During RP1, SMART ERA produced results that lay the groundwork for transformative change in rural innovation:
1. The Smartness Assessment Method (SESAM) provides the first scalable, multi-dimensional approach to assess rural "smartness" across six key domains, empowering data-driven planning and may become a standardized tool for EU-wide rural diagnostics.
2. SIP Co-design Toolkit. A hybrid (analogue + digital) toolkit supporting rural communities in collaboratively shaping Smart Innovation Packages (SIPs) can serve for community-led innovation across other EU rural areas.
3. Pilot Action Plans and Technology Scoping. 6 pilot regions co-designed detailed SIP Action Plans aligned with local priorities, defining tailored technological and non-technological needs, forming the basis for the upcoming Open Call. These ensure high contextual relevance, enhancing the likelihood of effective deployment and uptake.
4. A flexible Data Ecosystem and Interoperability Framework was designed, along with a shared geoserver and dashboard infrastructure. This infrastructure allows real-time insights and comparability across territories, essential for replication, monitoring, and policymaking.
5. Policy Audit Guidelines and Feedback into EU Processes. Policy audit tools and methodologies have already fed into 7 EU-level consultations and opinions. Pilots have begun audits to identify barriers and enablers for smart rural innovation. This supports evidence-based policy design and can contribute to rural-proofing mechanisms.
Further research is needed on scaling SESAM across different rural typologies, while the co-design toolkit can be refined with user feedback, and real-world demonstration of SIPs in diverse contexts will be necessary to validate impacts. As the SIPs move from co-design to implementation, particularly those involving tech components, tailored IPR guidance and business development support will be essential, especially for third-party innovators selected through the Open Call. Several results are relevant beyond EU, so international collaboration and uptake mechanisms will be explored. SESAM and the interoperability framework should be advanced toward formal standardisation, especially to support comparability, benchmarking, and monitoring at EU level. Findings from the policy audits should feed into national rural strategies and contribute to shaping a supportive regulatory environment for community-led, data-informed rural innovation.
