• Rural areas are a major generator of social and environmental values ​​that enable the recovery of the local economy through innovative and inclusive business models .
• Social entrepreneurship works through cooperation, collaboration and shared governance: rural, urban, public and private, to restore the health of the planet and care for life,
• In times of pandemic, collaborative enterprises have been an example of resilience and resistance, an alternative to the current economic system and to a transformative environment like rural areas, full of cultural richness and diversity.

The day began with a keynote address by Raúl Contreras, economist, social entrepreneur of the Ashoka Network and co-founder of “ NITTÚA: Platform for Social Change ” , who presented the foundations of social and collaborative entrepreneurship and its role as a driver of change: the rural environment is the natural space for social enterprise and a great generator of values, “ but where it is necessary to guarantee the return of capital to that “empty Spain” to recover the local economy”.

The meeting also featured the participation of five entrepreneurs and project promoters in rural areas, focused on the collaborative and social economy:

• José Luis Díaz , co-founder of Wazo Coop, presented the Joven-ESS project , which aims to promote the social and solidarity economy among young people in rural Extremadura. It includes various initiatives aimed at designing projects and promoting a network of social and solidarity entrepreneurs.
• Quim Pérez Riera , partner at Tres Cadires , shared the experience of the shared bakery, whose goal is to promote local development and the social and solidarity economy. They have also promoted Obradors compartits , a web resource that includes a map of shared bakeries in Catalonia and serves as a meeting point for its promoters and potential users.
• Joan Blanco Cabot , editor and fundraiser for third-sector organizations at the Goteo Foundation , presented this open crowdfunding , collaboration, and training network, a leader in social innovation projects. Furthermore, this type of initiative allows for connection with the urban population and crosses national and international borders.
• Patricia García Gómez , manager of Coliving Laguna del Villardón and president of the National Association of Coliving and Coworking (ANCYCO), recounted her experience as an entrepreneur and the important role of coliving in bringing new residents to rural areas and overcoming the difficulties of accessing housing due to the lack of supply and reluctance to rent.
• Finally, Pablo Rodríguez Bustamante , partner at the consulting firm GEOCyL , explained his experience as a digital nomad, the creation of collaborative networks, and the development of new projects in rural coliving and coworking spaces. He also presented Ruralmind , a reality show for rural entrepreneurship in which he will participate alongside other mentors and coliving owners in the coming months.

The meeting concluded with a panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities for young people in rural areas. The discussion addressed the challenges and needs to be addressed to foster collaborative entrepreneurship in rural areas. Participants responded to questions and concerns raised through the platform, drawing on the experiences of the various projects.

All information about this meeting can be found here , as well as on the RRN's social media channels: Twitter and Facebook .