Gabriel cabinet for Innovation, Research, Education, Culture and Youth at European Commission

10:25 “Overview of the situation in Lithuania”

Egidijus Giedraitis | Deputy minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania

10:35 “Opportunities for Lithuanian regions to become hubs of startups”

Prof. dr. Vilma Atkočiūnienė | Researcher at Vytautas Magnus University

10:55 “Towards a Startup Village”

Edita Gudišauskienė | Chairwoman of the Dzūkija Association of Rural Development Partners, Head of Local Development Strategy Administration

11:10 Discussion: “Moving from Smart to Startup Village: challenges and possibilities in the local ecosystem”

Egidijus Giedraitis | Deputy minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania

Mindaugas Sinkevičius | President of the Association of Lithuanian Municipalities, Mayor of Jonava

Prof. dr. Vilma Atkočiūnienė | Researcher at Vytautas Magnus University

Edita Gudišauskienė | Chairwoman of the Dzūkija Association of Rural Development Partners, Head of Local Development Strategy Administration

Moderated by:

Kristina Šermukšnytė-Alešiūnienė | Director at AgriFood Lithuania DIH